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Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS

Section 913 — FIRE PUMPS

2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-29 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

[F] 913.1 General. Where provided, fire pumps for fire protection systems shall be installed in accordance with this section and NFPA 20.

Exception: Pumps for automatic sprinkler systems installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.3, or Section R313 of the Califor- nia Residential Code .

[F] 913.2 Protection against interruption of service. The fire pump, driver and controller shall be protected in accordance with NFPA 20 against possible interruption of service through damage caused by explosion, fire, flood, earthquake, rodents, insects, windstorm, freezing, vandalism and other adverse conditions.

913.2.1 Protection of fire pump rooms. Fire pumps shall be located in rooms that are separated from all other areas of the building by 2-hour fire barriers constructed in accordance with Section 707 or 2-hour horizontal assemblies constructed in accordance with Section 711, or both.

Exceptions:

  1. In other than high-rise buildings, separation by 1-hour fire barriers constructed in accordance with Section 707 or 1hour horizontal assemblies constructed in accordance with Section 711, or both, shall be permitted in buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2.
  2. Separation is not required for fire pumps physically separated in accordance with NFPA 20.

[F] 913.2.2 Circuits supplying fire pumps. Cables used for survivability of circuits supplying fire pumps shall be protected using one of the following methods:

  1. Cables used for survivability of required critical circuits shall be listed in accordance with UL 2196 and shall have a fireresistance rating of not less than 1 hour.
  2. Electrical circuit protective systems shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour. Electrical circuit protective systems shall be installed in accordance with their listing requirements.
  3. Construction having a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour.
  4. The cable or raceway is encased in a minimum of 2 inches (51 mm) of concrete.

Exception: This section shall not apply to cables, or portions of cables, located within a fire pump room or generator room which is separated from the remainder of the occupancy with fire-resistance-rated construction.

[F] 913.3 Temperature of pump room. Suitable means shall be provided for maintaining the temperature of a pump room or pump house, where required, above 40°F (5°C).

[F] 913.3.1 Engine manufacturer’s recommendation. Temperature of the pump room, pump house or area where engines are installed shall never be less than the minimum recommended by the engine manufacturer. The engine manufacturer’s recommendations for oil heaters shall be followed.

[F] 913.4 Valve supervision. Where provided, the fire pump suction, discharge and bypass valves, and isolation valves on the backflow prevention device or assembly shall be supervised open by one of the following methods:

  1. Central-station, proprietary or remote-station signaling service.
  2. Local signaling service that will cause the sounding of an audible signal at a constantly attended location.

913.4 Valve supervision.** Where provided, the fire pump suction, discharge and bypass valves, and isolation valves on the backflow prevention device or assembly shall be supervised open by one of the following methods:

  1. Central-station, proprietary or remote-station signaling service.
  2. Local signaling service that will cause the sounding of an audible signal at a constantly attended location.

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

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FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS

  1. Locking valves open.
  2. Sealing of valves and approved weekly recorded inspection where valves are located within fenced enclosures under the control of the owner.

[F] 913.4.1 Test outlet valve supervision. Fire pump test outlet valves shall be supervised in the closed position.

[F] 913.5 Acceptance test. Acceptance testing shall be done in accordance with the requirements of NFPA 20.

913.6 Fire pumps in high-rise buildings.

Engine-driven fire pumps and electric drive fire pumps supplied by generators shall both be provided with an on-premises fuel supply, sufficient for not less than 8-hour full-demand operation at 100 percent of the rated pump capacity in addition to all other required supply demands in accordance with NFPA 20 and this section.

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▸ Contents — 2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 1 — ADMINISTRATION
  2. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
  3. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  4. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON OCCUPANCY A…
  5. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  6. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  7. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  8. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION METHODS FOR EXTERIOR W…
  9. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  10. ▸ Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
    Overview
    1. Section 901 — GENERAL
    2. Section 902 — FIRE PUMP AND RISER ROOM SIZE
    3. Section 903 — AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
    4. Section 904 — ALTERNATIVE AUTOMATIC FIRE-EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS
    5. Section 905 — STANDPIPE SYSTEMS
    6. Section 906 — PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
    7. Section 907 — FIRE ALARM AND DETECTION SYSTEMS
    8. Section 908 — EMERGENCY ALARM SYSTEMS
    9. Section 909 — SMOKE CONTROL SYSTEMS
    10. Section 910 — SMOKE AND HEAT REMOVAL
    11. Section 911 — FIRE COMMAND CENTER
    12. Section 912 — FIRE DEPARTMENT CONNECTIONS
    13. Section 913 — FIRE PUMPS
    14. Section 914 — EMERGENCY RESPONDER SAFETY FEATURES
    15. Section 915 — CARBON MONOXIDE (CO) DETECTION
    16. Section 916 — GAS DETECTION SYSTEMS
    17. Section 917 — MASS NOTIFICATION SYSTEMS
    18. Section 918 — EMERGENCY RESPONDER COMMUNICATION COVERAGE
  11. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  12. Chapter 11 — RESERVED
  13. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  14. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  15. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  16. Chapter 13 — ENERGY EFFICIENCY
  17. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  18. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  19. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  20. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  21. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  22. Chapter 17A — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  23. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  24. Chapter 18A — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  25. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  26. Chapter 19A — CONCRETE
  27. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  28. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  29. Chapter 21A — MASONRY
  30. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  31. Chapter 22A — STEEL
  32. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  33. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  34. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  35. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  36. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  37. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  38. Chapter 29 — PLUMBING SYSTEMS
  39. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  40. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  41. Chapter 31A — SYSTEMS FOR WINDOW CLEANING OR EXTERIOR BUILDING…
  42. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  43. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  44. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  45. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  46. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  47. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  48. Chapter 34 — RESERVED
  49. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  50. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  51. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  52. Appendix C — GROUP U—AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  53. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  54. Appendix E — RESERVED
  55. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  56. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION
  57. Appendix H — SIGNS
  58. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  59. Appendix J — GRADING
  60. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES PROTECTED B…
  61. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING INSTRUMENTATION
  62. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED FLOOD HAZARDS
  63. Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS
  64. Appendix O — PERFORMANCE-BASED APPLICATION
  65. Appendix P — SLEEPING LOFTS
  66. Appendix Q — EMERGENCY HOUSING

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