January 2010: Legislative Review
An Overview of Codes, Standards and Regulations in
CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, MA, MI, MS, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA and TX
In the November 2009, Sprinkler Age magazine featured its Annual Legislative Review for the United States and Canada. This summary of legislation and codes offers an overview of regulations affecting the fire sprinkler industry in individual states. The information was obtained from a survey mailed to the fire marshals of the 50 states. Listed below are the responses and findings for California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. A dash (-) means there was no response.
|
State
|
Requires
Certification of: |
Requires for Sprinkler Drawings:
|
|||
|
Plan
Reviewers |
Inspectors
|
PE /
Architect Seal |
NICET Level
III |
NICET Level
IV |
|
|
California
|
Y/N
|
Y/N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
| Colorado |
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
|
Connecticut
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
|
Florida
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
-
|
|
Georgia
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
| Illinois |
N
|
N
|
Design
|
Layout
|
-
|
| Massachusetts |
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
|
Michigan
|
Y, bldg. insp. & plan rev.
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
|
Missouri
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
|
New Jersey
|
Cert.
|
Y
|
Y
|
-
|
-
|
|
New York
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
|
North Carolina
|
Y
|
Y
|
-
|
Y
|
-
|
|
Ohio
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
|
Texas
|
N
|
N
|
-
|
Y
|
N
|
|
Inspection, Testing & Maintenance and Seismic
Protection Requirements
|
||||
|
State
|
Required for those who perform
inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based fire protection
systems:
|
Seismic protection required on fire sprinkler
systems:
|
||
|
NICET
Level II |
NICET
Level III |
No
Requirement |
||
|
California
|
N
|
N
|
-
|
Y
|
|
Colorado
|
N
|
N
|
-
|
N
|
|
Connecticut
|
N
|
N
|
No req.
|
Test. & Main. - CT sprinkler lic.
|
|
Florida
|
Y
|
N
|
-
|
N
|
|
Georgia
|
-
|
Y
|
-
|
Y
|
| Illinois |
Y
|
-
|
-
|
Y, Per NFPA 13
|
|
Massachusetts
|
N
|
N
|
-
|
Y
|
|
Michigan
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Y
|
|
Missouri
|
N
|
N
|
-
|
N
|
|
New Jersey
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
|
New York
|
N
|
N
|
-
|
N
|
|
North Carolina
|
-
|
-
|
No req.
|
Y
|
|
Ohio
|
N
|
N
|
-
|
N
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
-
|
-
|
No req.
|
Y
|
| Texas |
Y
|
N
|
-
|
N
|
|
State
|
Code Adoption
|
NFPA 13 Edition Adopted
|
Adopted NFPA 25
|
Requires PE to do Sprinkler Design
Concepts
|
|
|
Statewide
|
Locally
|
||||
|
California
|
2006 IBC & IFC, both amended
|
2007
|
2002 NFPA25 & 2006 CA ed.
|
-
|
No
|
|
Colorado
|
2006 IBC, IFC, NFPA1, NFPA5000, 2002 NFPA72
|
2002
|
Yes, 2002 Ed.
|
-
|
No, also accept NICET III/IV
|
|
Connecticut
|
2003 NFPA101, IBC & IFC - all amended
|
2002
|
Yes
|
-
|
Yes or NICET
|
|
Florida
|
2006 NFPA1 & NFPA101, both amended
|
2002
|
Yes
|
-
|
Yes
|
|
Georgia
|
2000 NFPA101 amended, 2006 IBC & IFC, amended;
NFPA standards published 2003
|
2002
|
2002 Ed.
|
-
|
No
|
|
Illinois
|
NFPA101 2000 amended
|
1999
|
Yes, 1998 Ed. as ref. by 2000 LSC
|
-
|
Yes
|
|
Massachusetts
|
2003 IBC & IFC (portions of)
|
NFPA13, 13D & 13R, 2007 ed.
|
Yes
|
-
|
Yes
|
|
Michigan
|
2007 IBC, 1997/2006 NFPA101 and 2007 NFPA1, all
amended
|
Varies depending on references
|
-
|
Yes, varies
|
No
|
|
Missouri
|
N/A
|
1999
|
1998
|
-
|
-
|
|
New Jersey
|
1996 BOCA amended maintenance, fire prevention;
2000 IBC & 2000 IFC amended - new construction
|
1999 for new installs
|
Yes
|
-
|
Yes or Architect
|
|
New York
|
2003 IBC & IFC, both amended
|
2002
|
Yes, 1998
|
-
|
-
|
|
North Carolina
|
2003 IBC & IFC, both amended
|
2002
|
Yes, 2002 Ed.
|
-
|
No
|
|
Ohio
|
2006 IBC & IFC, amended
|
2002
|
2002 Ed.
|
-
|
Yes
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
2006 IBC & IFC; NFPA101 used by PA Dept. of
Health for health care facilities
|
2002
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Texas
|
2003 IBC & IRC in cities; 2006 NFPA101 in counties
|
2002
|
1998 Ed. For Contractors
|
Yes
|
No
|
Risk Logic, Inc. can be of assistance regarding fire protection Codes and
Regulations. We can ensure that the above codes, as well as NFPA and FM
Global standards, are being followed to avoid a major property loss.