Mississippi fire code
For state and public assembly buildings, Mississippi follows the 2024 International Fire Code, which took effect July 1, 2024. When a city or county has adopted a code of its own that is at least as strict, the local code is the one that applies.
Wondering which rules apply to your building, or if you need a sprinkler system? Call today for a straight answer about your property.
Code in force: 2024 IFC and IBC. Enforced by: Office of the State Fire Marshal. Your local fire marshal can add rules, so check with that office too.
- state fire and building codes adopted 2024 IFC and IBC
- effective date for the 2024 state code July 1, 2024
- enforces state rules with local fire staff State Fire Marshal
- minimum certification for fire sprinkler contractors NICET Level III
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.
What the Mississippi fire marshal does
The Commissioner of Insurance also serves as the State Fire Marshal, and the office sits inside the Mississippi Insurance Department in Jackson. Under Miss. Code Ann. ยง 45-11-105, enforcement of the code falls to the State Fire Marshal along with local fire personnel who have been authorized to act. Deputy Fire Marshals carry the same powers as law enforcement officers.
A county or city may adopt its own fire code, as long as it isn't less strict than the state's. In those places, local inspectors take care of public assembly buildings, and the State Fire Marshal looks over local codes once a year.
Fees for inspections and exit checks
The state inspection fee starts at $100 plus travel expenses. For covered buildings, plan review and inspection runs at least $400. The state inspection fee doesn't apply to state and local government buildings, local inspections, or religious assembly buildings.
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| State inspection fee | At least $100, plus travel costs |
| Plan review and inspection, covered buildings | At least $400 |
| Public assembly exit check | Done in the 90 minutes leading up to an event |
| Exit check records | Hold onto them for a minimum of 2 years |
| Penalty, knowing and willful violation | As much as $1,000, with each day counted on its own |
Each violation counts as a misdemeanor, and a problem you don't fix keeps adding up day after day. Call today to learn what your building needs before an inspector shows up.
Fire sprinkler rules in Mississippi
Any new building taller than 75 feet needs automatic sprinklers throughout. That height rule also applies to buildings permitted after July 1, 1978. When the law requires sprinkler plans, they're filed with the State Fire Marshal's Office.
Two kinds of buildings don't have to meet the automatic sprinkler provisions: public utility buildings where water could harm the equipment, and structures used for agricultural storage. Fraternity and sorority houses built on state property after April 20, 2005 must have sprinklers meeting NFPA 13, the nationwide standard for installation. Sections R313 and P2904, which cover sprinklers in homes, are also left out of the state code.
Who can install sprinklers?
Only a contractor holding a valid certificate of responsibility plus NICET level 3 certification may install sprinklers. NICET is a nationwide program that certifies fire protection technicians.
The state contractors board treats Fire Sprinkler Work as a stand-alone classification that nothing else covers. It takes in both wet-pipe and dry-pipe systems, and a general builder's credentials won't cover this work, so ask any contractor to show proof of both.
State and local building codes
The fire code and building codes are handled differently. The Mississippi Building Code Council adopts building codes, using the International Codes as the base, and refreshes them on a three-year cycle. Counties along the coast have to adopt and enforce the state building code; everywhere else, enforcement is each local government's choice.
How to prepare for an inspection
- Ask whether your city or county enforces an approved code of its own. When it does, local inspectors are your point of contact; otherwise, the State Fire Marshal is who you'll deal with.
- Verify the Fire Sprinkler Work classification and NICET level 3 credentials of your sprinkler contractor, so your plans aren't delayed.
- Walk through all the exits in the 90 minutes leading up to each public event, and write it down, since those records have to be kept for at least 2 years.
Give us a call today and a Mississippi fire protection contractor will walk you through each step.