North Dakota fire code

Which fire code covers your building?

The state's fire regulation lives in chapter 45-18-01 of the North Dakota Administrative Code, which became effective January 1, 2024. That chapter makes the 2021 International Fire Code the state's fire rule. The IFC is a template fire safety book that states and cities take on as law, usually with their own edits.

Those state edits have real effects. Any time the model code points to a fire agency, North Dakota's version points to the state fire marshals division instead. North Dakota changed the permit section of the fire code, so you may need a permit for your project. And when the fire rule clashes with the North Dakota Century Code, the state's written statutes, the statutes control.

There is some flexibility for older buildings. Conditions that already exist and fall short of the code may remain in place, as long as the state fire marshal sees no distinct hazard in them. If you're planning changes to an older building, call the State Fire Marshal's Office to discuss the existing conditions before work begins.

How the fire code fits with the State Building Code

North Dakota treats building rules and fire rules as separate things. The State Building Code covers four areas (building, residential, mechanical, and fuel gas), and the fire code is not one of them. The North Dakota Division of Community Services handles building code updates, working through a Building Code Advisory Committee it appoints. When local towns update their own codes, the expectation is that they follow the state code.

What does the State Fire Marshal's Office do?

The State Fire Marshal's Office sits inside the North Dakota Insurance Department as one of its divisions. It oversees fire prevention systems, construction codes, and flammable materials, and it looks into how and where fires begin.

The office also supports local towns with reading, inspecting, and enforcing the fire code. So a question about your building might land with your local fire department, with the state, or with both.

Sending fire protection system plans

A fire protection system, sprinklers or a fire alarm for example, cannot be installed until its plans are accepted. Where those plans go depends on your authority having jurisdiction, meaning the local fire office that holds the power to review and approve your project.

The fire departments and districts that handle their own plan reviews are:

• Bismarck
• Devils Lake
• Dickinson
• Fargo
• Grand Forks
• Mandan
• Minot City and Minot Rural
• West Fargo
• Southern Valley
• Williston

Outside those areas, the State Fire Marshal's Office is where your plans are sent. If you're not sure where to send them, call the State Fire Marshal's Office.

Annual fire safety inspections

Under the North Dakota Century Code, certain buildings must pass a fire safety inspection each year. That covers buildings open to the public that hold 50 people or more, including bars, restaurants, and assembly spaces.

If your bar, restaurant or assembly space holds 50 or more people, call the State Fire Marshal's Office so you can plan your yearly inspection well before it's due.

Fargo fire code and permits

Fargo has adopted the 2024 International Fire Code, a newer edition than the state's. The city also follows NFPA standards. NFPA (the National Fire Protection Association) publishes the detailed technical rules behind fire safety equipment. Sprinkler work in Fargo follows NFPA 13 and 13R in their 2022 editions, and fire alarms follow the 2022 NFPA 72.

Under its fire code, Fargo issues operational permits on an annual basis. Fargo doubles permit fees when work starts without a permit, so call the Fargo Fire Department before work begins to find out what your project needs.