Compliance
What the code actually requires of you
Portable fire extinguishers run on a fixed schedule set by NFPA 10. Miss a step and your tag is not valid, whatever the gauge says. Here is the whole picture in plain language.
The schedule
One year, six years, twelve years
Every portable extinguisher moves through the same cycle. The hard part is knowing where each of your units sits in it — which is the part we handle.
Every 1 year
Annual maintenance & service
Every portable extinguisher gets a full external examination, service and a new certification tag.
Every 6 years
Internal examination & rebuild
Stored-pressure units are emptied, examined internally, rebuilt with new seals and recharged.
Every 12 years
Hydrostatic test & rebuild
The cylinder is pressure-tested to confirm it can still safely hold its charge, then rebuilt and recharged.
Reference: NFPA 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers, 2022 Edition, section 7.3.3.1. Your local authority having jurisdiction can require more than the minimum.
Your part
The monthly check your own staff has to do
Annual service is our job. The monthly visual inspection is the owner's, and inspectors will ask whether it happened.
- The extinguisher is in its assigned place and clearly visible
- Access and the travel path to it are not blocked
- The pressure gauge needle sits in the operable range
- The pin is present and the tamper seal is unbroken
- No dents, corrosion, leakage or clogged nozzle
- Operating instructions face outward and are legible
- The unit has not been discharged or moved
Inspections
What a fire marshal writes you up for
An expired or missing tag
The single most common finding. A current-looking gauge does not substitute for a valid service record.
A missed 6-year or 12-year
Annual service alone is not enough. The internal examination and hydrostatic test are separate requirements.
Blocked or hidden units
Boxes, carts, coat racks and holiday displays in front of an extinguisher are a violation on their own.
Wrong class for the hazard
An ABC unit near a fryer is not Class K protection. Agent has to match the fuel.
Travel distance too long
Occupants must be able to reach a unit within the maximum distance for the hazard class.
No monthly inspection record
The owner is responsible for the monthly check, and inspectors will ask to see that it happened.
How we keep you covered
You should not have to run a compliance calendar
The day we tag your units we calendar the renewal. We come back before your certifications expire, which means you are not the one tracking it.
- Every unit logged by location, type and due date
- Annual, 6-year and 12-year dates all tracked separately
- We call you before anything lapses, not after
- Swap units so coverage never has a gap
- Written records you can hand an inspector
Free bid
Not sure where you stand?
We will come out, count what you have, read every tag and tell you exactly what is due and what it costs. The visit and the bid are free, and there is no commitment.
No reason to delay
Submit one short form and we will give you a free, guaranteed, exact-price bid before we do any work.