2025 California Standards for Accessible Design Guide (effective January 1, 2026)

SECTION 907 FIRE ALARM AND DETECTION SYSTEMS

907.4.2 Manual fire alarm boxes.  ...

907.4.2.2 Height.

The height of the manual fire alarm boxes shall be not less than 42 inches (1067 mm) and not more than 48 inches (1219 mm) measured vertically, from the floor level to the highest point of the activating handle or lever of the box. Manual fire alarm boxes shall also comply with Section 11B-309.

Advisory 907.4.2.2 Height. CBC Section 11B-309 requires controls and operating mechanisms to be operable with one hand without tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist (must be operable by persons with limited manual dexterity). The maximum effort to activate controls shall be no greater than 5 pounds-force. ◼

907.5.2 Alarm notification appliances.

907.5.2.3 Visible alarms.

Visible alarm notification appliances shall be provided in accordance with Sections 907.5.2.3.1 through 907.5.2.3.4.

Exceptions:

1. In other than Group I-2 and I-2.1, visible alarm notification appliances are not required in alterations, except where an existing fire alarm system is upgraded or replaced, or a new fire alarm system is installed.
2. Visible alarm notification appliances shall not be required in enclosed exit stairways, enclosed exit ramps, exterior exit stairs and exterior exit ramps.
3. Visible alarm notification appliances shall not be required in elevator cars.
4. Visual alarm notification appliances are not required in critical care areas of Group I-2 occupancies that are in
   compliance with Section 907.5.2.5.
5. A visible alarm notification appliance installed in a nurses’ control station or other continuously attended staff
   location in a Group I-2 care suite shall be an acceptable alternative to the installation of visible alarm notification
   appliances throughout the care suite in Group I-2 occupancies that are in compliance with Section 907.5.2.5.

907.5.2.3.1 Public use areas and common use areas.

Visible alarm notification appliances shall be provided in public use areas and common use areas, including but not limited to:

1. Band rooms
2. Classrooms
3. Corridors
4. Gymnasiums
5. Lobbies
6. Meeting and conference rooms
7. Multipurpose rooms
8. Music practice rooms
9. Occupational shops
10. Occupied rooms where ambient noise impairs hearing of the fire alarm
11. Sanitary facilities including restrooms, bathrooms and shower rooms.
12. Shared office rooms used by two or more persons.
13. Normally occupied room(s) used by two or more persons such as mother’s room, phone room, quiet room, wellness
    room, etc.
14. Normally occupied storage room/area.
15. Exam rooms in medical office buildings.

Exception: Where employee work areas have audible alarm coverage, the notification appliance circuits serving the employee work areas shall be initially designed with not less than 20-percent spare capacity to account for the potential of adding visible notification appliances in the future to accommodate hearing-impaired employee(s).

Advisory 907.5.2.3.1 Public and common use areas. This list is not exhaustive. In new construction, all public- and common-use areas shall have visible alarms if audible alarms are provided. ◼

907.5.2.3.2 Groups R-1 and R-2.1.

Habitable spaces in dwelling units and sleeping units in Group R-1 and R-2.1 occupancies in accordance with Table 907.5.2.3.2 shall be provided with visible alarm notification. Visible alarms shall be activated by the in-room smoke alarm and the building fire alarm system.

[F] TABLE 907.5.2.3.2 VISIBLE ALARMS

[SFM] Also see Chapter 11B, Section 11B-224.4 and Table 11B-224.4.

907.5.2.3.3 Group R-2.

In Group R-2 occupancies required by Section 907 to have a fire alarm system, each story that contains dwelling units and sleeping units shall be provided with the capability to support visible alarm notification appliances in accordance with NFPA 72. Such capability shall accommodate wired or wireless equipment.

907.5.2.3.3.1 Wired equipment.

Where wired equipment is used to comply with the future capability required by Section 907.5.2.3.3, the system shall include one of the following capabilities:

1. The replacement of audible appliances with combination audible/visible appliances or additional visible notification appliances.
2. The future extension of the existing wiring from the unit smoke alarm locations to required locations for visible appliances.
3. For wired equipment, the fire alarm power supply and circuits shall have not less than 5-percent excess capacity to accommodate the future addition of visible alarm notification appliances, and a single access point to such circuits shall be available on every story. Such circuits shall not be required to be extended beyond a single access point on a story. The fire alarm system shop drawings required by Section 907.1.2 shall include the power supply and circuit documentation to accommodate the future addition of visible notification appliances.

907.5.2.3.4 Groups R-2.1, R-3.1 and R-4.

Protective social care facilities which house persons who are hearing impaired, shall be provided with notification appliances for the hearing impaired installed in accordance with NFPA 72 and which shall [sic] activated upon initiation of the fire alarm system or the smoke alarms.