Rock County, WI Fire Regulations: Smoke Detectors (2026)
Key Facts
- State law
- Wis. Stat. 101.145
- Required at
- Basement, stairways, sleeping areas
- Owner duty
- Install per manufacturer specs
- Tenant duty
- Maintain; report failures in writing
- Repair deadline
- 5 days after written notice
Summary
Statewide, Wis. Stat. 101.145 requires working smoke detectors in the basement, at each stairway head on every floor, and in or near each sleeping area of every home and rental unit. Owners install them; occupants maintain them and must report failures in writing.
[The owner shall] install and maintain a functional smoke detector in the basement and at the head of any stairway on each floor level of the building and shall install a functional smoke detector either in each sleeping area of each unit or elsewhere in the unit within 6 feet of each sleeping area and not in a kitchen.
Full Breakdown
Wisconsin's smoke-detector law applies across Rock County. Under Wis. Stat. 101.145(4), the owner must install and maintain a functional smoke detector in the basement, at the head of any stairway on each floor level, and either in each sleeping area or within 6 feet of it (not in a kitchen). Owners install per manufacturer directions and maintain common-area detectors. Occupants maintain the detectors inside their own unit, but if a non-owner tenant gives written notice that a detector is not working, the owner must make it functional within 5 days. New construction also carries carbon-monoxide requirements under the Uniform Dwelling Code (SPS 321).
Violations & Fines
Enforced by local building inspectors and fire officials; failure to provide required detectors can bring code-violation citations and liability. Landlords who ignore written repair notices violate state law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where must smoke detectors be installed?
Who fixes a broken detector in a rental?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rock County
Compare Rock County to another location·View the Wisconsin fire regulations overview
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