Unincorporated Gwinnett County enforces Georgia O.C.G.A. § 25-2-40 (smoke alarms required in every dwelling, apartment, hotel, motel, and dormitory) plus the 2018 International Fire Code and 2018 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, applied through Chapter 42 of the Gwinnett Code by the Fire Marshal's Office.
Under O.C.G.A. § 25-2-40, every dwelling, apartment, condo, townhouse, hotel, motel, and dormitory built before July 1, 1987 must have a working battery-operated smoke alarm; newer construction must use listed alarms installed per NFPA 72. Gwinnett County Fire & Emergency Services enforces the 2018 International Fire Code and 2018 NFPA 101 Life Safety Code through Chapter 42 (Fire Prevention and Protection) plus the Georgia State Minimum Standard 2018 IRC with Georgia amendments, which require smoke alarms in each sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every story including basements. New construction and substantial alterations require hardwired interconnected alarms with battery backup. Gwinnett Fire offers free smoke and CO alarm installation through Community Risk Reduction (FirePrograms@GwinnettCounty.com; 678-518-4980).
Failure to provide working smoke alarms violates O.C.G.A. § 25-2-40 and Chapter 42 of the Gwinnett Code, enforceable by the Fire Marshal's Office. STR operators must pass alarm checks during third-party IPMC inspection for licensing.
See how Gwinnett County's smoke detectors rules stack up against other locations.
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