Office of State Fire Marshal, Fire Sprinkler Technical Policy

Part 1: Licensing

1. The fee for the certification of a "Responsible Managing Supervisor" is $300 and is valid for up to two years. All the RMS licenses will expire on the second June 30th (at midnight) from the time of the issuing of the license. The renewal is valid for two years. When more than 3 RMS are employed by a company, the fee is $225.00 per RMS for that company.

2. The fee for the license of a "Fire Sprinkler System Contractor" is $300 and is valid for up to two years. The Fire Sprinkler System Contractor license will expire on the second June 30th (at midnight) from the time of the issuing of the license. The renewal is valid for two years.

3. The fee for the license of a Fire Sprinkler Inspection Technician is $100 and is valid for up to two years. When a company employs more than 3 inspectors, the fee is $75.00 per inspector for that company. For company discounts to apply, the fee must be paid by the company, or there must be a written statement that the company reimburses the employee. The Fire Sprinkler Inspection Technician'slicense will expire on the second June 30th (at midnight) from the time of the issuing of the license. Each renewal of the license is valid for two years.

4. To obtain an Inspection Technician license one must in addition to the fee provide proof of qualification, such as a minimum of a N.I.C.E.T. Level II in Inspections or a N.I.C.E.T. Level II in Fire Sprinkler Plan Layout, or other nationally recognized standard achieved in the area of fire sprinkler inspection, such as passing of an inspector's training course by A.F.S.A. or N.F.S.A. or N.F.P.A., or a Professional Engineer License. Other training may be accepted by the Office of State Fire Marshal.

5. Renewals: All licenses, certificates and registrations shall be renewed on or before July 1st of the appropriate year of expiration. A $100 late fee will apply to renewing a license that has already expired.

6. In plant industry maintenance, personnel shall not need to be registered as Inspection Technicians.

7. Licensed Inspectors are to inspect fire sprinkler systems of public buildings a minimum of annually. Inspection reports of non-compliance, where the owner is not scheduling correction, are to be submitted to the Office of State Fire Marshal in accordance with N.F.P.A. 25. All inspection reports are to include the Inspection Technician's license number. All other inspection reports are to be made available to the Office of State Fire Marshal upon request.

8. Certified Responsible Managing Supervisors are not required to register as Inspection Technicians in order to perform the duties of an Inspector, but they must apply if they want an Inspection Technician license number.

9. A Responsible Managing Supervisor does not have to pay for a Contractor’s license if the Contractor’s license name is the same as the name of the Responsible Managing Supervisor, (as opposed to a company or business name).

Part 2: Design Requirements

1. A cushion of 5 p.s.i. is required on sprinkler hydraulic calculations. This cushion may be waived in whole or in part by the Office of State Fire Marshal in unusual circumstances, such as in determining whether or not a fire pump will be required. This cushion is not required for fire sprinkler systems that are installed according to the NFPA 13D standard.

2. Hydrant flow tests for sprinkler system design shall be not greater than 5 years old. The authority having jurisdiction may require a current test when deemed necessary. Until current water data is available, an extra 1 p.s.i. of cushion, (above the 5 p.s.i minimum cushion), is required for every year that the test data is greater than 5 years old. [For example, water data that is 9 years old will require a 9 p.s.i. safety margin]. Exceptions may be granted by the Office of State Fire Marshal.

3. A maximum 65 p.s.i. automatic will be required on all automatic wet standpipes in accordance with National Fire Protection Standard # 14.

4. Standpipes not required by NFPA 101 may be manual dry or manual wet subject to approval by the local fire department.

5. Building Officials and Code Administrators International, Inc. or local ordinance required systems will have to be approved by the Office of State Fire Marshal and, will meet one or more of the fire sprinkler system standards that have been adopted by the Office of State Fire Marshal.

6. Prior to construction of any new fire sprinkler system over 6 heads for any isolated hazardous area, or addition to an existing fire sprinkler system of more than 20 heads, a fire sprinkler permit shall be required in accordance with 32 M.S.R.A. sub-section 1371-1382. [Relocated heads count toward the 20 heads].

7. Non-combustible/limited-combustible spaces having 15 or more combustible electrical cables grouped together such as in cable trays, shall be fully sprinklered in the area of the cables in NFPA 13 fire sprinkler systems. Plenum-rated and riser-rated telecommunication cables however are considered to be limited combustible/fire resistive according to standards established by NFPA 70 and therefore do not trigger this fire sprinkler requirement.

8. All industrial hose stations shall be required to be reduced to 100 p.s.i..

9. Fire pumps and standpipes shall be considered part of the sprinkler system and subject to review and permitting.

10. All dry pipe systems shall have a low-air alarm in addition to a low-air switch for the compressor.

11. Operating freezers shall not require fire sprinkler protection if they are not used or intended to be used with fork lifts and the storage does not exceed 8’ in height, and the door(s) are all self-closing, positive-latching and the rooms do not exceed 800 square feet and there is approval by the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

12. Exterior canopies shall not require fire sprinkler coverage if they are less than 4’ wide and are constructed of non-combustible/ limited-combustible material, regardless of the use beneath them.

13. Canopies that meet an exception in the currently-adopted edition of NFPA 13 for not requiring fire sprinkler protection beneath them shall not require fire sprinkler protection within them, (even if the interior construction contains combustible material), with approval by the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

14. Fire sprinkler heads in elevator shafts shall have a shut-off outside of the shaft, arranged in such a way so that servicing of the head in the shaft will have a minimum amount of water to drain in the shaft.

15.Fire sprinkler heads in elevator machine rooms shall have a shut-off outside of the machine room, arranged in such a way so that servicing of the head in the machine room will have a minimum amount of water to drain into the room.

16.The shut-off for the elevator shaft head and the elevator machine room can be the same control valve, but if there is a head at the top of the shaft and one in the elevator pit, then they shall have separate shut-offs.

17. [Reserved]

18. Hose connections on stages are to be on the audience side of the proscenium curtain.

19. The type and location of the fire department connection and of the standpipe connection are subject to the local fire department.

20. [Reserved]

21. The Maine Life Safety standard shall not require fire sprinkler coverage of bathrooms that are less than 55 sq ft in area.

22. Hydro-Pro standard shall not require fire sprinkler coverage of freezers or of elevator shafts or any exceptions mentioned in NFPA 13R, that are not specifically mentioned in the Hydro-Pro standard.

23. Bladder tanks shall not be required for Hydro-Pro systems.

24. Fire sprinkler heads shall be used within their listings in both the Maine Life Safety and the Hydro-Pro standards. Special exceptions may be granted by the Office of State Fire Marshal.

25. Low-water alarms or automatic fills are required for stored water sources in both the Maine Life Safety and the Hydro-Pro standards.

26. Pump power monitoring is required in both the Maine Life Safety and the Hydro-Pro standards.

27. Fire pumps used in the Maine Life Safety standard and the Hydro-Pro standards are not required to be listed for fire service.

28. The required water volumes for the Maine Life Safety and the Hydro-Pro standards may be altered depending upon the occupancy type, occupant load, construction type, building height and other related factors. Prior approval must be granted by the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

[Last updated 12-27-07]

This Technical Policy also establishes Sprinkler Procedures and Fees for Certification, Licensing, and Registration.

Bureau Information

Office of State Fire Marshal, Fire Sprinkler Technical Policy