San Francisco Fire Code § 907.8 Fire Alarm and Detection Systems

(a) Testing, Inspection and Filing Requirements. The building owner is responsible to maintain the fire and life safety systems in an operable condition at all times. The building owner must have the system(s) tested and inspected every year by service personnel who meet the qualification requirements of Section 907.8.7 and NFPA 72, as amended from time to time, for maintaining, inspecting, and testing of the systems.

(1) Filing Statement of Compliance. With regard to fire alarm systems in Apartment Houses, as defined in the Housing Code, the building owner shall file a Statement of Compliance with this annual testing and inspection requirement with the Fire Department, on a form provided by the Fire Department, in accordance with the following schedule: (A) for buildings with nine or more units, on or before January 31, 2017. And thereafter on or before January 31 of each odd-numbered year, and (B) for buildings with less than 9 nine units, on or before January 31, 2018, and thereafter on or before January 31 of each even-numbered year. The Fire Department shall consult with the Department of Building Inspection in developing the Statement of Compliance form. The Fire Department shall post all Statements of Compliance it receives on a City website maintained by the Fire Department no later than 60 days from January 31 each year.

(2) Posting Statement of Compliance in Common Area. In addition to filing the Statement of Compliance, the building owner shall post a copy of the most recently filed Statement of Compliance in at least one conspicuous location in a common area of each floor of the building or, if no such common area(s) exist, the building owner shall provide a copy to each residential tenant in the building. The building owner shall comply with this requirement no later than 60 days from the date of filing of the Statement of Compliance.

(3) Enforcement. For purposes of enforcement of this subsection (a), the Fire Department shall be responsible only for posting the Statement of Compliance forms on the City website, and the Fire Department and/or the Department of Building Inspection shall respond to any complaint received by the respective department pertaining to compliance with this subsection in the case of the Fire Department, or compliance with Section 908 of the Housing Code in the case of the Department of Building Inspection. The Departments may also enforce these requirements pursuant to periodic health and safety inspections required by code.

(b) Recordkeeping. The building owner shall maintain written records of inspection and testing, as specified in NFPA 72, as amended from time to time, until the next test and for one year thereafter.

(c) Sticker. The building owner shall place, or shall cause service personnel to place, a sticker on the exterior of the fire alarm control panel cover that includes the company name, phone number, C10 license number, the type of last inspection or test, technician name (printed and legible), and the date of service.

Existing buildings are required to have certificated fire alarm systems in accordance with San Francisco Fire Department Administrative Bulletin 3.03.

All fire alarm inspection and testing reports for high-rise buildings shall clearly state how the fire alarm system’s matrix was designed and approved to operate. The report shall indicate if the system is designed as a Full Evacuation System (all floors are notified and shall evacuate), a Partial Evacuation System (only some floors are notified of the alarm and must evacuate), or as a Relocation System (only some floors are notified and asked to relocate to another floor within the same building). The report shall indicate which floors are designed for the full evacuation of occupants and on which floors the occupants shall relocate to another floor. High-rise evacuation and relocation procedures shall comply with San Francisco Fire Department Administrative Bulletin 3.05.

Personnel inspecting, repairing, or testing any life safety equipment in San Francisco including, but not limited to, fire alarms, elevator recall systems, and sprinkler monitoring systems, must possess a valid current C-10 (electrical) contractor license issued by the California Contractors State License Board (CA-CSLB). The SFFD does not approve or accept work of the types listed above conducted by persons or companies known not to hold the required license. Employees of companies hired to work on life safety systems are also required to maintain a valid current Electrician Certificate (fire alarms) issued by the CA Department of Industrial Relations (CA-DIR) 1