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Wilmington, DE Building Safety: Carbon Monoxide Detectors (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Governing section
City Code § 34-232.1
Alarm placement
Within 40 ft of sleeping rooms
Hotel/motel rate
1 per 10,000 sq ft
Standard required
UL 2034 or equivalent
Enforcer
Licenses and inspections dept.

Summary

Wilmington requires an approved carbon monoxide alarm in every residential unit that relies on fossil-fuel heat, hot water, or ventilation, enforced by the licenses and inspections department.

Every building of residential or mixed occupancy, in which there are one or more residential units, shall be equipped with approved carbon monoxide alarms in accordance with this chapter. (1) Location. Not less than one approved carbon monoxide alarm shall be installed in each residential unit. The alarm shall be installed within 40 feet of each room used for sleeping purposes.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72).

Full Breakdown

City Code § 34-232.1 requires at least one approved carbon monoxide alarm in each residential unit of a building with fossil-fuel heat, hot water, or ventilation, installed within 40 feet of every sleeping room. Hotels and motels need one alarm per 10,000 square feet on floors with a fossil-fuel boiler, furnace, or warm-air heating plant. Units heated entirely by electricity, steam, or hot water with no ductwork tied to a fossil-fuel source are exempt. Alarms must meet UL 2034. Landlords install and maintain the alarms; tenants test them and swap batteries under their lease.

Violations & Fines

Removing batteries from or otherwise disabling a required carbon monoxide alarm is a separate unlawful act under § 34-232.1(5), enforced alongside the city's rental inspection program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every Wilmington rental need a CO alarm?
Only units relying on fossil-fuel heat, hot water, or ventilation, or close enough to a fossil-fuel source to receive CO from it; all-electric or steam/hot-water units without that connection are exempt.
Who installs and pays for the alarm?
The property owner installs it at the owner's expense and gives the tenant testing and maintenance information; the tenant then tests it and replaces batteries during the lease.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Wilmington

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All Wilmington rules

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