Washington fire code
The code that applies to your building right now is the 2021 Washington State Fire Code, which grows out of the 2021 International Fire Code. Cities and counties like Seattle, King County, Vancouver and Tacoma add their own rules, so the rules at your address can differ from the state's. Not sure which rules apply at your address? Call today with your address and plans, and we'll explain which fire rules apply and set you up with a licensed sprinkler crew.
Code in force: 2021 IFC with state amendments. Enforced by: State Fire Marshal's Office. Your local fire marshal can add rules, so check with that office too.
- state fire code edition in force 2021 IFC as amended
- effective date for the 2021 state code March 15, 2024
- effective date for the 2024 state code May 3, 2027
- issues fire sprinkler business and technician credentials State Fire Marshal's Office
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.
Which fire code edition covers your building?
Washington uses the 2021 International Fire Code with its own state changes added, so the rules here differ from the base code. First the Washington State Building Code Council adopts the code with its amendments, and then counties like King County make their own changes.
The 2024 Washington codes start May 3, 2027, which means the 2021 edition remains the law until then. In King County, the edition that applies depends on when an application was deemed complete. Older versions of the code started in 2004 and 2013, and the 2021 code is the one in force today.
King County began accepting applications under the 2021 code with local amendments on March 15, 2024. Anything deemed complete from February 1, 2021 through March 15, 2024 remains governed by the 2018 codes.
Sprinkler licenses and the State Fire Marshal
The State Fire Marshal's Office, which sits inside the Washington State Patrol, handles licensing and certification for the companies and individuals who plan, put in, test, and service fire sprinkler systems. Its legal basis sits in WAC 212-80 together with RCW 18.160 and RCW 18.270.
Each licensed sprinkler business needs at least 1 Certificate of Competency holder working for it. That certificate is how the state shows a person is qualified for a given level of sprinkler work. The state requires different qualifications for different sprinkler jobs, and we can help identify the ones your job calls for.
| Level | What you need |
|---|---|
| Level 3 | Sprinkler layout certification at NICET Level 3, or an equivalent |
| Level ITT | Inspection and testing certification at NICET Level II; excludes preaction, deluge, and fire pump systems |
| Level 1 | NICET Level 2, or a pass on the State Fire Marshal's exam |
| Level U | the State Fire Marshal's exam |
When a company inspects and tests wet-pipe and dry-pipe systems covered by NFPA 25, each worker on that job has to hold certification. Sprinkler fitters are also state-certified at three levels: Trainee, Residential, and Journey. Professional engineers working only as engineers are exempt from this certification.
The State Fire Marshal's Office can deny licenses and fine companies, and it can issue a Cease and Desist Order to an unlicensed company. An unlicensed crew can be ordered to stop work on your job. Call us today and we'll book a licensed, certified crew for your sprinkler work.
Seattle fire code permits
Within Seattle, sprinkler, fire alarm, and other fire protection system permits are handled by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections rather than the fire department. Operational permits come from the fire department's Fire Prevention Division at 220 Third Avenue South, 2nd Floor.
Hot work, spray finishing, high-piled storage, and similar hazardous work all call for one of these permits. Activities running no longer than 6 months fall under temporary permits. Assembly occupancies, hazardous operations, and continuing activities need annual permits, and renewal bills show up at least 30 days ahead of expiration.
For annual roofing, land-based hot work, or marine refueling lasting under 20 days, you need a validation number. Chapter 22.602 of Seattle Municipal Code Title 22 sets the fees so that inspection and permitting costs are covered.
Per section 319.10.3 of the 2021 International Fire Code, food trucks must pass a yearly fuel gas piping inspection. Seattle joins the food truck program run by the state fire marshals, which other participating departments recognize. Fireworks are not allowed in the city, except for small ceremonial fireworks, which need a free permit.
Rules in King County, Vancouver, and Tacoma
In King County, you need a separate permit before anyone installs a sprinkler system. Ask us before work starts if you are not sure what your job needs.
Vancouver amends the code through its municipal code, VMC 16.04, and bans new partially sprinklered buildings. Contractors there must hold a city endorsement, free of charge, and file reports on inspections, tests, and repairs within 30 days after the service happened. Filing reports while your endorsement is inactive can cost you a $1,000 citation.
Replacing the fire alarm control panel in a Vancouver building that already exists triggers a requirement that the entire system comply with IFC section 907.2. In Vancouver, the person who designs or tests a fire alarm needs set professional credentials, though a state licensed electrician may run alarm wiring with no endorsement. Because replacing a panel can mean upgrading the whole system, call us before you replace one.
Tacoma gives you the option to check your own dry chemical extinguishers once a year and tag them yourself, or you can pay a certified company to do it. Every other extinguisher type, any recharge needed after use, the 6-year recharge and 12-year pressure test must go through a certified company. Skip a self-inspection or fail to log it, and a certified company has to service the extinguishers before you may go on.
Does Washington's wildfire code apply?
Washington has a wildfire building code for homes near forest or brush, but it is not in effect in King County right now. ESB 6120, a 2024 law, stops the State Building Code Council from adopting it until new maps are finished by the state Department of Natural Resources. An emergency rule removed that language from WAC 51-55, leaving local governments free to adopt the code themselves.
How to check a contractor before you book
- Ask to see the company's State Fire Marshal's Office license, since WAC 212-80 requires your city to verify it.
- Find out the Certificate of Competency level the company carries, and make sure it fits your system.
- Confirm that every individual who tests your sprinklers holds personal certification, because the state requires it.
- For Vancouver jobs, check that the city endorsement is current so your reports will be accepted.
Call us before scheduling sprinkler work, and we'll help identify the code and contractor credentials that apply to your job.