NFPA 72 PDF

Highlights

The 2025 edition features several revisions and additions to the standard, including:
Expanded requirements in Chapter 11 for the protection of fire alarm and signaling systems from cyber attacks
New requirements for acoustic leak detectors and thermal image fire detectors in Chapter 17
Clarification on the spacing of smoke detectors to be unchanged on ceilings up to 40 ft (12.2 m) in height, after which performance-based design spacing must be used
Addition of a new notification mode, permitting a restricted mode audible operation (RAMO) notification zone to apply private mode audible levels
Detailed instructions for the calculations of voltage drop in notification appliance circuits to standardize the calculation procedure in Chapters 18 and 24
Significant changes in Chapter 26 related to auxiliary service providers (ASP) and communications technologies
Revisions in Chapter 29 to direct the user to NFPA 715, Standard for the Installation of Fuel Gases Detection and Warning Equipment, for fuel gas detection

Table of Contents

NFPA 72® National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code® 2025 Edition
Chapter 1 Administration
1.1 Scope.
1.2 Purpose.
1.3 Application.
1.4 Retroactivity.
1.5 Equivalency.
1.6 Units and Formulas.
1.7 Code Adoption Requirements.
Chapter 2 Referenced Publications
2.1 General.
2.2 NFPA Publications.
2.3 Other Publications.
2.4 References for Extracts in Mandatory Sections.
Chapter 3 Definitions
3.1 General.
3.2 NFPA Official Definitions.
3.3 General Definitions.
Chapter 4 Reserved
Chapter 5 Reserved
Chapter 6 Reserved
Chapter 7 Documentation
7.1 Application.
7.2 Minimum Required Documentation.
7.3 Design (Layout) Documentation.
7.4 Shop Drawings (Installation Documentation).
7.5 Completion Documentation.
7.6 Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance Documentation.
7.7 Records, Record Retention, and Record Maintenance.
7.8 Forms.
Chapter 8 Reserved
Chapter 9 Reserved
Chapter 10 Fundamentals
10.1 Application.
10.2 Purpose.
10.3 Equipment.
10.4 Design and Installation.
10.5 Personnel Qualifications.
10.6 Power Supplies.
10.7 Signal Priority.
10.8 Detection and Signaling of Conditions.
10.9 Responses.
10.10 Distinctive Signals.
10.11 Alarm Signals.
10.12 Fire Alarm Notification Appliance Deactivation.
10.13 Carbon Monoxide Notification Appliance Deactivation.
10.14 Supervisory Signals.
10.15 Trouble Signals.
10.16 Emergency Control Function Status Indicators.
10.17 Notification Appliance Circuits and Supervised Notification Appliance Control Circuits.
10.18 Annunciation and Annunciation Zoning.
10.19 Monitoring Integrity of In-Building Fire Emergency Voice/Alarm Communications Systems.
10.20 Documentation and Notification.
10.21 Impairments.
10.22 Unwanted Alarms.
Chapter 11 Cybersecurity
11.1 Cybersecurity Provisions.
11.2 Network Connectable Equipment Software Development and Production Environments.
11.3 Security Levels for Network Connectable Equipment.
11.4 Interconnecting Conductors, Cables, or Other Physical Pathways.
11.5 Network Connectable Equipment Using Shared Pathways.
11.6 Unused Physical Data Ports.
11.7 Data Connections to External Networks.
11.8 Network Connectable Equipment Cybersecurity Software Updates.
11.9 Notification of Termination of Cybersecurity Update Support.
11.10 Cybersecurity for System Support Tools.
11.11 Evidence of Compliance.
11.12 Documentation.
Chapter 12 Circuits and Pathways
12.1 Application.
12.2 General.
12.3 Pathway Class Designations.
12.4 Pathway Survivability.
12.5 Shared Pathway Designations.
12.6 Monitoring Integrity and Circuit Performance of Installation Conductors and Other Signaling Channels.
12.7 Nomenclature.
Chapter 13 Reserved
Chapter 14 Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance
14.1 Application.
14.2 General.
14.3 Inspection.
14.4 Testing.
14.5 Maintenance.
14.6 Records.
Chapter 15 Reserved
Chapter 16 Reserved
Chapter 17 Initiating Devices
17.1 Application.
17.2 Purpose.
17.3 Performance-Based Design.
17.4 General Requirements.
17.5 Requirements for Smoke and Heat Detectors.
17.6 Heat-Sensing Fire Detectors.
17.7 Smoke-Sensing Fire Detectors.
17.8 Radiant-Energy-Sensing Fire Detectors.
