Beloit, WI Fire Regulations: Smoke Detectors (2026)
Key Facts
- 1-2 family dwellings
- Detector in basement and every floor
- Age cutoff
- May 23, 1978 construction date
- 3+ unit buildings
- Detector within 6 ft of sleeping area
- Repair window
- Owner has 5 days after written notice
- Tampering
- Separate violation under § 7.25(8)(4)
Summary
Beloit's Property Maintenance Code spells out exactly where smoke detectors go in every dwelling under § 7.25(8): one in the basement and on each floor level except the attic, with added common-area and sleeping-area rules for buildings of 3 or more units. Owners install and maintain them, tenants report failures in writing, and tampering with a detector is a separate violation.
(8)SMOKE DETECTORS.(a)One-Family and 2-Family Dwellings. (Rep. & recr. #2160)1.The owner of a dwelling, the initial construction of which was commenced on or after May 23, 1978, shall install a smoke detector in the basement of the dwelling and on each floor level, except the attic or storage area of each dwelling unit. The occupant of such a dwelling unit shall maintain any smoke detector in that unit, except that if any occupant who is not the owner gives written notice to the owner that the smoke detector is not functional, the owner shall provide within 5 days after receipt of that notice any maintenance necessary to make that smoke detector functional.2.Notwithstanding subparagraph 1. above, the owner of any dwelling which was constructed prior to May 23, 1978, shall install a functional smoke detector in the basement and on each floor level of that dwelling unit, except the attic or storage area. ... (4)TAMPERING. No person shall tamper with or remove a smoke detector or battery except in the course of repair or replacement.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Update 01 - 05-2026).
Full Breakdown
25(8) sets smoke-detector rules by building age and size. Owners of one- and 2-family dwellings whose construction began on or after May 23, 1978 must install a smoke detector in the basement and on every floor level except the attic or storage area; the occupant then maintains that detector, but if a non-owner occupant gives the owner written notice that a detector is not working, the owner has 5 days from receipt of that notice to make repairs. Dwellings built before May 23, 1978 carry the identical basement-and-every-floor-level requirement, with the same owner/occupant maintenance split.
Buildings with 3 or more units follow separate specifications: owners install detectors according to the manufacturer's directions and maintain any detector located in a common area, while occupants maintain the detector inside their own unit under the same 5-day repair rule. 16 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code. 25(8)(4). 14, which cross-references these detector requirements and adds landlord notice duties at lease turnover.
Violations & Fines
A property owner who fails to install or maintain a required smoke detector, or anyone who tampers with a detector for a reason other than repair or replacement, is in violation of Chapter 7 and subject to the general Property Maintenance Code penalty: a § 7.10 correction order followed, if ignored, by a § 25.04 forfeiture, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense under § 7.18.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Beloit require smoke detectors inside a house?
Who has to fix a dead smoke detector, the landlord or the tenant?
Is tampering with a smoke detector illegal in Beloit?
Sources & Official References
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How other cities in Rock County handle smoke detectors.