Queensland
smoke alarm requirements
A staged rollout of new QLD Legislation to install photoelectric smoke alarms in domestic dwellings commenced
1 January 2017 and concludes 1 January 2027:
From 1 January 2022
- required in all dwellings being sold, leased or an existing lease renewed.
From 1 January 2027
- required in all other existing domestic dwellings, including but not limited to owners/occupiers.
From 1 January 2017
- required in all new dwellings being substantially renovated.
From 1 January 2017
Exiting owners/occupiers dwellings & dwellings being sold, leased or an existing lease is renewed:
- when replacing smoke alarms, they must be of a photoelectric type which complies with Australian Standard (AS) 3786-2014
- existing smoke alarms manufactured more than ten years ago must be replaced
- smoke alarms that do not operate when tested must be replaced immediately
- existing hardwired smoke alarms that need replacement must be replaced with a hardwired smoke alarm.
All dwellings being sold, leased or an existing lease is renewed:
Smoke alarms in the
dwelling must:
- be photoelectric (AS 3786-2014); and
- not also contain an ionisation sensor; and
- be less than 10 years old; and
- operate when tested; and
- be interconnected with every other smoke alarm in the dwelling so all activate together
Smoke alarms must be installed on each storey:
- in each bedroom; and
- in hallways which connect bedrooms and the rest of the dwelling; or
- if there is no hallway, between the bedrooms and other parts of the storey; and
- if there are no bedrooms on a storey at least one smoke alarm must be installed in the most likely path of travel to exit the dwelling
Smoke alarms must be hardwired or powered by a 10-year battery, or a combination of both may be allowed.