Final Changes under NFPA 25, 2026
With
the release of NFPA 25, 2026 Edition, significant changes have been
introduced regarding the inspection, testing, and maintenance (ITM)
of water-based fire protection
systems. Keeping these changes in mind is necessary for affiliates
who manage or advise on sprinkler system compliance and
performance. Highlights of these updated requirements include:
·
Testing solenoid
monitoring devices every quarter.
·
Conducting internal
inspections of all dry, pre-action, and deluge valves once per
year.
·
Expanding
annex material clarifying inspector qualifications and the scope of their role
in verifying system design aspects.
·
Replacing 50-year-old
sprinklers in dwelling units with fast-response models or thermally
testing representative samples.
·
Reviewing expanded
annex material clarifying inspector qualifications and the scope of their role
in verifying system design aspects.
·
Omitting the
five-year hydrostatic test when the piping from
the Fire Department Connection (FDC) to the fire department
check valve is 10 feet or less and fully visible both internally and
externally.
These
are extremely important safety updates intended to improve reliability,
reduce failure rates, and clarify inspection responsibilities. All of which
keep life and property safe. With this in mind, affiliates should review their
ITM schedules, update inventory procedures, and ensure all staff are familiar
with these new requirements. In the long run, this will avoid compliance
pitfalls and maintain safe, functional systems.
Others represent substantive departures from what practitioners have been working with. Here’s what you need to know.
Chapter 1: Administration and Clarifying the Inspector’s
Role
Evaluating whether a fire protection system is properly designed for the hazard it protects is outside the scope of an NFPA 25 service activity, and the 2026 edition makes that boundary clear. ITM service providers are not required to make that determination, and owners should not expect them to. That responsibility sits with the owner, who may need to engage a qualified design professional to fully evaluate the risk, particularly when occupancy, use, or storage conditions have changed. This boundary has been part of the standard for some time. The 2023 edition clarified that inspectors are not responsible for verifying the accuracy of the installation, and the 2026 edition builds on that by acknowledging that there are certain tasks within NFPA 25 that do require the inspector to verify elements of the design, such as water spray systems under Chapter 10, and the standard now accounts for those instances. The 2026 edition also clarifies that inspectors are not prohibited from communicating fire and life safety concerns to the owner when they observe something that raises a red flag, even if it falls outside their formal ITM scope. These communications should be made separately from the formal inspection report, and following up on any identified concern is the owner’s responsibility, not the ITM provider’s.
Chapter 4: General Requirements and Several High-Impact
Updates
Qualified Personnel. The 2026 edition makes a notable shift in how
personnel qualification requirements are handled. Previously, prescriptive
qualification criteria lived in the mandatory body of the standard, making them
enforceable requirements. In the 2026 edition, that language has been moved to
an annex, where it now serves as recommended guidance and illustrative examples
of what qualifications look like rather than a mandatory checklist. The
reasoning behind this shift is sound. Prescriptive personnel qualification requirements
are more appropriately established through local legislation than in a national
ITM standard. Different jurisdictions have different licensing regimes, and a
one-size-fits-all mandatory requirement in the standard can create conflicts
with state and local law. The practical takeaway is that local jurisdiction
requirements now carry more weight than ever on this issue. If your
jurisdiction has a licensing or certification requirement for ITM personnel,
that requirement governs, and you need to know what it is. The annex language
remains a useful benchmark for evaluating qualifications where local
requirements do not exist or are not specific enough to provide clear
direction.
Frozen systems are now formally impaired. Any water-based fire protection
system with ice in the piping between the water supply and discharge devices is
now classified as impaired, not merely deficient. That classification triggers
the full impairment response protocol, including notification obligations and
fire watch evaluation. Partially thawed and returned to service is not
acceptable.
Fire department notification is now explicit. The revised impairment
notification requirements now explicitly require local fire department
notification upon identification of an impairment, covering both preplanned and
emergency scenarios. Previously, fire department notification was more implied.
Practitioners should update their impairment procedures accordingly.
Impairment and deficiency correction now has recommended
timeframes. The
2026 edition establishes annex guidance in Section A.4.1.6.2 that critical
deficiencies should be corrected or repaired within 30 days, noncritical
deficiencies within 90 days, and impairments as soon as practical. This is
annex guidance rather than mandatory text, but it serves as a recognized
enforcement benchmark. Expect AHJs to use these timeframes in enforcement
conversations. For service providers, issue correction is no longer open-ended.
Document findings, communicate timeframes to owners in writing, and track
corrective actions through to closure.
