QLD Smoke Alarm Legislation

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Your free guide to Queensland smoke alarm and property compliance legislation.

Australia’s smoke alarm legislation is complex and ever evolving. Smoke Alarm Solutions aims to give property owners peace of mind by being the experts in legislation and compliance, so you don’t have to be. However, the key requirements have been summarised here, so you are informed of your obligations.

Quick Links – See legal requirements for:

Property Managers Landlords Tenants Home Sellers Owner Occupiers

Queensland Smoke Alarm Legislation – Overview

Property owners need to be aware that when it comes to smoke alarm maintenance, they need to adhere to two pieces of regulations: Federal requirements and state-based requirements.  

Queensland property owners are required to adhere to state smoke alarm legislation in their properties according to this timeline:  

After

Jan 2017

All new dwellings or substantially renovated properties

From

Jan 2022

All dwellings sold or leased (rental properties); all Government owned housing

By

Jan 2027

All domestic dwellings
(including owner-occupied properties)

Rental Properties

What Landlords and Property Managers need to know

Maintenance responsibilities

In Queensland, landlords and their property managers have an ongoing responsibility to have smoke alarms: 

  • tested and cleaned within 30 days prior to each tenancy change or renewal; 
  • replaced prior to their expiry date; and  
  • their batteries replaced when and where needed.  

General smoke alarm responsibilities

From 1 January 2022, smoke alarms in rental properties must comply with the correct Australian Standard, be interconnected, and be installed in every bedroom as well as other key areas of the property.  

The full obligations

Smoke alarms must:

  • be Australian Standard 3786-2014;
  • be photoelectric and not also contain an ionisation sensor;
  • be hardwired or powered by a non-removable 10-year battery;
  • 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;
    • in hallways which connect bedrooms and the rest of the dwelling;
    • if there is no hallway, between the bedrooms and other parts of the storey;
    • if there are no bedrooms on a storey, in the most likely path of travel to exit the dwelling; and
    • not within the prescribed exclusion zones – e.g. smoke alarms must be installed certain distances away from a corner of a ceiling and a wall, light fittings, air-conditioning vents, and ceiling fans.  

      .

      Need a smoke alarm maintenance solution for your rental properties?

      Smoke Alarm Solutions will look after the compliance of your entire rent roll with our professional, affordable, and time-saving service packages.

      See Solutions for Agents See Solutions for Landlords

      Selling a Property

      What Home Sellers and Sales Agents need to know

      Seller obligations

      When selling a property in Queensland, the seller is required to disclose to the buyer whether the property complies with relevant legislation, including whether compliant smoke alarms are installed. This means properties being sold must meet new requirements prior to the contract of sale being signed. 

      What happens if you fail to comply?

      If the seller fails to comply, the buyer is entitled to an adjustment at settlement equal to 0.15% of the purchase price. The adjustment must be claimed by the buyer in writing prior to settlement. 

      Smoke alarm requirements

      From 1 January 2022 smoke alarms in properties being sold must comply with the correct Australian Standard, be interconnected and be installed in every bedroom as well as other key areas of the property. 

      The full obligations

      Smoke alarms must: 

      • be Australian Standard 3786-2014;
      • be photoelectric and not also contain an ionisation sensor;
      • be hardwired or powered by a non-removable 10-year battery;
      • 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;
      • in hallways which connect bedrooms and the rest of the dwelling;
      • if there is no hallway, between the bedrooms and other parts of the storey;
      • if there are no bedrooms on a storey, in the most likely path of travel to exit the dwelling; and
      • not within the prescribed exclusion zones – e.g. smoke alarms must be installed a certain distance from a corner of a ceiling and a wall, light fittings, air-conditioning vents, and ceiling fans.  

        Need a smoke alarm compliance certificate for a property you’re selling?

        Smoke Alarm Solutions is the #1 QLD Smoke Alarm Installer and will help you meet your legal responsibilities with our professional, affordable, and time-saving service and installation solutions.

        See Solutions for Home Sellers See Solutions for Sales Agents

        Owners Legislation

        What Owner Occupiers need to know

        Maintenance responsibilities

        Homeowners should regularly test and clean their smoke alarms as best practice to ensure the safety of occupants within the property. Homeowners are required to replace any smoke alarms that do not operate when tested and any that were manufactured more than 10 years ago. Replacement alarms must be photoelectric and meet AS 3786-2014. If the previous alarm was hardwired, it must be replaced with a hardwired alarm

        Current smoke alarm requirements

        Currently, smoke alarms in owner-occupied properties should, at minimum, be installed on each storey and between each part of the property containing bedrooms and the remainder of the property.  

        New smoke alarm requirements – requiring compliance by January 2027

        By 1 January 2027, owner-occupiers will have to meet the same stringent standards that rental properties and properties being sold need to meet. It’s important to note if you are substantially renovating your property you will need to meet these requirements immediately. 

        Smoke alarms in the home must comply with the correct Australian Standard, be interconnected and be installed in every bedroom as well as other key areas of the property. 

