Separate toilet facilities for each sex shall not be required in mercantile occupancies with a maximum occupant load of _____ or fewer.

In mercantile occupancies, the building codes often specify that separate toilet facilities for each sex are not mandated if the maximum occupant load is 100 or fewer. This stipulation is grounded in the desire to balance safety, convenience, and practicality in smaller establishments. When the occupant load is relatively low, it may not be necessary to have separate facilities in order to maintain reasonable access for both sexes.

The code intends to ensure that there are adequate sanitation facilities without overburdening smaller facilities with stringent requirements that could lead to unnecessary construction costs or complications. Consequently, a threshold of 100 occupants recognizes a level of demand that can be adequately managed with unisex facilities, thereby facilitating more efficient space utilization in mercantile contexts.

The other options suggest lower thresholds, which would imply stricter regulations that do not align with the intent of creating a balanced and practical approach to restroom facilities in mercantile environments with limited occupancy figures.