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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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An act relating to fire sprinkler system projects; 2
amending s. 553.7932, F.S.; revising and providing 3
definitions; providing requirements for a simplified 4
permitting process for certain fire sprinkler system 5
projects; amending s. 633.102, F.S.; revising the 6
definition of the term "contractor" as it relates to 7
fire sprinkler systems; providing an effective date. 8
9
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the St ate of Florida: 10
11
Section 1. Section 553.7932, Florida Statutes, is amended 12
to read: 13
553.7932 Simplified permitting processes process for fire 14
alarm system projects .— 15
(1) As used in this section, the term: 16
(a) "Component" means valves, fire sprink lers, 17
escutcheons, hangers, compressors, or any other item deemed 18
acceptable by the local enforcing agency. For purposes of this 19
paragraph, a valve does not include pressure -regulating, 20
pressure-reducing, or pressure -control valves. 21
(b)(a) "Contractor" means a person who: 22
1. Is qualified to engage in the business of electrical or 23
alarm system contracting pursuant to a certificate or 24
registration issued by the department under part II of chapter 25
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
489; or 26
2. Is qualified to engage in the business of fire 27
protection system contracting pursuant to a license or 28
certificate issued by the State Fire Marshal . 29
(c)(b) "Fire alarm system project" means a fire alarm 30
system alteration of a total of 20 or fewer initiating devices 31
and notification devices, or the in stallation or replacement of 32
a fire communicator connected to an existing fire alarm control 33
panel in an existing commercial, residential, apartment, 34
cooperative, or condominium building. 35
(d) "Fire sprinkler system project" means a fire 36
protection system alteration of a total of 20 or fewer fire 37
sprinklers in which the sprinklers are of the same K -factor and 38
located in spaces where there is no change of hazard 39
classification or increased system coverage area, or the 40
installation or replacement of an equiv alent fire sprinkler 41
system component in an existing commercial, residential, 42
apartment, cooperative, or condominium building. For purposes of 43
this paragraph, a component is equivalent if the component has 44
the same or better characteristics, including elec trical, 45
hydraulic, pressure losses, and required listings and spacing as 46
the component being replaced. 47
(2)(a) A local enforcement agency may require a 48
contractor, as a condition of obtaining a permit for a fire 49
alarm system project or fire sprinkler syst em project, to submit 50
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
a completed application and payment. 51
(b) A local enforcement agency may not require a 52
contractor to submit plans or specifications as a condition of 53
obtaining a permit for a fire alarm system project or fire 54
sprinkler system project . 55
(3) A local enforcement agency must issue a permit for a 56
fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler system project in 57
person or electronically. 58
(4) A local enforcement agency must require at least one 59
inspection of a fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler 60
system project to ensure compliance with applicable codes and 61
standards. If a fire alarm system project or fire sprinkler 62
system project fails an inspection, the contractor must take 63
corrective action as necessary to pass inspection. 64
(5)(a) For a fire alarm system project, a contractor must 65
keep a copy of the plans and specifications at the a fire alarm 66
system project worksite and make such plans and specifications 67
available to the inspector at each inspection. 68
(b) For a fire sprinkler syst em project to alter an 69
existing fire protection system, a contractor must keep a copy 70
of the plans and specifications at the fire sprinkler system 71
project worksite and make such plans and specifications 72
available to the inspector at each inspection. 73
(c) For a fire sprinkler system project to install or 74
replace a component, a contractor must keep a copy of the 75
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manufacturer's installation instructions and any pertinent 76
testing instructions needed to certify or accept the component 77
at the fire sprinkler syst em project worksite and make such 78
documents available to the inspector at each inspection. 79
Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 633.102, Florida 80
Statutes, is amended to read: 81
633.102 Definitions. —As used in this chapter, the term: 82
(3)(a) "Contractor I" means a contractor whose business 83
includes the execution of contracts requiring the ability to lay 84
out, fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service all 85
types of fire protection systems, excluding preengineered 86
systems. 87
(b) "Contractor II" means a contractor whose business is 88
limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to 89
lay out, fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service 90
water sprinkler systems, water spray systems, foam -water 91
sprinkler systems, foam -water spray systems, standpipes, 92
combination standpipes and sprinkler risers, all piping that is 93
an integral part of the system beginning at the point of service 94
as defined in this section, sprinkler tank heaters, air lines, 95
thermal systems used in connection with sprinklers, and tanks 96
and pumps connected thereto, excluding preengineered systems. 97
(c) "Contractor III" means a contractor whose business is 98
limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to 99
fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service carbon 100
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dioxide systems, foam extinguishing systems, dry chemical 101
systems, and Halon and other chemical systems, excluding 102
preengineered systems. 103
(d) "Contractor IV" means a contractor whose business is 104
limited to the execution of contracts requir ing the ability to 105
lay out, fabricate, install, inspect, alter, repair, and service 106
automatic fire sprinkler systems for detached one -family 107
dwellings, detached two -family dwellings, and mobile homes, 108
excluding preengineered systems and excluding single -family 109
homes in cluster units, such as apartments, condominiums, and 110
assisted living facilities or any building that is connected to 111
other dwellings. A Contractor IV is limited to the scope of 112
practice specified in NFPA 13D. 113
(e) "Contractor V" means a cont ractor whose business is 114
limited to the execution of contracts requiring the ability to 115
fabricate, install, alter, repair, and service the underground 116
piping for a fire protection system using water as the 117
extinguishing agent beginning at the point of serv ice as defined 118
in this act and ending no more than 1 foot above the finished 119
floor. A Contractor V may inspect underground piping for a 120
water-based fire protection system under the direction of a 121
Contractor I or Contractor II. 122
123
This subsection may not be c onstrued to include engineers or 124
architects within the defined terms and does not limit or 125
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prohibit a licensed fire protection engineer or architect with 126
fire protection design experience from designing any type of 127
fire protection system. A distinction is made between system 128
design concepts prepared by the design professional and system 129
layout as defined in this section and typically prepared by the 130
contractor. However, a person certified under this chapter as a 131
Contractor I or Contractor II may design new fire protection 132
systems of 49 or fewer sprinklers; may design the alteration of 133
an existing fire sprinkler system if the alteration consists of 134
the relocation, addition, or deletion of 49 or fewer sprinklers, 135
notwithstanding the size of the existing fire s prinkler system; 136
and or may design the alteration of an existing fire sprinkler 137
system if the alteration consists of the relocation or deletion 138
of 249 or fewer sprinklers and the addition of up to 49 139
sprinklers, as long as the cumulative total number of fi re 140
sprinklers being added, relocated, or deleted does not exceed 141
249, notwithstanding the size of the existing fire sprinkler 142
system, if there is no change of occupancy of the affected 143
areas, as defined in the Florida Building Code and the Florida 144
Fire Prevention Code, and there is no change in the water demand 145
as defined in NFPA 13, "Standard for the Installation of 146
Sprinkler Systems," and if the occupancy hazard classification 147
as defined in NFPA 13 is reduced or remains the same as a result 148
of the alteration. Conflicts between the Florida Building Code 149
and the Florida Fire Prevention Code shall be resolved pursuant 150
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
to s. 553.73(1)(d). A person certified as a Contractor I, 151
Contractor II, or Contractor IV may design a new fire protection 152
system or design the alteration of an existing fire protection 153
system, the scope of which complies with NFPA 13D, "Standard for 154
the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One - and Two-Family 155
Dwellings and Manufactured Homes," as adopted by the State Fire 156
Marshal, notwithstandin g the number of fire sprinklers. 157
Contractor-developed plans may not be required by any local 158
permitting authority to be sealed by a registered professional 159
engineer. 160
Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023. 161