Smoke alarm requirements in Franklin homes follow Tennessee Code Annotated 68-120-112 (Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in residential buildings) and the statewide 2018 International Residential Code adopted under TCA 68-120-101. Smoke alarms must be installed in each sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on each story of the dwelling, in accordance with the IRC and the manufacturer's instructions. The Franklin Fire Department also participates in the State Fire Marshal's Office Get Alarmed, TN! program, providing free 10-year sealed-battery smoke alarm installation to qualifying City of Franklin residents (homes built before 1990 without adequate coverage, deaf/hard-of-hearing residents, or those who cannot afford to purchase alarms). Requests are processed in six to eight weeks; firefighters install on-site.
Tennessee's smoke-alarm framework supersedes any conflicting local rule. TCA 68-120-112 (Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in residential buildings) requires smoke alarms in hotels, motels, apartment buildings, and rental units, and requires they be installed in accordance with the International Residential Code (IRC) published by the International Code Council and the manufacturer's instructions. Tennessee has adopted the 2018 IRC as the statewide minimum residential code under TCA 68-120-101, administered by the State Fire Marshal's Office. IRC Section R314 requires smoke alarms in each sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms, and on each story of the dwelling including basements; in new construction smoke alarms must be hardwired with battery backup and interconnected so that activation of one alarm activates all alarms. TCA 68-120-112 also requires carbon monoxide alarms in dwellings with fossil-fuel-burning appliances or attached garages, installed per NFPA standards or manufacturer instructions; CO alarms may be hardwired, battery-powered with a self-monitored battery, or plug-in with a plug-restrainer. The Franklin Fire Department recommends smoke alarms on every level of the home, in every bedroom, and outside every sleeping area, monthly testing, annual battery replacement (unless using a 10-year sealed-battery unit), and full replacement of the alarm every 10 years. Franklin participates in the State Fire Marshal's Office Get Alarmed, TN! program, providing free installation of 10-year sealed-battery smoke alarms (the SFMO program is expanding in 2026 to include carbon monoxide detectors). Eligibility: City of Franklin resident, owner-occupant, home built before 1990 without adequate coverage, deaf/hard-of-hearing, or unable to afford alarms; requests processed in 6-8 weeks; firefighters install on-site. Local enforcement is by the Franklin Fire Marshal's Office (615-791-3270) under Title 7, Chapter 2 of the Franklin Municipal Code.
Failure to install or maintain required smoke alarms in a rental dwelling violates TCA 68-120-112 and is enforceable by the State Fire Marshal's Office and locally by the Franklin Fire Marshal's Office. Landlords who fail to maintain working alarms face civil liability and may fail HUD or Section 8 inspections. In new construction, missing or non-compliant smoke alarms are a violation of the adopted Tennessee Residential Code (2018 IRC) enforceable through building permit and inspection.
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