Inactive systems must now be properly identified. Where all or part of a system is
abandoned in place, sprinklers, hose valves, hoses, and alarm devices must be
removed. Abandoned piping and valves must be uniquely identified to prevent
confusion with active system components, which is a critical safety
consideration for first responders and ITM personnel alike. NFPA
C Values in Dry and Preaction Systems. This change addresses a relatively technical but operationally important issue related to the maintenance of corrosion-mitigation systems used to justify elevated C values in dry-pipe and preaction systems. Under NFPA 13, certain corrosion mitigation technologies, including nitrogen generators, vapor corrosion inhibitors, and negative pressure systems, permit the use of a Hazen-Williams C value of 120 rather than the standard lower value of 100. That higher C value results in more favorable hydraulic calculations, allowing for smaller pipe sizes and less expensive systems, which is why many systems are designed around it. The C factor describes the relative roughness of the pipe interior and accounts for corrosion buildup over the system’s life. Corrosion byproduct buildup has been found to be worse in dry systems than in wet systems, which is why different C factors are prescribed. When corrosion mitigation technology is used to justify a higher value, that technology must be maintained throughout the system’s life, or the hydraulic advantage it provides disappears. The 2026 edition makes that obligation enforceable under NFPA 25. Corrosion mitigation systems must now be inspected, tested, and maintained in accordance with the standard and the manufacturer’s instructions. If the mitigation system fails to maintain the conditions that justify the elevated C value, the system must be hydraulically recalculated using a C value of 100 and modified as necessary. Systems designed around a C value of 120 may be hydraulically inadequate if the corrosion mitigation equipment is not properly maintained, and this change closes that gap.
Chapter 5: Sprinkler Systems and Major Changes with
Long-Term Implications
·
Dwelling
unit sprinklers installed 50 or more years ago must be addressed. This is
among the most consequential changes in the 2026 edition. Sprinklers in
dwelling units (a category that includes hotel rooms, dormitories, apartments,
condominiums, and nursing home sleeping rooms) that have been in service for 50
years or more must either be replaced with fast-response sprinklers or have
representative samples tested to verify that the Response Time Index does not
exceed 65 m·s½. The reason is straightforward: modern furnishings produce
significantly faster fires than those of 50 years ago. Standard-response
sprinklers installed in the 1970s may act too slowly under current fire
conditions. Owners and service providers managing residential high-rises,
hotels, and similar facilities should begin identifying the vintage of installed
sprinklers now.
·
Escutcheons
and cover plates are now a compliance item. The 2026 edition requires that
missing or damaged escutcheons and cover plates for recessed, flush, and
concealed sprinklers be replaced with listed components from the original
assembly. Escutcheons caulked or adhered to ceilings must also be replaced, as
they can physically prevent proper sprinkler deployment. If a listed escutcheon
is no longer commercially available, the entire sprinkler assembly must be
replaced. The reason this matters goes beyond the escutcheon itself, metallic
escutcheons are often the exception for allowing a sprinkler penetration
through fire-rated construction without having to firestop the opening. A
missing or damaged escutcheon may compromise the occupancy’s fire rating.
· Spare wrench and sprinkler cabinet requirements. The 2026 edition codifies two requirements that work together to improve system accountability at the sprinkler cabinet level. First, one manufacturer-specified wrench must now be maintained on the premises with the spare sprinklers for each sprinkler type installed. Previously, this was expected practice. Now it is enforceable, and AHJs have clear authority to cite its absence as a deficiency. The correct wrench matters for reasons beyond compliance. It protects the sprinkler from damage during installation or repair, and if a sprinkler inadvertently activates, using an improper wrench to reset it can cause damage that compromises a forensic examination of the event. Second, a more detailed sprinkler list must now be posted inside the cabinet, and it must contain: the SIN if equipped, manufacturer, model, K-factor, deflector type, thermal sensitivity, pressure rating, temperature rating, wrench model number, quantity installed, quantity stored in the cabinet, and the issue or revision date of the list. Knowing exactly what sprinklers are installed in a building is essential for responding to product recalls. A recall notice is only actionable if the owner and service provider can quickly determine whether the affected product is present and in what quantity. If sprinklers are replaced or restocked with a different model, the list must reflect it. For ITM practitioners, cabinet list verification should be added to every inspection checklist, with confirmation that the contents meet the requirements and that the revision date reflects the current system configuration.
Chapter 13: Common Components and Valves
·
Hose
valve inspections move from annual to quarterly. The 2026 edition resolves a
longstanding conflict between Chapter 6 and Chapter 13 on hose valve inspection
frequency. Chapter 6 required an annual inspection while Chapter 13 required
quarterly, leaving practitioners without a clear answer. The 2026 edition
removes the inspection criteria from Chapter 6 and establishes quarterly as the
governing frequency going forward. That increase reflects the reality that
damaged threads, missing caps, leaking valves, and obstructions can develop
well within a year. Quarterly inspections reduce that exposure and improve
system readiness. The edition also adds a new requirement that hose connection
caps not rated for pressure must have an opening of at least 1/8 inch in
diameter. This weep hole addresses a genuine safety concern. Hose valve caps
are typically not listed to hold pressure, so if a hose valve is leaking and
the cap has no opening, pressure can build behind the cap and create a
hazardous condition with the potential for serious injury. The weep hole mitigates
that risk by allowing pressure to bleed off rather than accumulate. It also
serves a secondary function during inspection: a cap with a weep hole makes it
immediately visible that the valve is not fully closed, preventing a false
assumption that the system is secure when it is not.
