A high-rise is defined as a building taller than ______ feet.

• A. 75
• B. 60
• C. 90
• D. 110

Answer: (A)

In fire protection terms, a high-rise is defined by a height threshold that drives the required systems and access. In most codes used for sprinkler and standpipe design, a high-rise is a building taller than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department access. That 75-foot mark roughly translates to about seven to eight stories, depending on how tall each floor is.

This threshold matters because buildings above it need more specialized fire protection and access features, which is why the 75-foot cutoff is used. The other numbers don’t fit the standard definition: 60 feet is below the high-rise cutoff, while 90 and 110 feet exceed it and aren’t the typical classification used in building and fire codes.