Texas Fire Sprinkler Rules: 28 TAC Chapter 34.700

Texas fire-protection sprinkler work is regulated primarily by Texas Insurance Code Chapter 6003 and the Fire Sprinkler Rules in Title 28, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 34, Subchapter G. The State Fire Marshal’s Office administers registration and licensing requirements for firms and responsible managing employees.

Important: Avenger Security coordinates sprinkler work with appropriately registered sprinkler contractors. Fire-alarm registration does not authorize a company to plan, install, service or certify fire-protection sprinkler systems.

What the sprinkler rules cover

The rules address the business of planning, selling, installing, maintaining and servicing fire-protection sprinkler systems. They also govern inspection, testing and maintenance activities, required records and tags, responsible managing employee licenses and enforcement.

The required credential depends on the work. Texas recognizes license categories that include RME-General, RME-Dwelling, RME-Underground Fire Main and RME-General Inspector, each with a defined scope.

Owner responsibilities and contractor responsibilities

A registered sprinkler firm and properly licensed individual must perform regulated work within their authorization. The building owner or responsible party must still maintain the system, provide access, correct impairments and keep required inspections current.

• Confirm the sprinkler firm’s Texas certificate of registration.
• Confirm the responsible license category matches the work.
• Keep inspection, testing, maintenance and repair records.
• Maintain access to risers, valves, fire department connections and system information.
• Coordinate impairments with the fire alarm, monitoring provider and authority having jurisdiction.
• Submit reports through the local reporting system when the authority requires electronic filing.

Inspection, testing and maintenance

Inspection, testing and maintenance frequencies depend on the system components, the adopted edition of NFPA 25, manufacturer instructions, occupancy and authority requirements. “Annual inspection” does not describe every required task: some components have monthly, quarterly, annual, multi-year or other intervals.

Five-year testing and internal examination requirements may apply to particular valves, piping conditions or system components. A qualified sprinkler contractor should identify the exact component, system type, adopted standard and due date instead of applying one generic schedule to every property.

Texas sprinkler tags

• ITM tag: documents completed inspection, testing and maintenance activity and the resulting system status.
• Yellow tag: identifies qualifying noncompliance, maintenance problems or recalled equipment that requires correction but does not constitute an emergency impairment under the rule.
• Red tag: identifies an emergency impairment requiring prompt owner and authority notification and corrective action.

Only an authorized registered-firm employee or governmental representative may remove or replace regulatory tags as permitted by the rules after the documented condition is corrected.

Coordination with the fire alarm

Waterflow switches, valve supervisory switches and other sprinkler-system interfaces report through the fire-alarm system, but the two disciplines remain separately regulated. Sprinkler testing should be coordinated with the alarm company and supervising station so alarm, supervisory and trouble signals can be verified without creating an unintended dispatch.

Official Texas sources

• Texas Department of Insurance fire-sprinkler licensing page
• Texas fire-sprinkler registration and license information
• Current Texas Administrative Code

Coordinate a complete fire-protection service

Avenger Security can coordinate fire-alarm testing and monitoring with an appropriately registered sprinkler contractor so each system is inspected, documented and reported under the proper license.

Contact Avenger Security to coordinate fire-alarm and sprinkler service.