The short version
By 1 January 2027, every Queensland home needs photoelectric smoke alarms that are all interconnected, so when one goes off they all go off. They must be in every bedroom, in the hallways that connect bedrooms to the rest of the home, and on every storey.
Who has to comply, and when
- New homes and major renovations: since 1 January 2017.
- Homes sold or leased: a home sold under a contract signed after 31 December 2021, or leased or re-leased from 1 January 2022, must already comply.
- Every other home: by 1 January 2027. That includes owner-occupied houses, townhouses and units.
What the alarms must be
- Photoelectric, made to Australian Standard AS 3786-2014, with no ionisation sensor
- Interconnected with every other smoke alarm in the home
- Either hardwired to mains power with a backup battery, or powered by a non-removable 10-year battery
- Working when tested, and replaced once they have expired
If your home already has hardwired alarms, the replacements need to be hardwired too.
Where they go
- In every bedroom
- In the hallway that connects the bedrooms to the rest of the home. With no hallway, between the bedrooms and the rest of that storey.
- On every storey. A storey without bedrooms needs at least one alarm on the most likely path out of the home.
Hardwired or 10-year battery?
Battery alarms with a 10-year sealed battery can be fitted without an electrician, and wireless interconnected models talk to each other without new cabling. Hardwired alarms have to be installed by a licensed electrician, and they are the right choice where hardwired alarms are already in place. We fit both and will tell you which suits your home.
From our job sheets
Recent smoke alarm jobs include six interconnected alarms in a Clontarf home, eight in a Rothwell home, and a Burpengary home where we rectified the switchboard, RCBOs and about 13 smoke alarms before issuing the compliance certificate. Rentals across Moreton Bay make up a lot of this work.
What it costs with us
Smoke alarm replacement is from $89 inc GST per alarm, and smoke alarm inspection and RCD testing is from $149 inc GST. Whole-house upgrades are quoted once we know how many alarms you need and whether they are hardwired. See safety switches and smoke alarms and our pricing.