Lawrence, KS Building Safety: Carbon Monoxide Detectors (2026)

Section 9-735 amends the 2018 International Property Maintenance Code's section 705 for the City of Lawrence: a carbon monoxide alarm is mandatory in a dwelling unit if it contains a fuel-fired appliance (furnace, water heater, fireplace) or has an attached garage that opens directly into the unit. Section 9-736 then adds the placement rule: the alarm goes outside each separate sleeping area, in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms, and if a fuel-burning appliance sits inside a bedroom or its attached bathroom, a CO alarm must be installed inside that bedroom too.

Owners are not required to buy a separate device for every room; section 9-736 expressly permits a combination carbon monoxide and smoke alarm in place of a standalone CO alarm, which is how most Lawrence rentals and single-family homes comply. These sections sit in Chapter 9, Article VII, the Property Maintenance Code adopted at section 9-701, so enforcement runs through the city's property maintenance/code official process rather than a separate CO ordinance. 00 fine and up to five days to three months in jail, and each day the violation continues after notice counts as a separate offense.