Where is a railing required?
In Türkiye, the Planned Areas Zoning Regulation (Planlı Alanlar İmar Yönetmeliği, article 38) requires a railing in these places: balconies, terraces and gallery voids, the open edges of landings, open stairs and ramps with more than one step, the tops of retaining walls, gardens more than 0.50 m lower or higher, and windows whose sill is less than 0.90 m above the floor.
In other countries the rule depends on the fall height. Germany’s model building code (MBO § 38) requires a railing wherever the drop is more than 1 m; in Bavaria the limit is 0.50 m. In England, homes need guarding wherever the drop is more than 60 cm (Approved Document K); in the US, a guard is needed where a walking surface is more than 30 inches (about 76 cm) above the floor or grade below (IRC R312.1.1).
How high is a balcony railing?
- Türkiye: at least 110 cm from floor level; the same on balconies, terraces and gallery voids (article 38/1).
- Germany: at least 90 cm for a fall height of 1–12 m, and at least 110 cm for more than 12 m (MBO § 38/4).
- England: 110 cm on external balconies and roof edges; 90 cm on stairs, landings and internal floor edges (Approved Document K, Diagram 3.1).
- US: at least 36 inches (about 91 cm, IRC R312.1.2) on balconies and landings in houses; 42 inches (about 107 cm, IBC 1015.3) in apartment and non-residential buildings.
Height is measured from the finished floor. If a thick floor finish or a wood deck is added to a balcony later, the railing becomes that much lower. A planter, bench or outdoor air-conditioning unit placed at the foot of the railing also becomes a step for a child; it is safer not to put them there.
Gaps between balusters: the 10 cm rule
The gaps in a railing matter as much as its height; a small child must not be able to slip between the balusters. In Türkiye, openings in a railing may allow a passage of at most 10 cm in diameter, including deflection under load (article 38/4). The railing is made of a material that does not break, or does not shatter if it breaks, and it carries loads including the impact of a person (article 38/3).
In England, in buildings likely to be used by children under five, a 100 mm sphere must not pass through the guarding, and horizontal rails that make climbing easy for children should be avoided. In the US the limit is 4 inches (about 10 cm), or 4 3/8 inches (about 11 cm) on the open side of a stair. Germany’s model code gives no figure for the gaps; Bavaria requires that a railing does not make it easier for small children to climb it or slip through it, but this rule does not apply inside houses and flats.
Windows and French balconies
A window that reaches down to the floor or has a low sill is also a fall edge. In Türkiye, a window whose sill is less than 90 cm above the floor needs a railing up to at least 110 cm from the floor (article 38/1). In Germany, a window parapet must be at least 80 cm for falls of up to 12 m and at least 90 cm above that; a low parapet can be made up with a railing in front of it (MBO § 38/3). In England, an opening window is guarded if its opening is less than 80 cm above the floor. In the US, a window whose sill is less than 24 inches (about 61 cm) above the inside floor and more than 72 inches (about 183 cm) above the grade outside either opens only so far that a 4-inch sphere cannot pass, or is protected by a fall prevention device. For sill heights, see the post on door and window sizes.
Roof terraces and parapets
In Türkiye, if a roof terrace is open for use, a 110 cm parapet or railing along its edge is mandatory (article 40/6); the 110 cm of the railing or parapet of an open terrace on the top floor does not count towards the building height (article 38/2). Germany requires guarding on roofs where people are present even briefly, and England at roof edges; in England it is 110 cm high.
Stair railings and handrails
In Türkiye, a railing and handrail are mandatory on both sides of stairs (article 31/1-ç); the regulation gives no height for the stair handrail, and the open edge of an open stair needs a 110 cm railing under article 38. On ramps, handrails are at two levels, 90 cm and 70 cm, with a diameter of 32–45 mm (article 30/13). The same regulation also limits the steps: risers of at most 16 cm in buildings without a lift and 18 cm in buildings with a lift; 2 × riser + tread = 60–64 cm, and a tread of at least 27 cm (article 31/2).
In England, the handrail is 90–100 cm above the pitch line of the stair, and on both sides if the stair is 1 m wide or more. In the US, stairs with four or more risers need a handrail on at least one side, 34–38 inches (about 86–97 cm) high. Germany’s model code makes handrails mandatory but gives no height.
Railing height by country
| Rule | Germany | England | USA | Türkiye |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| When required | Drop of more than 1 m (Bavaria 0.50 m) | Drop of more than 60 cm | Drop of more than 76 cm | balcony, terrace, gallery, open stair, low window |
| Balcony, terrace | 90; 110 above 12 m | 110 | 91; apartments 107 | 110 |
| Internal edge, stairs | 90 | 90 | 86 on stairs | 110 |
| Gaps | not in the model code | Ø10 (small children) | Ø10; Ø11 on stairs | Ø10 |
| Window | parapet ≥ 80; 90 above 12 m | guarded if opening is below 80 | sill below 61 inside, above 183 outside | up to 110 if sill is below 90 |
| Handrail | required, no height given | 90–100 | 86–97 | both sides; 90 and 70 on ramps |
Dimensions are in centimeters; US values are approximate equivalents of inches. The Germany column is the model building code (MBO); state regulations may differ. The US column is the model code (IRC, IBC); states may amend it.
Balcony and terrace railings in Nodaform
When you draw a balcony (Plus) in Nodaform, you choose the railing type: solid, glass or metal; the railing is drawn 110 cm high in the 3D view and in elevations. When you choose a roof type in 3D (Plus), the part of a lower floor not covered by the floor above becomes a terrace, and a 110 cm railing is placed on its open edges; it also shows in sections. The 50 cm parapet at the edge of a flat roof is for a roof that isn’t used; if you’re going to use the roof as a terrace, the regulation requires 110 cm. A railing is also drawn around the stair opening in the upper floor slab, with the exit edge left open. When you change the tread width in the stair panel, the riser height and the 2 × riser + tread calculation also appear.
The rules in this post are taken from official texts checked on 1 November 2026. In the US, states can amend the model code, and in Germany each state has its own building regulations. Regulations can change; check the current text and consult a qualified architect before building.