Smoke alarms: what WA law requires
What the law requires before you sell, rent or hire
Under the Building Regulations 2012 (WA), an owner has to have compliant smoke alarms installed before a dwelling is sold, has its ownership transferred, or is rented or hired out. In practice that means alarms that are:
- Mains-powered — permanently connected to the power supply and in working order;
- Compliant with AS 3786 — the Australian Standard for smoke alarms;
- No more than 10 years old and not past the expiry date marked on the alarm; and
- Correctly located for the building — generally in the corridors or areas that serve the bedrooms, with the exact positions depending on the building's layout and class.
This applies to owners, sellers, landlords and anyone offering a place for hire. It's worth sorting out well before a sale settles or a new tenancy starts, rather than in the last week.
Mains-powered, or battery?
The default is mains-powered (hardwired) alarms. A battery alarm is only acceptable where there is genuinely no hidden space to run the wiring for a mains-powered alarm and no suitable alternative location — for example a concrete ceiling, or a flat roof with no ceiling cavity. In those cases the alarm must have a 10-year non-removable battery. If your home has normal roof or ceiling space, mains-powered alarms are what's required.
The 10-year rule
Smoke alarms don't last forever. Every alarm carries a manufacture or expiry date, and once it reaches 10 years it must be replaced — even if it still beeps when you press the test button. If you're not sure how old yours are, look for the date printed on the unit. A house full of alarms that are all a decade old is a common find at sale time.
Interconnection
Where more than one alarm is installed, they generally have to be interconnected — so if one detects smoke, every alarm in the home sounds. This gives everyone more time to get out, especially at night. Interconnection is not required for a dwelling built on an application for a building permit made before 1 May 2015, but it's still a sensible upgrade when alarms are being replaced.
Who is allowed to install them
Only a licensed electrical contractor can connect or disconnect mains-powered smoke alarms — it's electrical work. Swapping a sealed battery alarm is something a homeowner can do, but wiring in a mains-powered alarm is not. If you want to check the licence of whoever does the work, see our guide on how to check an electrician's licence in WA.
What owners and property managers should do
Before a sale or a new lease, have the alarms checked: confirm they're mains-powered where they should be, that none are over 10 years old, that they're in the right places, and that they're interconnected where required. Replace anything expired, and keep a record of what was done and when. For a rent roll, building this into the turnover between tenancies keeps every property covered without a last-minute scramble.
Compliance for property managersSmoke alarms and RCDs checked, replaced where needed and documented across a rent roll — scheduled between tenancies. Do I need RCDs in my WA property?The other core safety requirement for WA homes and rentals — what safety switches do and who needs them. Guide price for smoke alarm workGet a rough range for replacing or installing smoke alarms with our online guide price tool.Quick questions
Do I need smoke alarms to sell or rent a home in WA?
Yes. Under the Building Regulations 2012 (WA), a dwelling must have compliant, working smoke alarms fitted before it is sold, transferred, rented or hired. They generally need to be mains-powered, meet Australian Standard AS 3786, and be no more than 10 years old.
Can I use battery-powered smoke alarms instead?
Only in limited cases. A battery alarm with a 10-year non-removable battery is allowed where there is no hidden space to run the wiring for a mains-powered alarm and no suitable alternative location — for example a concrete ceiling or a flat roof with no ceiling space. Otherwise mains-powered alarms are required.
How often do smoke alarms need to be replaced?
Smoke alarms must be no more than 10 years old and not past their expiry date. Every alarm has a manufacture or expiry date marked on it. Once an alarm reaches 10 years it has to be replaced, even if it still beeps when tested.
Do smoke alarms have to be interconnected?
Where more than one alarm is installed they generally have to be interconnected, so that when one sounds they all sound. Interconnection is not required for a dwelling built on an application for a building permit made before 1 May 2015.