Ann Arbor, MI Fire Regulations: Smoke Detectors (2026)
Key Facts
- Citation
- § 8:527
- Applies to
- All rental dwelling units
- CO detectors
- Required w/ gas appliance or garage
- Tested
- At every tenant change
- Tampering penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to 90 days jail
Summary
Ann Arbor's Housing Code bars renting out any dwelling unit lacking smoke or fire detectors and, in most one- and two-family homes, carbon monoxide detectors, with mandatory testing at every tenant change.
No person shall let to another for occupancy any dwelling or dwelling units which are not equipped with:(a)Smoke or fire detectors, or with an automatic fire alarm system. The type, number, and location of the detectors of alarm systems must be approved by the Building Official in accordance with the standards contained in the International Fire Code as set forth in Chapter 111.(b)Carbon monoxide detectors, in single and 2-family dwellings that contain a fuel-fired appliance or have an attached garage with a common door...
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 4).
Full Breakdown
City Code § 8:527, part of the Housing Code (Chapter 105), forbids letting a dwelling for occupancy unless it has smoke or fire detectors, or an automatic fire alarm system, of a type, number, and location approved by the Building Official under the International Fire Code standards set out in Chapter 111, plus carbon monoxide detectors in single- and two-family units with a fuel-fired appliance or an attached garage with a common door. Owners must keep every device in good working order with live batteries, and units must be tested for operability at every change of tenant.
Violations & Fines
Failing to equip or maintain the required detectors is a civil infraction fined up to $500.00; willfully disabling a smoke, fire, or carbon monoxide detector is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail and/or a $500.00 fine, per § 8:527(4).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Ann Arbor landlords have to install carbon monoxide detectors?
What happens if a tenant disables the smoke detector?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ann Arbor
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