State Fire Marshal Fire Sprinkler Fitter Certification Act

The law sets statewide training, supervision, and enforcement rules intended to improve fire-suppression-system performance. It makes unlicensed work punishable and allows work to be halted or removed.

What the law does ​

• Requires certification or registration to install, alter, repair, inspect, test, maintain, service, safe-off, or otherwise work on covered fire suppression systems.
• Creates trainee, apprentice, and certified fire sprinkler fitter pathways, including age, application, fee, employment, apprenticeship, experience, and examination requirements.
• Requires trainees to enter an approved apprenticeship program within one year and limits certified fitters to supervising permitted apprentices and up to two trainees onsite.
• Makes C-16 Fire Protection Contractors and public entities responsible for assigning properly certified or registered workers and following supervision ratios.
• Exempts specified work, including one- and two-family residential sprinkler work, underground supply lines before the system riser, certain inspections, and temporary sprinkler-head replacement.
• Allows qualified water-based-system inspectors to investigate internal piping and obstructions without fitter certification, subject to State Fire Marshal registration requirements beginning no earlier than January 1, 2029.
• Authorizes inspections, correction orders, stop-work orders, removal of unauthorized work, fees, civil penalties of $300 to $25,000 per offense per day, and misdemeanor enforcement.

Who it affects ​

• Fire sprinkler fitter trainees, apprentices, certified fitters, and qualified water-based fire-protection inspectors.
• Licensed C-16 Fire Protection Contractors and public entities that employ or assign fire-suppression-system workers.
• Local fire authorities that investigate complaints when requested by the State Fire Marshal.