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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>72386</law_id><section_number>36-99.5:1</section_number><catch_line>Smoke alarms and other fire detection and suppression systems in assisted living facilities, adult day centers and nursing homes and facilities</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="36">Housing</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="6">Uniform Statewide Building Code</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">General Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> <span class="dictionary">Battery</span> operated or AC powered smoke alarm devices shall be installed in all assisted living facilities and adult day centers licensed by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Social Services, regardless of when the building was constructed. The location and installation of the smoke alarms shall be determined by the <span class="dictionary">Building Code</span>.
			The licensee shall obtain a certificate of compliance from the building official of the locality in which the facility or center is located, or in the case of state-owned <span class="dictionary">buildings</span>, from the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of General Services.
			The licensee shall maintain the smoke alarm devices in good working <span class="dictionary">order</span>. <a id="paragraph-260749" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-99.5_1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Board</span> of Housing and Community Development shall promulgate regulations in accordance with the Administrative Process Act (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Short title; purpose" href="/2.2-4000/">2.2-4000</a> et seq.) establishing standards for requiring (i) smoke alarms and (ii) such other fire detection and suppression systems as deemed necessary by the <span class="dictionary">Board</span> to increase the safety of persons in assisted living facilities, residential dwelling units designed or developed and marketed to senior citizens, nursing homes, and nursing facilities. All nursing homes and nursing facilities that are already equipped with sprinkler systems shall comply with regulations relating to smoke alarms. <a id="paragraph-260750" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/36-99.5_1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1988, c. 55; 1990, cc. 448, 703; 1992, c. 356; 1993, cc. 957, 993; 2004, c. 584; 2018, cc. 41, 81; 2024, cc. 37, 150.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