        The full obligations

        Smoke alarms in the property must: 

        • be Australian Standard 3786-2014; 
        • be photoelectric and not also contain an ionisation sensor; 
        • be hardwired or powered by a non-removable 10-year battery;  
        • 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; 
        • in hallways which connect bedrooms and the rest of the dwelling; 
        • if there is no hallway, between the bedrooms and other parts of the storey; 
        • if there are no bedrooms on a storey, in the most likely path of travel to exit the dwelling; and
        • not within the prescribed exclusion zones – e.g. smoke alarms must be installed a certain distance away from a corner of a ceiling and a wall, light fittings, air-conditioning vents, and ceiling fans.

          Need a smoke alarm maintenance solution or want to upgrade your property to 2027 legislation?

          Smoke Alarm Solutions will give you peace of mind with our professional, affordable service packages that look after the compliance of smoke alarms in your home.

          View Services & Pricing

          Tenants

          Tenant FYIs

          As outlined in the General Tenancy Agreement it is the responsibility of a tenant in the rental property to:

          • Test and clean (by vacuuming or dusting) smoke alarms at least once every 12 months
          • Replace any flat or nearly flat batteries
          • Advise the property manager/owner if there is any issue with the alarm (apart from batteries)
          • Allow the property manager/owner right of entry to install smoke alarms

          A tenant must not remove a smoke alarm, remove the battery (other than to replace it) or do anything to reduce the effectiveness of the alarm (e.g paint it).

          Tenants also must be aware that property managers/owners may need access to the property from time to time to meet their smoke alarm legislative obligations.

          View Tenants FAQs

          Choose The QLD Smoke Alarm Experts 

          Established in Queensland in 2007, we have the necessary experience to ensure a safe and efficient installation process. Our unrivalled knowledge of Queensland regulations and correct interconnected smoke alarm installation means we can ensure your property meets all the requirements. Our expert smoke alarm installers are continuously trained to have up-to-date knowledge, ensuring the correct alarm types, quantity and installation methods are used as per the latest legal requirements. View our full range of Smoke Alarms QLD services today.

          Legislation References

          Federal Legislation 

          Property owners must ensure their property is properly fitted with the required number of working smoke alarms, complying with the Australian Standard (3786:2014), and they are installed as outlined in the Building Code of Australia (BCA). This legislation is applicable to all states of Australia.

          State Legislation 

          Current Requirements means the legislative requirements stipulated by the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990; Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008; and the Electrical Safety Act 2002 and related electrical work (if applicable).

          General Note 

          Considerations around compliance of the smoke alarms at the Inspection Address are the types of smoke alarms and smoke alarm installations, build dates, including dates of significant renovations, and building classes.

          Glossary of Terms 

          Dwellings – houses, townhouses, and units.
          Storey – levels of a dwelling.
          Photoelectric – the way a smoke alarm detects smoke.
          Hardwired – smoke alarm is wired into a dwelling’s electricity supply.
          Interconnected smoke alarm – smoke alarms are connected (via wires or wireless) so that when one sounds they all sound.
          AS 3786-2014 – An Australian standard applicable to smoke alarms. This standard specifies requirements, test methods and functional criteria for smoke alarms that operate using scattered light, transmitted light or ionisation.  

          Other Best Practice Safety Checks

          Corded Window Checks

          Property owners who have blinds or curtains that have cords installed in their properties should ensure they meet safety requirements. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (“ACCC”) identified a major hazard with loop cord systems of 220mm or greater that hang at or lower than 1600mm from the floor as young children face the risk of strangulation. As a result, the ACCC issued Mandatory Standards known as The Trade Practices (Consumer Product Safety Standard – Corded Internal Window Coverings) Regulations 2010 which regulate the design, construction and labelling of corded window furnishings.

          Cords should have warning labels attached and should be fitted with devices that prevent cords from hanging down.

          Smoke Alarm Solutions offers corded window checks as an additional service offering – we inspect all the corded windows in your property and identify any that may be a potential hazard and install devices to stop the cords hanging down if necessary.

          Safety Switch Tests

          A safety switch is a device that will switch off the electricity supply if a possible electrical fault is detected. This is to help prevent electric shock and electricity related fires. Property owners must have safety switches installed in their properties.

          It is best practice to have these safety switches regularly tested to ensure they are operating correctly. Smoke Alarm Solutions offers safety switch testing as an additional service offering. At the smoke alarm inspection our technicians will also test the safety switch and report whether it passed or failed.

          Water Meter Reading Service

          Smoke Alarm Solutions offers a water meter reading service as an add-on to some of our packages. Whilst onsite to carry out compliance work, if requested, our technicians can also locate the water meter and read both the standard and recycled usage. This service proves particularly valuable for properties situated in specific Australian jurisdictions where tenants can be held accountable for excessive water consumption. It is important to note that certain conditions must be met for eligibility, including individual metering and adherence to specific water efficiency requirements. To determine the suitability of this service for your specific situation, we recommend consulting your property manager who can provide additional guidance.

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