Florida Senate - 2025 SB 1108
By Senator McClain
9-00490B-25 20251108__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to fire detection and alarm documents;
3 amending s. 471.003, F.S.; providing that certain fire
4 alarm contractors are not required to be licensed as
5 engineers; amending s. 553.7921, F.S.; requiring that
6 fire detection and alarm system documents be prepared
7 by specified persons for specified new buildings or
8 additions to existing buildings that provide certain
9 fire suppression systems; providing exceptions;
10 directing the Division of State Fire Marshal within
11 the Department of Financial Services to adopt rules;
12 providing an effective date.
13
14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
15
16 Section 1. Paragraph (k) of subsection (2) of section
17 471.003, Florida Statutes, is added to read:
18 471.003 Qualifications for practice; exemptions.—
19 (2) The following persons are not required to be licensed
20 under the provisions of this chapter as a licensed engineer:
21 (k) Any fire alarm contractor whose practice includes the
22 design and fabrication of fire alarm systems, which he or she
23 installs by virtue of a license or NICET Level IV certification
24 issued or recognized under chapter 633, under former part I of
25 chapter 553, Florida Statutes 2001, or under any special act or
26 ordinance when working on any construction project that:
27 1. Requires 50 or fewer devices powered by the building
28 fire alarm system or dedicated function control system; or
29 2. Requires complex fire alarm systems in which
30 interconnection of active fire suppression systems via an output
31 matrix in the sequence of operations includes smoke control
32 systems, deluge, pre-action sprinklers, clean agent releasing
33 systems, or special hazard suppression systems.
34 Section 2. Subsections (4), (5), and (6) are added to
35 section 553.7921, Florida Statutes, to read:
36 553.7921 Fire alarm permit application to local enforcement
37 agency.—
38 (4) A fire protection engineer or a NICET IV fire alarm
39 systems designer must prepare fire detection and alarm system
40 documents in accordance with the Florida Fire Prevention Code to
41 address the occupancy and any hazards present for a new building
42 or an addition to an existing building. Buildings for which such
43 documents must be prepared include, but are not limited to,
44 buildings where the interconnection of other building fire
45 suppression systems is provided:
46 (a) Through electronic supervision devices, such as fire
47 sprinkler systems, kitchen hood suppression systems, door
48 holders, or dedicated function control systems as defined by the
49 current edition of the NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and
50 Signaling Code, provided such buildings have at least 50 devices
51 powered by the building fire alarm system or a dedicated
52 function control system; or
53 (b) Through an output matrix in the sequence of operations
54 which includes smoke control systems, deluge systems, pre-action
55 sprinkler systems, clean agent releasing systems, or special
56 hazard suppression systems.
57 (5) Except for high-rise buildings, a fire protection
58 engineer or a NICET IV fire alarm systems designer is not
59 required to prepare a design document for a building permit for
60 a new building or an addition to an existing building if such
61 building:
62 (a) Has 49 or fewer initiating devices connected to a fire
63 alarm system or a dedicated function control system; or
64 (b) Does not have complex fire alarm systems, except for
65 those systems classified for a high-rise building.
66 (6) The Division of State Fire Marshal within the
67 Department of Financial Services shall, in accordance with
68 chapter 120, adopt any rules necessary for the implementation
69 and enforcement of this section.
70 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.