North Carolina SB 1049: Licensing Certain Fire Systems.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 1049

Short Title: Licensing Certain Fire Systems. (Public)
Sponsors: Senator Johnson (Primary Sponsor).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
May 4, 2026
*S1049-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO REQUIRE LICENSING AND PERMITTING FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FIRMS 2
THAT INSTALL AND SERVICE PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND FIRE 3
SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS, TO REQUIRE DIGITAL REPORTING OF INSPECTIONS, 4
TESTING, AND MAINTENANCE OF PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND FIRE 5
SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS, AND TO REQUIRE DIGITAL TAGGING OF FIRE 6
SPRINKLERS AND FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS. 7
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 8
SECTION 1. Chapter 58 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new Article 9
to read: 10
"Article 82C. 11
"Licensing and Permitting for the Installation and Servicing of Portable Fire Extinguishers and 12
Fire Suppression Systems and Digital Reporting and Tagging. 13
"§ 58-82C-1. Definitions. 14
The following definitions apply in this Article: 15
(1) Digital reporting system. – An electronic platform that captures inspection, 16
testing, or maintenance data; uses geo-fencing or other location-verification 17
technology to verify the inspection location; links the inspection, testing, or 18
maintenance to the specific portable fire extinguisher or fire suppression 19
system reported under G.S. 58-82C-15(a) or the specific fire sprinkler or fire 20
alarm system tagged under G.S. 58-82C-15(c); and enables transmission of 21
inspection reports to the local authority having jurisdiction and the Office of 22
the State Fire Marshal. 23
(2) Engineered special hazard fire suppression system. – A fire suppression 24
system having pipe lengths, number of fittings, number and types of nozzles, 25
suppression agent flow rates, and nozzle pressures calculated based on 26
appropriate standards of the National Fire Protection Association. An 27
engineered fire suppression system may include other components, including, 28
but not limited to, detection devices, alarm devices, and control devices as 29
tested and approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, where the 30
component's manufacturer determines the component is compatible with the 31
fire suppression system. 32
(3) Fire suppression system. – Any firefighting system employing a suppression 33
agent with the purpose of controlling, suppressing, or extinguishing a fire in a 34
specific hazard, including pre-engineered kitchen fire suppression systems, 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 1049-First Edition
pre-engineered industrial fire suppression systems, and engineered special 1
hazard fire suppression systems. 2
(4) Fire alarm system. – A system or portion of a combination system that consists 3
of components and circuits arranged to monitor and annunciate the status of 4
fire alarm or supervisory signal-initiating devices and to initiate the 5
appropriate response to those signals. 6
(5) Fire sprinkler. – An automatic or manual sprinkler system designed to protect 7
the interior or exterior of a building or structure from fire, and where the 8
primary extinguishing agent is water. These systems include wet pipe and dry 9
pipe systems, preaction systems, water spray systems, foam water sprinkler 10
systems, foam water spray systems, nonfreeze systems, and circulating 11
closed-loop systems. These systems also include the overhead piping, 12
combination standpipes, inside hose connections, thermal systems used in 13
connection with the sprinklers, tanks, and pumps connected to the sprinklers, 14
and controlling valves and devices for actuating an alarm when the system is 15
in operation. This subdivision does not include water and standpipe systems 16
having no connection with a fire sprinkler system. 17
(6) Firm. – Any business, person, partnership, organization, association, 18
corporation, contractor, subcontractor, or individual. 19
(7) Geo-fencing. – A location-based technology that establishes a virtual 20
boundary around a specific geographic area, such as a building or inspection 21
site. 22
(8) Industrial fire suppression system. – A pre-engineered automatic fire 23
extinguishing system provided for the protection of property or equipment as 24
described by the manufacturer other than those systems covered under the 25
definition of kitchen fire suppression system. 26
(9) Inspection report. – A record of inspection, testing, or maintenance activities 27
performed on a portable fire extinguisher, fire suppression system, fire 28
sprinkler, or fire alarm system in accordance with the North Carolina Fire 29
Prevention Code, applicable provisions of the National Fire Protection 30
Association standards, manufacturer requirements, and this Article. 31
(10) Kitchen fire suppression system. – An automatic fire extinguishing system 32
provided for the protection of grease removal devices, hoods, duct systems, 33
and cooking equipment. This ter