Smoke alarm requirements in Hendersonville homes follow Tennessee Code Annotated 68-120-112 (Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in residential buildings) and the 2021 International Residential Code adopted locally effective July 1, 2025 under the Hendersonville Municipal Code (the prior adopted edition was the 2018 IRC). Smoke alarms must be installed 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, per IRC Section R314 and the manufacturer's instructions. In new construction, alarms must be hardwired with battery backup and interconnected. TCA 68-120-112 also requires carbon monoxide alarms in dwellings with fossil-fuel-burning appliances or attached garages. The Tennessee State Fire Marshal's Office runs the statewide Get Alarmed, TN! program providing free 10-year sealed-battery smoke alarms to qualifying residents.
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, installed in accordance with the International Residential Code (IRC) published by the International Code Council and the manufacturer's instructions. Tennessee's statewide minimum residential code under TCA 68-120-101 is the 2018 IRC, but Hendersonville has adopted the 2021 IRC locally effective July 1, 2025 (the prior adopted edition was the 2018 IRC; Hendersonville's Adopted Codes & Local Amendments page identifies the previous 2018 IRC effective date as June 13, 2017). IRC Section R314 (Smoke Alarms) 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 but not crawl spaces or uninhabitable attics. In new construction (including additions, alterations, repairs, and reconfigurations subject to permits), smoke alarms must be hardwired to the building's electrical service 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 (gas furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces) 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 (or a combination smoke/CO alarm). The Tennessee State Fire Marshal's Office administers the Get Alarmed, TN! program statewide, providing free installation of 10-year sealed-battery smoke alarms to eligible residents (homes built before 1990 without adequate coverage, deaf/hard-of-hearing residents, or those who cannot afford alarms). Local enforcement of installation and maintenance in Hendersonville rentals is by the Fire Marshal's Office (615-822-1119) under Title 7 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code; building-permit enforcement in new construction is through Codes Administration under the adopted 2021 IRC.
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 Hendersonville Fire Marshal's Office (615-822-1119). 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 2021 IRC (effective July 1, 2025 in Hendersonville) enforceable through building permit and inspection by Codes Administration.
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