Vanderburgh County, IN Fire Regulations: Smoke Detectors (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code § 15.15.340
- Detectors required
- 1 per story, within 15 ft of bedroom
- Listing standard
- UL-listed or equivalent
- Base fine
- $100 per violation
- Disabling a detector
- minimum $200 fine
- Testing duty
- occupant tests annually
Summary
Every dwelling unit in Vanderburgh County must have at least one UL-listed smoke detector on each story, placed no more than 15 feet from any bedroom. Owners install them; tenants keep the batteries charged, and violators face escalating fines.
(A) General – Installation. Every dwelling unit shall be equipped with a minimum of one smoke detector installed in accordance with the following: ... (2) Installation of a smoke detector shall meet the criteria of the Indiana Building Code and the Indiana One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code but in no event more than fifteen (15) feet from the bedroom or sleeping area. (3) At least one smoke detector shall be installed on each story. ... (I) Violation. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to a fine of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for each violation, and each day of noncompliance shall be a separate violation. Any person who intentionally disables a smoke detector shall be subject to a minimum fine of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) for each violation.
Full Breakdown
340 requires every dwelling unit to carry a minimum of one smoke detector, installed either as an existing operable unit that met the building and electrical codes in force when installed, or a new unit meeting the Indiana Building Code and the Indiana One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code, placed no more than 15 feet from a bedroom or sleeping area, with at least one detector on each story. Each detector must be Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed unless it predates the ordinance and still met the codes in effect at installation, and must run on a minimum nine-volt battery, 110-volt unswitched current, or an equivalent future technology.
The owner must supply a working detector in every unit before it is first occupied; if the unit is leased, the tenant becomes responsible for keeping the battery maintained during the tenancy, while the owner remains responsible for the detector itself once the unit is occupied. Occupants must test every detector at least once a year. A tenant who finds a malfunctioning unit that is not battery-related must notify the owner by certified mail within 48 hours, and the owner then has 72 hours to make the repair.
Enforcement runs through the County Fire Department Fire Chief or a designee, or the Building Commissioner or a designee, reflecting the joint city-county administration of this chapter rather than county-only authority.
Violations & Fines
A violation of Section 15.15.340 carries a $100 fine per violation, with each day of continued noncompliance counted as a separate violation. Anyone who intentionally disables a smoke detector faces a minimum $200 fine per violation. Beyond these fixed amounts, a violator remains subject to any other remedy the law allows for enforcing county ordinances, including further action under the chapter's general Section 15.15.360 penalty and lien procedures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to install the smoke detector, the landlord or the tenant?
How far can a smoke detector be from my bedroom in Vanderburgh County?
What happens if I disable my smoke detector?
Who enforces the smoke detector rule, the city or the county?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Vanderburgh County
Compare Vanderburgh County to another location·View the Indiana fire regulations overview
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