Legislation – Western Australia

WA Smoke Alarm Legislation Simplified Guide

Smoke alarms must comply with the Australian Standard AS3786. Any installed from 1 May 2017 must comply with AS3786:2014 which is the latest standard.
Smoke alarms must be hard-wired to the mains power supply on all residential buildings prior to the transfer of ownership, and prior to renting.
e.g. the lower level has no bedrooms so a smoke alarm should be located between the front door and the stairwell
There are two exclusions to allow the use of battery powered smoke alarms, and these smoke alarms must be powered by a 10-year non-removable battery.
- If there is no mains power connected.
- If there is no hidden space to run wiring for the smoke alarm, e.g. a concrete ceiling.
All homes approved for construction from 1 May 2015 require all smoke alarms to be interconnected to each other.
Any faulty smoke alarms or any smoke alarms which have reached their expiry date must be replaced. Smoke alarms expire 10 years from manufacture.
Smoke alarms must be located between each bedroom area and the rest of the house (in the hallway if there is one), and one in each storey of the property that doesn’t contain a bedroom along the path of travel people would most likely take to evacuate the building.