Arkansas fire code
Arkansas currently follows the 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, which took effect at the start of 2023. Own or manage a building here? Call now to make sure your fire protection work meets it.
Code in force: 2021 IFC with Arkansas amendments. Enforced by: Arkansas State Fire Marshal's Office. Your local fire marshal can add rules, so check with that office too.
- base code in the state fire code 2021 IFC with amendments
- effective date of the 2021 edition January 1, 2023
- state agency that enforces the fire code State Fire Marshal's Office
- annual expiration date for contractor certificates September 30
Asking about a house? For a house or duplex, smoke alarm and sprinkler rules usually come from the residential building code (the IRC) instead, so ask your local building department.
Where the 2021 code comes from
The 2021 Arkansas Fire Prevention Code draws on the 2021 editions of the International Fire Code, the International Building Code, and the International Residential Code, with amendments from the Arkansas State Fire Marshal layered over them.
Volume I is the International Fire Code, which the state calls the Arkansas Fire Prevention Code, Volume I. Its authority traces back to Arkansas Act 254 of 1955.
Arkansas fire marshal
One person wears two hats: the Director of the Division of Arkansas State Police is also the State Fire Marshal, and that office puts out the code rules. The State Fire Marshal's Office handles enforcement and revises the code periodically.
That office carries out inspections of State buildings and checks plans for State construction projects. Local jurisdictions can request its support on inspections and plan reviews. Permits for above ground storage tanks come from it too, along with licenses for fireworks companies and individuals.
Sprinkler licensing in Arkansas
The companies working on your systems answer to a different body: the Arkansas Fire Protection Licensing Board. It started in 1977, and Act 702 of 1985 placed sprinkler contractors under its authority. Any business installing, repairing, or inspecting fire suppression systems needs to be licensed with the Board. Before you book any work, asking to see the contractor's up-to-date certificate is a smart place to start.
A sprinkler company must meet these requirements:
- Keep a full-time staff member who holds NICET Level III (a national credential in the sprinkler trade) or an engineering degree in fire protection with 3 years of sprinkler layout experience.
- That responsible person must pass a sprinkler exam ahead of licensing.
- If the company performs inspections, it needs a licensed inspector who has passed the sprinkler inspector exam.
- Maintain company insurance of at least $1,000,000.
- Provide examples of its service tag, red tag, and hydraulic placard.
How do extinguisher and fixed system firms get licensed?
Every licensed firm must have at least one licensed employee on staff. To get licensed, individuals take 2 open-book exams: one covering the system type, the other covering Board statutes and rules. Passing requires a score of at least 80 percent, and the exams run monthly at minimum.
| Firm type | Requirement | Starting fee |
|---|---|---|
| Portable extinguisher | A staff member with a passing exam score; if the firm doesn't hold a hydrostatic testing license, a letter from a company that does | $300 |
| Fixed suppression | A staff member licensed for the particular system type and brand | $300 |
Permits for apprentices run for 1 year and cannot be renewed. Every license and certificate renews each year and lapses on September 30. If you're not sure your contractor meets these requirements, call us now.
What a red tag means for a system
When a fixed system fails inspection and gets a red tag, the contractor has 24 hours to notify the local fire authority or the State Fire Marshal. The inspection report and copies of the tags must follow within 5 business days.
Portable extinguishers go through a monthly inspection plus an annual maintenance visit, and that visit ends with a new service tag. If your system has been red-tagged, call us now.