Residential Smoke Alarm Requirements

The Minnesota State Fire Marshal recommends that smoke detectors be replaced when they have been in use for more than 10 years or when the alarm fails to respond to testing. Other conditions also may cause an alarm to be less effective.

For questions or concerns relating to smoke detection, contact Inspection Services by email or by calling 651-714-3543.

Residential Smoke Alarm Requirements

Residential smoke alarm requirement can be found in the IRC 2015 - Minnesota Amendments Section R314.

R314.1 Smoke Detection & Notification

All smoke alarms shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 217 and installed in accordance with the provisions of this code and the household fire warning equipment provisions of NFPA 72.

R314.3 Location

Smoke alarms shall be installed in the following locations:

• In each sleeping room.
• Outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms.
• On each additional story of the dwelling, including basements and habitable attics but not including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics. In dwellings... with split levels and without an intervening door between the adjacent levels, a smoke alarm installed on the upper level shall suffice for the adjacent lower level provided that the lower level is less than one full story below the upper level.

For more information related to residential smoke alarm requirements, visit the Installing and Maintaining Smoke Alarms page of the National Fire Protection Association website.

First Alert Recall

Some First Alert® smoke detectors and combination smoke/carbon monoxide alarms were recalled in May 2006 due to rapidly draining battery power.