Helical piles and anchors have been used in construction applications for more than 175 years. The first recorded use of helical piles was in 1836 by Alexander Mitchell when he used helical piles to underpin the Maplin Sands Lighthouse in England. Helical piles have gained in popularity to the extent they are more frequently used compared to many other deep foundation types in some geographical areas. In the past, helical piles were an interesting alternative that some geotechnical engineers would take into consideration in some special cases. Helical piles are barely mentioned in undergraduate and graduate civil engineering studies. Now helical piles are widely known by most practicing engineers and should be considered an essential part of any foundation course. Even owners and developers are beginning to request helical piles due to their versatility and high capacities in both tension and compression. The International Code Council (ICC) established an acceptance criteria AC358) for helical piles in 2007. ICC inducted helical piles into the International Building Code (IBC) in 2009. The presentation will cover the design, applications and building code requirements of helical piles.