Cal. Civ. Code § 20.23
Number
Operative Text
(a) Flush toilets. One water flushed toilet or privy seat for common or general use of the occupants of a lodging or boarding house, shall be provided for each 12 persons or fraction of 12 persons. (b) Urinals. One urinal or 24 inches of urinal trough for the use of men may be provided. Where the urinals are installed, the required number of waterflushed toilets or privy seats may be reduced by 1/3.
Under 28 Pa. Code § 20.23, lodging and boarding houses in Pennsylvania must provide at least one water-flushed toilet or privy seat for every 12 occupants (or any fraction thereof) who share common facilities. Where urinals are installed for men's use—at a ratio of one urinal or 24 inches of urinal trough—the total number of required toilets or privy seats may be reduced by one-third. This rule sets minimum sanitation standards for shared-facility residential accommodations.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of lodging or boarding houses subject to 28 Pa. Code § 20.23 generally calculate their required toilet count by dividing total occupancy by 12, rounding any fraction up to the next whole number. Where men's urinals or urinal troughs are installed at the specified ratio, compliant operators account for the permitted one-third reduction in the toilet requirement when planning or auditing their facilities. Maintaining accurate occupancy records and conducting periodic fixture counts helps ensure the facility remains in compliance as occupancy levels change.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 28 Pa. Code § 20.23, residents of lodging or boarding houses have a right to a minimum number of functioning shared toilet facilities based on how many people occupy the building. If the number of working toilets appears to fall below the required ratio—one per 12 occupants—this may constitute a code violation that can be reported to the local municipal or county health department responsible for lodging house inspections. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand how to document conditions and what complaint or enforcement options may be available.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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