Smoke alarms are required in all St. Petersburg dwelling units under the Florida Building Code and FL §553.883. Rentals must have working alarms on every level, inside each bedroom, and outside sleeping areas.
FL §553.883 requires every single-family, two-family, and multi-family dwelling to have smoke alarms installed in compliance with NFPA 72. Alarms must be on every floor, inside each sleeping room, and in the hallway outside sleeping areas. New construction and substantial renovations require hardwired, interconnected alarms with battery backup. Since 2015, FL law requires 10-year sealed battery alarms for replacement of battery-only units. Landlords must provide working alarms at the start of each tenancy; tenants are responsible for maintenance during occupancy. St. Pete Fire Rescue runs the Smoke Alarm Program offering free alarm installation to qualifying residents.
Landlord failure to provide working alarms: code enforcement and potential civil liability. Tampered or removed alarms in rentals: lease violation.
See how St. Petersburg's smoke detectors rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.