Racine County, WI Fire Regulations: Smoke Detectors (2026)
Key Facts
- Where required
- Outside each sleeping area
- Also required
- Each additional story, incl. basements
- Excluded areas
- Crawl spaces, unfinished attics
- Enforcing agency
- Racine County Public Health Division
Summary
Racine County's housing maintenance code requires smoke detectors outside every sleeping area and on each additional story, including basements, of dwellings it regulates.
Smoke detectors shall be installed outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms and on each additional story of the dwelling unit, including basements and cellars excluding crawl spaces and unfinished attics.
(7) Carbon monoxide detectors. The owner of a dwelling shall install a functional carbon monoxide detector in the basement of the dwelling and on each floor level except the attic, garage, or storage area of each dwelling unit. This paragraph does not apply to the owner of a dwelling that has no attached garage, no fireplace, and no fuel-burning appliance.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33).
Full Breakdown
The county's habitability standards, enforced by the Racine County Public Health Division across the county outside the City of Racine, list smoke detectors among the required basic facilities for occupied dwellings. Detectors must sit outside each separate sleeping area near the bedrooms and on every additional story, including basements and cellars, though crawl spaces and unfinished attics are excluded. A dwelling that fails this standard can be cited for a human-health-hazard violation and is subject to the chapter's inspection and enforcement process.
Violations & Fines
Forfeiture of $300 to $1,000 per violation, plus prosecution costs; each day of continued violation is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Racine County require smoke detectors in basements?
Does this rule apply inside the City of Racine?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Racine County
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