"I’ve already got smoke alarms — doesn’t that mean my house is compliant?"
It’s the question we hear most, and it’s a fair one. The honest answer is: maybe, but not automatically. A smoke alarm that chirps when you press the button is doing part of its job — but Queensland’s smoke alarm laws look at more than that. The type of alarm, its age, where it’s installed, how it’s powered and whether every alarm is interconnected all matter.
From 1 January 2027, all remaining owner-occupied homes in Queensland must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms. That’s now close enough to be worth sorting out before the rush. Here are the four questions worth answering about your own home.
1. Does the deadline apply to my home?
Queensland’s smoke alarm laws have been phased in over several stages:
- 1 January 2017 — new builds and homes undergoing substantial renovation
- 1 January 2022 — homes being sold or leased, including new or renewed tenancies
- 1 January 2027 — all remaining domestic dwellings, including owner-occupied homes
If you’re selling a property or renting one out, the important point is that your obligations are already in force — they have been since 2022. The 2027 date is not an extension for you; it’s the final deadline for owner-occupiers who haven’t sold or leased in the meantime. So if you plan to sell, lease or renew a tenancy before 2027, your home needs to comply now.
2. Are my existing alarms enough?
To meet the standard, your alarms need to be:
- Photoelectric and compliant with Australian Standard AS 3786:2014. Older ionisation alarms don’t meet the requirement.
- Interconnected, so that when one alarm senses smoke they all sound together. A single alarm going off at the far end of the house isn’t much help while you’re asleep.
- Correctly located — in each bedroom, in hallways connecting bedrooms to the rest of the home, and on every storey. Where a storey has no bedroom, an alarm is still required on the most likely path out.
- Less than 10 years old and working when tested. Every smoke alarm has a use-by date, usually printed on the alarm itself, and must be replaced once it passes 10 years.
It’s common for a home to have a few working alarms that still fall short on type, coverage or interconnection. That’s normal — it’s exactly what an assessment sorts out.
3. Does every alarm need new wiring?
Not necessarily — and this is where a lot of confusion creeps in.
Compliant alarms can be either 240-volt hardwired alarms (installed by a licensed electrician, with a backup battery) or non-removable 10-year lithium battery alarms. The interconnection between them can be done by wiring or wirelessly.
The key point the Queensland Fire Department makes is that wireless interconnection and battery power are not the same thing. Wireless describes how the alarms talk to each other; hardwired versus battery describes how each alarm is powered. You can have wirelessly interconnected alarms that are still hardwired for power.
Two practical rules follow from that:
- If your home already has hardwired (240-volt) alarms, they must be replaced with hardwired alarms — you can’t downgrade to battery-only.
- Where there’s no existing hardwiring, non-removable 10-year battery alarms are generally permitted, and wireless interconnection often avoids running new cabling through finished walls and ceilings.
Which path suits your home depends on what’s already installed, so it’s worth confirming rather than assuming.
4. What do we need to give you an accurate quote?
You don’t need to touch or dismantle anything — please don’t pull hardwired alarms off the ceiling. To put together a written quote, it helps if you can tell us:
- Your suburb
- The number of bedrooms
- The number of storeys
- What alarms are currently installed — type, and roughly how old, if you know
- Any clear photos you can take safely from the floor
That’s usually enough for us to work out what’s compliant, what needs upgrading and what it will cost.
Not sure whether your smoke alarms are ready for 2027?
Contact I.C.M with your suburb, the number of bedrooms and storeys, and what alarms are currently installed. We’ll help identify what needs checking and provide a written quote for any required upgrade. Call 0407 705 917.
You can also read more on our Smoke Alarm Compliance page.
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