Jan 2020

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 their December 2019 issue, 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 in all 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 (-) indicates no response.

State

Requires
Certification of:

Requires for Sprinkler Drawings:

Plan
Reviewers

Inspectors

PE /
Architect
Seal

NICET Level
III

NICET Level
IV

California

N

Y

N

N

Colorado

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Connecticut

Y

Y

Y

Florida*

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Georgia

N

Y

N

N

Y

Illinois

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Massachusetts

N

N

Depends

Depends

Depends

Michigan

N

Y

N

N

N

Missouri

N

N

New Jersey

Y

Y

Only

NICET II

New York

N

Y

Y

N

N

North Carolina

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Ohio

Y

Y

N

N

Y & cert des.

Pennsylvania

Y

Y

N

N

N

Texas

Y

Y

Y

Y

*In Florida, a contractor can design systems with less than 49 sprinkler heads.

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

Other

(CSA, Local)

California

N

Y

Y

Colorado

No req.

N

Connecticut

N

N

N

Florida

Y

Y

Y

N

Georgia

via waiver

Y

N

N

Illinois

Y or

Y or

Only as req per NFPA 13

Massachusetts

State

License

Y in some areas

Michigan

N

N

Y

Missouri

No req.

No req.

No req.

N

New Jersey

Y

N

Yes, some

New York

No req.

No req.

No req.

Based on IBC req.

North Carolina

Ohio

N

N

Y, state cert

Y

Pennsylvania

Y

Texas

Y

N

State

Code Adoption

NFPA 13 Edition Adopted

Adopted NFPA 25

Requires PE to do Sprinkler Design Concepts

Statewide

Locally

California

2016 IBC & IFC, both amended

2016

Yes

2011

Yes or licensed sprinkler contractor

Colorado

2015 IBC & IFC; 2015 IRC; 2012 NFPA 101

2013

Yes

NICET III or above

Connecticut

2012 IBC, IFC & NFPA 101 2012 NFPA 1 – amended

2010

Yes

2011

No

Florida

2015 IBC, NFPA 1 & NFPA 101

2013

Yes

2014

Yes

Georgia

2012 IBC, IFC, NFPA101 – all amended

2013

Yes

2011

No

No

Illinois

SFMO enforces 2000 ed. of NFPA 101 for state fac. And state-licensed fac. Each local juris. can adopt its own codes. State est. 2006 IBC, IEBC, IPMC, & 2008 NFPA 70 min. standards for juris. that have not formally adopted codes (admin. by the IL Capital Dev. Board)

2002 minimum;Juris. that had adopted codes as of 2011 mat retain older ref. ed of NFPA in their adopted codes

No

Yes, varies by juris.

Yes

Massachusetts

2009 IBC amended; IFC partial amended, 2012 NFPA 1 – amended (1/1/15)

2010

Yes

2011

No

Michigan

2012 NFPA 101 & 2006 NFPA 1 – both amended

2010

Yes

2011

No

No

Missouri

1999

No

No

New Jersey

2015 NJ IBC New Construction; 2006 IFB NJ as maintenance code both amended

2013 as ref. by 2015 IBC

No

No

Yes

New York

2018 IBC & IFC, both amended

2016

Yes

2017

Yes

North Carolina

2015 IBC & 2012 IFC, both amended

2013

Yes

No

Ohio

2009 IBC & IFC, both amended

2010

Yes, 2008

Ohio Fire Code

Yes

Pennsylvania

2009 IBC & IFC

2007

No

No

No

Texas

2012 NFPA 101 amended

2013

Yes

No