Overview

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CSI Standards

MasterFormat®, UniFormat®, and OmniClass® are construction’s shared language: a connected system that keeps meaning intact as a project moves from concept to design, documentation, bidding, construction, handover, and operations.

CSI Dynamic Standards℠: A Live, Connected Standards System

Static books and PDFs make it difficult for teams to stay aligned.

CSI Dynamic Standards℠ combines MasterFormat®, UniFormat®, and OmniClass® into one trusted, up-to-date, accessible, digital edition. From design through operations, the result is consistent work, fewer requests for information, and less revisions.

A firm-wide subscription gives your organization a practical way to support consistent project information across teams, tools, and deliverables.

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MasterFormat® 2026 is Now Available

The release of MasterFormat® 2026 is a significant update that introduces 2,185 new and 617 reorganized listings. It allows for greater granularity, more effective grouping of information, and less reliance on legacy classifications for modern projects.

The majority of changed content remains in the same divisions, which allows for improved clarity without disrupting the shared language the industry depends on.

MasterFormat® 2026 is available through CSI Dynamic Standards℠.

Accessing CSI Standards

A CSI Dynamic Standards℠ subscription, issued at the firm level, includes licenses for MasterFormat®, UniFormat®, and OmniClass® along with access to online navigator tools.

The Construction Standard is the authorized partner for accessing CSI Dynamic Standards℠. 

A limited look up of MasterFormat® numbers and titles is available to non-subscribers.

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MasterFormat®

MasterFormat® is the construction industry’s standardized language for project documentation—transforming complex design concepts into clear, coordinated, and actionable information. It gives every stakeholder a consistent way to communicate what is being built, how it performs, and what is required.

  • Translates design intent into construction reality by organizing specifications into work results that contractors can price, procure, and build
  • Aligns drawings, specs, and data so that everyone—from designers to field teams—reference the same structure and terminology
  • Creates continuity across project phases, linking early decisions to final documentation and execution
  • Enables coordination at scale, allowing large, multi-team projects to operate with a shared understanding of scope and responsibility

Additional Resources



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UniFormat®

UniFormat® helps you arrange system information as the project design is finalized
 
  • Common classification for the description, analysis, and management of a building throughout its life cycle
  • Estimators and design teams benefit from the UniFormat® cost analysis and early project design documentation
  • UniFormat® allows you to better evaluate design alternatives that affect facility performance

Additional Resources



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OmniClass®

OmniClass® provides a classification structure for electronic databases and software

  • Enriching your information with a classification system designed for the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry
  • Especially useful in Building Information Modeling (BIM), the classifications can be applied when organizing library materials and establishing structures for electronic databases.
  • Developed with a North American focus, but can be used to classify construction and its components in other countries

Additional Resources

Section Format

SectionFormat/PageFormat® gives guidance on organizing and formatting text for specification pages. The guidelines help reduce the chance of omissions or duplications and ensure consistency in your presentations. 

National CAD Standard

The National CAD Standard (NCS) is a collection of standards, guidelines, and tools to streamline and simplify the exchange of building design and construction data from project development through completion.

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CSI Standards Steering Committee

As part of our stewardship of these vital classification standards, we have a committee of distinguished volunteers from across the AECO community to guide the ongoing maintenance of CSI standards.

Meet the Committee

Revisions Process