What Makes a Bedroom “Legally” a Bedroom?

Does anyone who is not from the other side of the galaxy really need to ask, “What is a bedroom?” Actually, yes. Welcome to the nuances of real estate speak, where not everything is as it seems.

There are, in fact, a number of details that make a room a “bedroom”—and both home Buyers and Sellers had best know them to avoid misunderstandings.

# of bedrooms is often one of the most important details of a home, so it’s no surprise that homeowners want to slap that label on as many rooms as possible.

Six features that define a bedroom

The laws vary by state, but here are six ways you can tell if your room is a bedroom rather than just a “room”:

1. Minimum square footage: This is the top issue and this can vary from state to state, 70 to 80 square feet is generally the acceptable minimum.
2. Minimum horizontal footage: The minimum square footage doesn’t tell the whole tale. A bedroom must also measure at least 7 feet in any horizontal direction. That is why you can’t call a hallway a bedroom!
3. Two means of egress: There have to be two ways out of a bedroom. Traditionally, these would be a door and a window. In most markets, a skylight would also qualify as that means of egress.
4. Minimum ceiling height: At least half of the bedroom ceiling has to be at least 7 feet tall.
5. Minimum window size: The window opening must be a minimum size, usually 5.7 square feet.
6. A heating and cooling element: We’re talking an actual heater (a space heater won’t qualify) as well as a way to cool it down, whether that’s by opening a window or good old AC.

Does a bedroom need a closet?

Contrary to popular belief, a bedroom does not have to have a closet to be considered official. (Your significant other might disagree, but legally, at least in most states, it does not.) Closets are expected in newer homes, but older ones might require a more creative approach to stowing your clothes.