17.9 Combination, Multi-Criteria, and Multi-Sensor Detectors.
17.10 Gas Detection.
17.11 Acoustic Leak Detection.
17.12 Thermal Image Fire Detection.
17.13 Other Fire Detectors.
17.14 Carbon Monoxide Detectors.
17.15 Sprinkler Waterflow Alarm-Initiating Devices.
17.16 Detection of Operation of Other Automatic Extinguishing Systems.
17.17 Manually Actuated Alarm-Initiating Devices.
17.18 Fire Extinguisher Electronic Monitoring Device.
17.19 Supervisory-Signal-Initiating Devices.
Chapter 18 Notification Appliances
18.1 Application.
18.2 Purpose.
18.3 General.
18.4 Audible Characteristics.
18.5 Visual Characteristics — Public Mode.
18.6 Visual Characteristics — Private Mode.
18.7 Supplementary Visual Signaling Method.
18.8 Textual Audible Appliances.
18.9 Textual and Graphical Visual Appliances.
18.10 Tactile Appliances.
Chapter 19 Reserved
Chapter 20 Reserved
Chapter 21 Emergency Control Function Interfaces
21.1 Application.
21.2 General.
21.3 Elevator Phase I Emergency Recall Operation.
21.4 Elevator Power Shutdown.
21.5 Fire Service Access Elevators.
21.6 Occupant Evacuation Elevators (OEE).
21.7 Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) Systems.
21.8 High Volume Low Speed (HVLS) Fans.
21.9 Door and Shutter Release.
21.10 Electrically Locked Doors.
21.11 Exit Marking Audible Notification Systems.
Chapter 22 Reserved
Chapter 23 Protected Premises Alarm and Signaling Systems
23.1 Application.
23.2 General.
23.3 System Features.
23.4 System Performance and Integrity.
23.5 Performance of Initiating Device Circuits (IDCs).
23.6 Performance of Signaling Line Circuits (SLCs).
23.7 Performance of Notification Appliance Circuits (NACs).
23.8 System Requirements.
23.9 In-Building Emergency Voice/Alarm Communications.
23.10 Fire Alarm Systems Using Tone.
23.11 Suppression System Actuation.
23.12 Off-Premises Signals.
23.13 Guard’s Tour Supervisory Service.
23.14 Suppressed (Exception Reporting) Signal System.
23.15 Protected Premises Emergency Control Functions.
23.16 Special Requirements for Low-Power Radio (Wireless) Systems.
Chapter 24 Emergency Communications Systems (ECSs)
24.1 Application.
24.2 Purpose.
24.3 General.
24.4 In-Building Fire Emergency Voice/Alarm Communications Systems (EVACS).
24.5 In-Building Mass Notification Systems.
24.6 Wide-Area Mass Notification Systems.
24.7 Distributed Recipient Mass Notification Systems (DRMNS).
24.8 Two-Way, In-Building Wired Emergency Services Communications Systems.
24.9 Emergency Responder Communication Enhancement Systems.
24.10 Two-Way Emergency Communications Systems for Rescue Assistance.
24.11 Information, Command, and Control.
24.12 Performance-Based Design of Mass Notification Systems.
24.13 Documentation for ECSs.
Chapter 25 Reserved
Chapter 26 Supervising Station Alarm Systems
26.1 Application.
26.2 General.
26.3 Central Station Service Alarm Systems.
26.4 Proprietary Supervising Station Alarm Systems.
26.5 Remote Supervising Station Alarm Systems.
26.6 Communications Methods for Supervising Station Alarm Systems.
Chapter 27 Public Emergency Alarm Reporting Systems
27.1 Application.
27.2 General.
27.3 Management and Maintenance.
27.4 Communications Methods.
27.5 Alarm Processing Equipment.
27.6 Alarm Boxes.
27.7 Public Cable Plant.
27.8 Emergency Communications Systems (ECS).
Chapter 28 Reserved
Chapter 29 Single- and Multiple-Station Alarms and Household Signaling Systems
29.1 Application.
29.2 Purpose.
29.3 Basic Requirements.
29.4 Remote Annunciation.
29.5 Notification.
29.6 Assumptions.
29.7 Carbon Monoxide Detection.
29.8 Detection and Notification.
29.9 Power Supplies.
29.10 Equipment Performance.
29.11 Installation.
29.12 Optional Functions.
29.13 Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance.
29.14 Markings and Instructions.
Annex A Explanatory Material
Annex B Engineering Guide for Automatic Fire Detector Spacing
Annex C System Performance and Design Guide
Annex D Speech Intelligibility
Annex E Sample Ordinance Adopting NFPA 72
Annex F Wiring Diagrams and Guide for Testing Fire Alarm Circuits
Annex G Guidelines for Emergency Communication Strategies for Buildings and Campuses
Annex H Carbon Monoxide
Annex I Color-Coded Tagging Program
Annex J Informational References