Mezzanines can take no more than what fraction of the total room?

• A. One half
• B. One third
• C. One quarter
• D. Two thirds

Answer: (B)

Mezzanines are treated as partial floor levels inside a room, not full second stories. Limiting their area to one third of the room keeps the mezzanine as an accessory feature rather than a separate story, which helps maintain the room’s existing exit capacity and avoids triggering full second‑story requirements like a dedicated second means of egress or additional fire separations. If a mezzanine were larger than one third, it would typically be considered a second floor, with corresponding code obligations for egress, fire resistance, and guarding. Within the one‑third limit, the space can be used effectively while staying within standard safety requirements.