RI State Fire Marshal: Inspections, Licenses, and Violations

The Rhode Island State Fire Marshal is the state agency that enforces the Rhode Island Fire Safety Code, inspects state-licensed facilities, reviews construction plans for fire protection, licenses specialized trades like blasting and pyrotechnics, and investigates suspicious fires. The office sits within the Department of Public Safety and operates from 560 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick. You can reach it at 401-889-5555.¹ Its authority runs across chapters 28.1 through 28.39 of Title 23, which together make up the state Fire Safety Code.²

Which Buildings the State Fire Marshal Inspects

Most private buildings in Rhode Island are not inspected by the State Fire Marshal. The office handles state-licensed facilities; everything else runs through your local fire department. Knowing which category your building falls into tells you who to call.

The State Fire Marshal directly inspects:³

State-owned buildings, including the State House, DOA offices, and DOT storage barns
State-operated colleges: RIC, URI, and CCRI
Hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living centers, and ambulatory health care centers licensed through the Department of Health
Group homes licensed through BHDDH or DCYF, including congregate housing in apartment buildings
Day care centers licensed through DCYF and preschools approved by the Department of Education
State correction and detention centers
Places of assembly owned or operated by the state
LPG storage facilities permitted through the office

Your local fire department handles K-12 schools, private colleges, retail gas stations, apartment buildings, hotels and motels, theaters, industrial buildings, and all private business, mercantile, and storage properties.³ If you’re not sure which authority covers your property, call the office and ask before you file anything.

Plan Reviews and Fees for Construction Projects

Any commercial construction project, fire alarm installation, or automatic sprinkler system needs a plan review approval before work begins. You submit site plans and architectural drawings bearing the stamp of a registered professional, showing how the building handles fire suppression, emergency exits, and smoke control.

Your application has to include the correct occupancy classification and total square footage. Getting the occupancy category wrong is one of the most common reasons applications stall, because the classification dictates exactly what level of fire protection the code requires. The office calculates the plan review fee from the project’s estimated valuation.

Fees are set by statute:⁴

$500 or less: $25
$501 to $1,000: $35
$1,001 to $2,000: $45
$2,001 to $500,000: $45 plus $6 for every $1,000 (or fraction) over $2,000
Over $500,000: $3,033 plus $4 for every $1,000 (or fraction) over $500,000

A project valued at $100,000 works out to $45 plus $6 for each of the 98 increments above $2,000, giving you a fee of $633. Fees must accompany the application at submission. Most filings go through the state’s e-permitting portal; certain specialized reviews can be mailed to the Warwick headquarters.

Once your plans are approved, contact your assigned deputy fire marshal to schedule the on-site inspection. The inspector verifies that what was actually built matches the approved plans and tests alarms and sprinklers against code. Passing this inspection is a prerequisite for a certificate of occupancy. If the inspector finds the installation doesn’t match the drawings, you fix it and schedule a re-inspection.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Requirements

Rhode Island requires smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in every home, and the rules tighten when a property changes hands. Sellers must give buyers a certificate confirming that all smoke and CO alarms were inspected within 120 days before the sale. The local fire department or the State Fire Marshal’s office performs the inspection for a $30 fee paid by the seller. A failed inspection — improper installation, wrong placement, bad wiring, or a missed appointment — triggers a $60 re-inspection fee.⁵

For homes built from January 1, 2013 onward, smoke alarms must be installed in every sleeping room, outside every sleeping area, and on each level including the basement. Carbon monoxide alarms go outside sleeping areas and on each level. All devices must be hardwired with battery backup and interconnected so that when one triggers, they all sound.⁵

Smoke alarms must be replaced 10 years from the date of manufacture and carbon monoxide alarms after 7 years, unless the manufacturer specifies otherwise. In a rental, the landlord is responsible for installation and maintenance unless the lease says otherwise. If a tenant notifies the landlord by certified mail that an alarm is broken, the landlord has 7 days to fix it. If the landlord doesn’t, the tenant can make the repair and deduct up to $50 from rent.⁵

