Smoke Detecting Devices

NYC Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 1, subch. 17, art. 6

in effect

NYC Admin. Code § 27-978 Definitions.

§ 27-978 Definitions. For the purposes of this article: a. an existing building is one which is within occupancy group J-1, occupancy group J-2 or occupancy group J-3 and for which plans have been approved by the department on or prior to December thirty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-one. b. an improvement or alteration is a physical change in an existing structure other than painting, repairs and normal replacement of maintenance items. c. a building shall be deemed to have been substantially improved or altered if: 1. the cost of improvement or alteration exceeds the sum of one hundred fifty thousand dollars, or 2. in either occupancy group J-1 or occupancy group J-2, fifty percent or more of the dwelling units or square feet of the structure are improved or altered and the cost of such improvement or alteration exceeds the sum of fifteen thousand dollars per dwelling unit, or 3. there has been a change in the occupancy or use of the structure.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-979 Smoke detecting devices; where required.

§ 27-979 Smoke detecting devices; where required. (a) On and after January first, nineteen hundred eighty-two, all dwelling units within occupancy group J-1 and occupancy group J-2, except such units which contain operational automatic wet sprinkler systems pursuant to article four of this subchapter, and dwelling units in buildings within occupancy group J-3 shall be equipped with approved and operational smoke detecting devices as hereinafter provided. Buildings within occupancy group J-1 may, in the alternative, be equipped with a line-operated zoned smoke detecting system with central annunciation and central office tie-in for all public corridors and public spaces, pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the commissioner. The commissioner may, upon good cause shown, extend the period of compliance for occupancy groups J-1 and J-2 to June thirtieth, nineteen hundred eighty-two. (b) Approved and operational smoke detecting devices shall be installed in mechanical rooms, electrical switch gear rooms and electric and telephone closets over seventy-five square feet in gross floor area in all buildings in all occupancy groups.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-980 Power sources of smoke detecting devices.

§ 27-980 Power sources of smoke detecting devices. Dwelling units shall be equipped with smoke detecting devices receiving their primary power from the building wiring and there shall be no switches in the circuit other than the over-current device protecting the branch circuit; provided, however, that dwelling units in existing buildings may, in the alternative, be equipped with battery-operated smoke detecting devices except where such buildings are substantially improved or altered on or after January first, nineteen hundred eighty-two.

NYC Admin. Code § 27-981 General requirements for smoke detecting devices.

§ 27-981 General requirements for smoke detecting devices. a. All smoke detecting devices required to be provided and installed pursuant to this article shall either be accepted pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the commissioner or be listed by a nationally recognized independent laboratory that maintains periodic inspections of production of listed equipment and whose listing states that the equipment meets nationally recognized standards. To meet the requirements of this article, such laboratory shall be one which maintains a periodic follow-up service of the devices to ensure compliance with the original listing. b. No device shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions of this article unless it is of either the ionization chamber or photoelectric type. Such devices shall be in compliance with the requirements of reference standard RS 17-11 and shall be installed in a manner consistent with the requirements of reference standard RS 17-12 except that devices within occupancy group J-1 shall be installed pursuant to rules and regulations promulgated by the commissioner. Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 1991/049.

Source: City of New York, Charter, Administrative Code and Rules (American Legal Publishing XML export, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCadmin/0-0-0-53552Fetched: 10/24/2026