Mount Vernon, NY Building Safety: Fire Sprinkler Requirements (2026)

City of Mount Vernon Code § 149-33B governs required sprinkler equipment in multiple dwellings within the Housing Code Applicable to Residential Premises (Chapter 149). The rule sits alongside companion duties for fire alarm systems (§ 149-33A) and standpipe systems (§ 149-33C) in the same section, so a building's whole fire-protection package, not just its sprinklers, is subject to the same maintained-at-all-times standard. Owners must keep required sprinkler equipment in proper operating condition continuously, keep stored materials clear of the discharge path, keep water-supply valves secured open, and keep sprinkler heads free of corrosion and paint buildup that could block discharge.

The Commissioner of Buildings, working with the Commissioner of Public Safety and the Fire Commissioner, administers and enforces Chapter 149 under § 149-41, including periodic inspections of multiple dwellings at least once every four years and investigation of complaints. When an inspector finds a sprinkler deficiency, the Commissioner issues a written notice of violation under § 149-43 specifying the defect and a compliance deadline; a property owner who disputes the notice can request a hearing under § 149-54 within five days. If the hazard is immediate, § 149-46 lets the Commissioner order abatement within as little as eight hours without a prior hearing.