{"data":{"id":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-74-74-317.2","jurisdiction":"us-ok","citation":"Okla. Stat. tit. 74, § 74-317.2","heading":"Churches - Temporary overnight accommodations","body":"\n\nA. The Oklahoma Uniform Building Code or any building code\n\nadopted by any political subdivision of this state, or any rules or\n\nregulations promulgated thereto, may permit the authority having\n\njurisdiction to allow a church that is occupancy-rated an A3\n\nbuilding pursuant to any codes adopted by the Oklahoma Uniform\n\nBuilding Code Commission to utilize its building space for temporary\n\novernight visitors for the purpose of religious retreats, ministry\n\nprograms, overnight or lock-in events, emergency or catastrophic\n\noccurrences, to shelter transient persons or to accommodate\n\ndisplaced persons due to hardship or inclement weather. Such\n\nbuilding use shall not constitute a change in code occupancy rating,\n\npurposes or activities. Provided, any temporary overnight visitor\n\nspace utilized by a church within its existing buildings as\n\nauthorized by this section shall be authorized only for a limited\n\nduration, unless the Governor has declared a state of emergency or\n\nexigent circumstances exist. The church acting pursuant to the\n\nprovisions of this section shall not charge for its accommodations\n\nnor be deemed a bed and breakfast, hotel or motel for any code\n\noccupancy rating purposes.\n\nB. Churches which temporarily accommodate overnight visitors as\n\nprovided in this section shall have one of the following:\n\n1. An automatic sprinkler system in the area of overnight\n\naccommodations that is monitored by a third party; or\n\n2. A hard-wired stand-alone fire and smoke alarm in the area of\n\novernight accommodations in addition to an exit door or window\n\nopening directly to a public way, exit court or yard area.\n\nC. Nothing in the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code or any code\n\nadopted by any political subdivision of this state, or any rules or\n\nregulations promulgated pursuant thereto, shall be construed to\n\ncause a church to be in violation of the Oklahoma Uniform Building\n\nCode or any building code adopted by a political subdivision of this\n\nstate for the sole reason the church offers temporary overnight\n\nvisitor services within the authority of this section.\n\nD. As used in this section:\n\n1. \"Church\" means a facility that is owned by a religious\n\norganization and that is used primarily for religious services;\n\n2. \"Religious organization\" means any church, seminary,\n\nsynagogue, temple, mosque, religious order, religious corporation,\n\nassociation or society, whose identity is distinctive in terms of\n\ncommon religious creed, beliefs, doctrines, practices or rituals, of\n\nany faith or denomination, including any organization qualifying as\n\na church or religious organization under Section 501(c)(3) or 501(d)\n\nof the United States Internal Revenue Code; and\n\n3. \"Temporary\" means no more than seventy-five (75) days in a\n\ncalendar year.","path":["OK Code","Title 74"],"source_url":"https://www.oklegislature.gov/OK_Statutes/CompleteTitles/os74.pdf","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:36Z","sha256":"35f882e80723a2428cb1a9d2b295b913ef62b5f8e57bd7e4be856ad0af8977f8","source_id":"us-ok","stale":false,"prev":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-74-74-317.1","next":"us-ok/okla.-stat.-tit.-74-74-318"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}