How do I access the FGI Guidelines for a design project?
Access the FGI documents through FGI OneSource, the Facility Guidelines Institute’s digital platform launched with the 2026 edition — or purchase the 2026 FGI Codes in print or digital formats. The companion FGI Handbooks for Planning and Design (the former appendix/advisory material, expanded) are available by digital subscription only — and the Handbook subscription includes the complete Code text, so subscribers don’t need to buy the Code separately.
Your access options
- FGI OneSource — the digital platform for FGI publications and technical resources; the primary access point going forward.
- 2026 FGI Codes (print or digital) — the enforceable minimum requirements, one volume per facility type. Buy the volume matching your project.
- FGI Handbooks (digital subscription) — Code text plus expanded guidance, diagrams, graphics, checklists, and planning resources. Maintained continuously between the four-year Code cycles.
Which volume do you need?
Match the document to the project: Hospitals for inpatient work, Outpatient Facilities for clinics and ambulatory settings, Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities for nursing and residential care. Mixed-use projects may need more than one — and the AHJ decides which applies where they overlap.
Before you buy: check the adopted edition
The 2026 Codes are current, but your state enforces a specific edition — and many states are still on 2018 or 2022. Buying the 2026 Code when your AHJ enforces 2018 means designing to requirements the inspector won’t apply (and missing ones they will). Confirm the adopted edition first; buy the matching volume.
Buy the edition your AHJ enforces — not just the newest one.
See which edition your state enforces and the FGI 2026 compliance guide.
FAQ
What is FGI OneSource?
The Facility Guidelines Institute’s digital platform for accessing FGI publications and technical resources, launched with the 2026 edition.
Are the FGI Handbooks required?
No — the Codes contain the enforceable minimums. The Handbooks are supplemental guidance (subscription), useful for design teams but not the compliance baseline.
Can I access FGI documents for free?
FGI is a published, copyrighted standard — access is through purchase or subscription. Some public comment drafts were freely available during the revision cycle, but the published Codes and Handbooks are paid.