·
Preaction
and deluge valves require annual internal inspections. Historically, valves that could
be reset without removing a faceplate were permitted to have internal
inspections only every five years. The 2026 edition eliminates that allowance
entirely. Valve design no longer determines the applicable frequency, and the
five-year alternative is gone for all valve types. The rationale is
straightforward: a five-year interval left a window where internal
deterioration, including corrosion, debris, and component wear, could go
undetected long enough to affect performance. For service providers, if your
ITM programs or contracts relied on the five-year interval for resettable
valves, update them now. For AHJs, the annual requirement applies universally
with no exceptions remaining.
·
FDC
Piping Hydrostatic Testing. The
2026 edition expands the exemption from the five-year hydrostatic test for
short fire department connection piping runs, increasing the threshold from 4
feet to 10 feet. To qualify, the piping must be capable of being visually
inspected both internally and externally. Internal inspection can be
accomplished using a push-style video camera, which is readily available and
cost-effective for runs of this length, and this allowance does not replace
required external inspections. The change reflects a practical reality that
anyone who has attempted hydrostatic testing on short FDC piping runs will
recognize. The geometry of these runs does not lend itself to a reliable test,
making hydrostatic testing difficult to perform accurately and of limited value
at this scale. Visual inspection using accepted methods is consistent with
other pipe inspection practices already recognized by the standard and
represents a more operationally sound approach for piping within this range.
· Quarterly testing for solenoid supervisory signal devices. The 2026 edition adds a quarterly testing requirement for solenoid supervisory signal devices that monitor the coil position on electric actuators controlling preaction and deluge valves. The problem this addresses is straightforward and serious. Solenoid coils are frequently removed from solenoids in the field, and without the coil, the solenoid will never open. For preaction and deluge systems that rely on electric actuation, the solenoid is a required element of the actuation sequence. No coil means the valve will not open when a fire is present, regardless of whether every other system component performs exactly as designed. Supervising the coil provides assurance that the system will function as intended when called upon. Quarterly testing closes that gap and should be added to preaction and deluge system inspection routines. For AHJs, this provides a clear compliance anchor where none previously existed.
Industry Impact
The
changes would increase the frequency of inspections, tighten documentation
requirements, and clarify definitions, all of which will have direct impacts on
contractors, building owners and AHJs. The trend is unmistakable: More
accountability, better system reliability, and more standardized enforcement.
For
contractors, this means:
Increased
inspection and testing scope
Expanded
documentation requirements
More
coordination on repair timelines with AHJs
These changes provide owners and AHJs with more defined expectations, as well as higher-quality tools to ensure that systems are adhered to and function properly.
Commercial
Business Fire Safety (2026 Focus)
Regulatory
changes also affect commercial business occupancies, with revisions to NFPA 101
and ongoing Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforcement.
As industry leaders, CF affiliates always adapt to egress, alarms, suppression,
and documentation requirements. All the while, anticipating even stricter local
enforcement and digital reporting trends. The following key developments are
where affiliates should place their focus in the coming year:
·
NFPA
101 Life Safety Code (2027 update):
The code is undergoing revision, with the second draft available March 3, 2026,
and public debates at the NFPA convention in Las Vegas (June 22–24,
2026).
·
OSHA
29 CFR 1910: Employers
must maintain sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, and emergency
plans, with enforcement intensifying for annual servicing and thorough
documentation of system impairments.
·
Local jurisdictions: There’s an increasing focus
on annual inspections, strict maintenance of commercial cooking fire
suppression systems, and emergency lighting, with harsher penalties for
non-compliance and growing demands for digital reporting.
The developments described above underscore the importance of strong fire protection strategies, thorough documentation, and ongoing training for affiliates. Staying on top of these necessary updates ensures compliance and demonstrates your commitment to business safety.
Schools &
Educational Facilities
Educational facilities face
unique fire safety challenges just like any other. The NFPA 101
2024 Edition provides clear standards for new and existing
schools, with a focus on life safety, system integration, and preparedness.
Affiliates working with educational clients should make sure
that these requirements are understood and
implemented:
·
Monthly
fire drills: These
must take place during each school session.
·
Sprinkler
systems: These
must be integrated to activate the building’s fire alarm system.
·
Carbon
monoxide detectors: These
must be installed in rooms with fuel-burning appliances
and in adjacent spaces.
·
Automatic
sprinkler systems: These
are mandatory for most new educational occupancies over 1,000 square
feet.
·
Decorations
and combustibles: There
are strict limits on wall coverage—20% in non-sprinklered, 50% in sprinklered
buildings.
·
Evacuation
Plans: Schools
must maintain on-site approved fire safety and evacuation plans,
including impairment coordinators and designated fire wardens.
Keeping up with requirements helps schools maintain a safe learning environment and achieve compliance with minimal disruption. Combining this with regular communication, training, and documentation can set you up for success in terms of fire safety management.
Final
Thoughts
This
primer showcases just some of the changes coming with NFPA 25, 2026 Edition.
When jurisdictions adopt new editions of codes and standards, these changes
will have a direct impact on compliance requirements and operational practices.
Staying
informed is critical. Stakeholders being able to understand not just what has
changed, but why, will enable better implementation of compliant ITM programs
and avoidance of deficiencies that can ultimately help preserve reliable fire
protection systems. Other information, including the rationale for changes, can
be found via the NFPA code development process.
