Why are annual fire inspections required?

Performing annual fire inspections minimizes the chances of fires occurring, thus reducing fire and property damage while increasing public safety. More specifically, the fire department performs annual inspections to comply with state law (California Health & Safety Code) which requires an annual fire inspection of the following occupancies:

• Apartment and condominium buildings (classified as three or more attached units; excludes duplex-style buildings)
• Hotels, motels and lodging houses
• Public and private schools (Grades K-12)

What do fire inspectors look for during an annual fire inspection?

Annual fire inspections help mitigate known hazards and ensure that our community is being maintained in a safe and acceptable manner and in accordance with state fire, building and property maintenance codes. Our inspection team reviews proper maintenance of items such as fire protection systems, egress systems, fire protective construction, and confirms sufficient site access for Fire Department personnel. At a minimum, fire inspectors will ensure compliance with the items listed in the Annual Fire Inspection Checklist.

Our Fire & Life Safety team takes great pride in working to keep our community safe. Watch Fire Prevention Specialist Jarrod Robinson explain how he approaches a fire inspection:

New Requirements effective 2021

As the mandate to perform annual fire inspections was unfunded by the state, we have been performing these inspections for the past three years at no cost to property managers or owners.  

On June 8, 2021, our City Council adopted a new fee schedule for the fiscal year 2021-2022 that includes fees for all state mandated annual inspections with an effective date of September 1, 2021. This means that an inspection fee will be charged for fire inspections initiated on or after September 1, 2021. 

Fees will be charged per the Master Fee Schedule for purposes of cost-recovery. Fees are determined either per building or per property, depending on occupancy type, and cover the first inspection plus one additional re-inspection. Buildings that need additional inspections to confirm correction of noted violations may incur an additional fee. 

Annual Fire Inspection Fee Payment Details

An invoice will be mailed after the initial fire inspection has been completed to the mailing address on file. Have your invoice number or customer ID ready when paying online.

Business Fire Safety Assessment

We encourage everyone to take fire prevention seriously. Businesses that want to be proactive can perform a self-check to help identify potential fire hazards. This Business Safety Checklist is a tool that businesses can use to perform a self-assessment to identify items that can be corrected to mitigate risk before a problem occurs.

Business inspections are not currently part of the annual inspection program. If a business would like to request an inspection, the fire department will be happy to conduct a fire and life safety inspection at the fee rate listed in the master fee schedule.

Resources 

Fire Extinguisher Inspection Guide
Grilling Safety at Multi-Family Residential Buildings
Smoke Alarm and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Locations in Your Home

Contact

For questions or inquiries please contact 442-339-2665 or email us at annualfireinspection@carlsbadca.gov