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Salem, OR Building Safety: Fire Sprinkler Requirements (2026)

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

Key Facts

Governing section
SRC 59.230
Separation required
1-hour fire-resistive, between classifications
Boiler/heating rooms
same 1-hour separation required
Alternative
approved fire sprinkler system may substitute
Applies to
multi-classification residential structures
Civil penalty ceiling
$2,000 per violation

Summary

Salem doesn't mandate sprinklers in every dwelling; instead SRC 59.230 requires a one-hour fire-resistive separation between different dwelling classifications sharing a residential structure and around boiler or central heating rooms, and lets owners install an approved sprinkler system instead.

(a)When a residential structure contains more than one dwelling classification, each part of the residential structure comprising a separate or distinct occupancy shall be separated from each other occupancy in the residential structure by not less than a one-hour fire-resistive occupancy separation meeting the requirements for such occupancy separations as specified in the Building Code.(b)In all residential structures, each room containing a boiler or central heating plant shall be separated from the rest of the residential structure by not less than a one hour fire resistive occupancy separation.(c)An approved fire sprinkler system may be used in lieu of fire-resistive separation as otherwise required by this section.

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 26 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

230(a) applies when a residential structure contains more than one dwelling classification under one roof, for example an apartment house sharing a building with a rooming house or hotel unit: each classification must be separated from the others by not less than a one-hour fire-resistive occupancy separation meeting the Building Code's requirements for such separations. Subsection (b) applies the same one-hour standard to any room containing a boiler or central heating plant in any residential structure, separating it from the rest of the building. Subsection (c) is the sprinkler provision itself: an approved fire sprinkler system may be used in lieu of the fire-resistive separation otherwise required by the section, meaning sprinklers are an alternative compliance path rather than a blanket requirement layered on top of separation walls. 230(c) is specific to multi-classification structures and boiler rooms. 600.

Violations & Fines

Operating a multi-classification residential structure or boiler room without either the required one-hour fire-resistive separation or an approved substitute sprinkler system under SRC 59.230 is an infraction under SRC 59.990(a)(1), with each day of noncompliance a separate violation. The City may additionally impose a civil penalty of up to $2,000 per violation under SRC 59.990(b).

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Salem require fire sprinklers in rental housing?
Not as a blanket rule. SRC 59.230(c) lets owners install an approved fire sprinkler system as a substitute for the one-hour fire-resistive separation otherwise required between different dwelling classifications sharing a structure, or around a boiler or central heating room.
What counts as a 'dwelling classification' needing fire separation in Salem?
The rule applies where one residential structure mixes classifications, for example an apartment house sharing a building with a rooming house or hotel unit. Each classification must be separated by at least a one-hour fire-resistive occupancy separation under SRC 59.230(a), unless replaced by sprinklers.
Is a boiler room required to be fire-separated in a Salem apartment building?
Yes. SRC 59.230(b) requires every room containing a boiler or central heating plant in a residential structure to be separated from the rest of the building by at least a one-hour fire-resistive occupancy separation, or protected instead by an approved fire sprinkler system under subsection (c).

Sources & Official References

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All Salem rules

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