Licenses the Office Issues

Several specialized trades require licenses from the State Fire Marshal. Anyone conducting blasting operations must hold a state-issued blasting license. The application costs $10 (split between processing and exam fees), and the license itself carries a $50 fee if issued. Licenses expire June 30 each year and renew without re-examination for $50. Workers who don’t yet qualify for a full license can apply for an apprentice permit at $25, but they must work under the direct supervision of a licensed blaster at all times.⁶

Display fireworks can only be used by municipalities, fair associations, amusement parks, or similar organizations with a permit, and only when operated by someone approved by the local fire authority. Possessing or using display fireworks without a permit is a felony carrying up to $1,000 in fines and up to one year of imprisonment per offense. Possession of fireworks valued under $500 without a permit is a misdemeanor with the same maximum jail time and a fine of up to $500.⁷

Fire alarm dealers and fire extinguisher technicians must also demonstrate competency through the state’s certification process. Background checks and fingerprinting are standard parts of any application involving hazardous materials. Operating in these trades without a valid license can bring administrative fines or suspension of business operations.

Fire Code Violations and Fines

Violations found during an inspection are criminal violations of the Fire Safety Code, and inspectors can issue citations on the spot. Common triggers include blocked exits, locked exit doors, malfunctioning emergency lighting, failure to maintain fire protection equipment, obstructed fire hydrants or fire lanes, blocked fire department connections, uninspected fire extinguishers, and exceeding posted occupancy limits in assembly spaces.⁸

Fines within any 60-month period escalate:

First violation: $250
Second violation: $500
Third and subsequent violations: $1,000 each

After a citation, you can either pay by mail within 10 days or appear in district court for arraignment. A third or subsequent citation within the 60-month window removes the mail-in option and requires a court appearance. Failing to pay or appear triggers an arrest warrant plus an additional $500 fine on top of the original penalty.⁸

Appealing a Decision

If you disagree with an inspection finding, a plan review denial, or another decision from the office, you can appeal to the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review. It’s an 11-member board appointed by the governor, with representatives drawn from fire chiefs, building inspectors, architects, professional engineers, the fire protection industry, labor, and the general public.⁹

The Board hears appeals of notices of violation, plan review denials or rejections, abatement proceedings, license or permit disciplinary actions, municipal ordinance approvals, and requests for equivalency rulings on alternative products or systems. All applications must be filed digitally through the Board’s online portal; in-person and mail-in applications are no longer accepted.¹⁰

Filing Complaints and Requesting Fire Reports

Anyone can report a fire hazard or suspected code violation to the State Fire Marshal. These complaints can trigger an inspection. Call 401-889-5555 or use the office’s website.¹

To obtain fire incident reports or investigation summaries, file a request under Rhode Island’s Access to Public Records Act (APRA). The agency must permit inspection or copying of records within 10 business days of receiving your request. If it can’t meet that deadline, it must explain in writing why, and the extension cannot exceed an additional 20 business days.¹¹ The agency cannot require you to use a specific form; any written request clearly identifiable as a public records request satisfies the law.

These reports matter for insurance claims and litigation. If you need records for a court case, file your APRA request early. The 10-day clock doesn’t start until the office receives your written request, and complex or voluminous requests can stretch the timeline to a full 30 business days.

1
Office of the State Fire Marshal. Contact Us
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Rhode Island General Assembly. Rhode Island Code 23-28.2-4 – Duties and Responsibilities of State Fire Marshal
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Office of the State Fire Marshal. Inspections Division
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Rhode Island General Assembly. Rhode Island Code 23-28.2-26 – Plan Review Fees
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Office of the State Fire Marshal. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
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Rhode Island General Assembly. Rhode Island Code 23-28.28-31 – License to Conduct Blasting Operations
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Rhode Island General Assembly. Rhode Island Code 11-13-1 – Sale, Use or Possession of Fireworks
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Rhode Island General Assembly. Rhode Island Code 23-28.2-14
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Rhode Island General Assembly. Rhode Island Code 23-28.3-2 – Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review
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RI Fire Safety Code. RI Fire Safety Code – Welcome
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Rhode Island General Assembly. Rhode Island Code 38-2-3 – Right to Inspect and Copy Records