Rule guide · Safety devices

Smoke & CO alarms, explained.

Every NYC residential building needs working, approved smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and owners are expected to install them, keep them working, and hold signed acknowledgments from tenants. This one applies to buildings of every size, from a two-family to a high-rise.

What it costs to skip: Missing or non-working alarms are hazardous HPD violations with civil penalties. Amounts vary and can change; confirm the current figures with FDNY / HPD.

Applies toAll residential buildings

FrequencyOngoing

Filing deadlineOngoing

AgencyFDNY / HPD

The lawNYC Admin. Code § 27-2045

The paperwork is half the rule

Installing the alarms is the obvious part. The part owners forget is the signed tenant acknowledgment confirming the alarm was working at move-in. Keep those signatures on file. If a device is missing or dead during an inspection, the record of what you provided matters.

Sealed ten-year devices

Newer approved alarms are sealed with a ten-year battery, which removes the annual battery swap and the tenant-tampering problem. When you replace units, replacing with sealed ten-year models is the low-maintenance path.

See every rule that applies to your building

Source: FDNY / HPD official page · NYC Admin. Code § 27-2045. Reviewed July 5, 2026. This guide organizes public requirements in plain English; it is not legal advice, and No Fines is not affiliated with the City of New York. Confirm specifics with the agency before your deadline.