Florida · ERRCS / BDA requirements
ERRCS requirements in Florida
Florida law requires all new and existing buildings to meet the minimum radio signal strength for fire department communications set by the local fire marshal, except one- and two-family homes, townhouses, small buildings with no underground areas, low-rise apartments and lodging with exterior exits, and some wood-frame apartment buildings.
Guidance, not engineering advice. Rules on this page come from the documents listed under Sources. Confirm with your local fire marshal (the authority having jurisdiction) before you design, permit or test a system.
Local fire marshals in Florida
Each local AHJ sets its own signal levels and permit steps within the state rules.
| Jurisdiction | Type | Downlink signal | Confidence | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boca Raton | City | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | low | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Broward County | County | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | medium | Oct 25, 2026 |
| City of Miami | City | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | low | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Fort Lauderdale | City | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | medium | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Hillsborough County | County | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | low | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Hollywood | City | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | low | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Jacksonville | City | -95 dBm | medium | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Miami Beach | City | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | low | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Miami-Dade County | County | -95 dBm | high | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Orange County | County | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | high | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Orlando | City | -95 dBm | high | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Palm Beach County | County | -102 dBm | high | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Pinellas County | County | -102 dBm | high | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Pompano Beach | City | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | medium | Oct 25, 2026 |
| St. Petersburg | City | -102 dBm | medium | Oct 25, 2026 |
| Tampa | City | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | low | Oct 25, 2026 |
| West Palm Beach | City | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | low | Oct 25, 2026 |
Who must comply
| Rule | Effect | Citation | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| One- and two-family dwellings and townhouses do not have to meet the minimum radio signal strength requirement or have a signal strength assessment. | Not required | F.S. 633.202(18)(h)1 | The Florida Senate |
| Buildings with less than 12,000 total gross square feet and no underground areas are exempt. | Not required | F.S. 633.202(18)(h)2 | The Florida Senate |
| Apartments and transient public lodging establishments under three stories, with direct access from each unit or guest area to an exterior means of egress, are exempt. The statute says 'apartments'; condominium buildings are normally classed as apartment occupancies. Confirm with your fire marshal. | Not required | F.S. 633.202(18)(h)3 | The Florida Senate |
| Wood-frame apartment buildings 75 feet or less in height, with fewer than 150 dwelling units, where every unit discharges to the exterior or to a corridor leading directly to an exit, do not need a radio enhancement system. The owner shows wood-frame construction with building permit documents. The statute says 'apartments'; condominium buildings are normally classed as apartment occupancies. Confirm with your fire marshal. | Not required | F.S. 633.202(18)(a), (18)(h)4 | The Florida Senate |
| Except as the statute provides, all new and existing buildings must meet the minimum radio signal strength requirements for public safety agency communications in the Florida Fire Prevention Code. | Must meet | F.S. 633.202(18)(b) | The Florida Senate |
| If a building's interior does not meet the minimum signal strength, the local fire marshal may require a two-way radio communication enhancement system (BDA). | AHJ may require | F.S. 633.202(18)(c)1 | The Florida Senate |
| If the fire marshal finds public safety signal strength or delivered audio quality inadequate at the outside of the building, neither a system nor a signal assessment is required. | Note | F.S. 633.202(18)(e) | The Florida Senate |
| Under the Florida Fire Prevention Code, if existing coverage at the outside of the building does not reach delivered audio quality of 3.4 for analog or digital systems, a two-way radio communication enhancement system is not required. | Note | FFPC 8th edition, NFPA 1 11.10.2.1 | Florida Division of State Fire Marshal |
| Installing a new system or changing an existing one needs the express consent of the holder of the radio frequency license the system amplifies, kept in a recordable format. | Note | F.S. 633.202(18)(d) | The Florida Senate |
| A local fire marshal may not enforce requirements stricter than the Florida Fire Prevention Code and this statute for requiring, designing or installing a radio enhancement system. | Note | F.S. 633.202(18)(i) | The Florida Senate |
| If the fire marshal requires an existing building to retrofit its system after the statutory deadlines, the owner gets at least 1 year, counted from the notice of code violation. | Note | F.S. 633.202(18)(g) | The Florida Senate |
| If the local public safety radio system changes in a way that forces changes to existing systems, owners get at least 180 days' notice. | Note | F.S. 633.202(18)(f) | The Florida Senate |
| Federal rules require building owners operating a signal booster to have the frequency licensee's express consent, and Class B signal booster installations must be registered in the FCC signal booster database. | Note | 47 CFR 90.219(b)(1)(i), (d)(5) | Federal Communications Commission (eCFR) |
| Trigger | Published value |
|---|---|
| Minimum building size | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Minimum stories | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Height trigger | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Below-grade areas | True |
| Building types named | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Existing buildings must retrofit | Yes |
| Compliance deadline | January 1, 2025 |
Florida has no single square-footage trigger. A building under 12,000 total gross square feet is exempt only if it has no underground areas (F.S. 633.202(18)(h)2). The statute does not define high-rise; it uses the Florida Building Code definition, which this page does not restate. Under the fire code, the local fire marshal sets the minimum signal strength based on existing coverage of its radio system measured at the outside of the building (FFPC 8th edition, NFPA 1 11.10.2).
Deadlines
| Date | What is due | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apply for a permit and show the building will comply by January 1, 2025 | Existing high-rise buildings, including high-rise apartment buildings, not yet in compliance | F.S. 633.202(18)(a) | |
| Meet the minimum radio signal strength requirement | Existing high-rise buildings, including high-rise apartment buildings | F.S. 633.202(18)(a) | |
| Proposed: 9th edition Florida Fire Prevention Code takes effect, with in-building radio rules pointing to NFPA 1225 | All buildings permitted or inspected under the new edition (proposed rule, not yet final) | Notice of Proposed Rule 69A-60.003 |
Signal and coverage
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Minimum downlink signal | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Minimum uplink signal | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Delivered audio quality (DAQ) | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Coverage, general areas | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Coverage, critical areas | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Critical areas named | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Public safety radio bands | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
Florida law leaves the minimum radio signal strength to the local fire marshal (F.S. 633.202(18)(a)). The fire code adds that the level is based on the existing coverage of the local public safety radio system measured at the outside of the building (NFPA 1 11.10.2, Florida 8th edition). Look up your county or city page for its published levels.
Testing
| Test | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance test | Not set in F.S. 633.202(18) or the Florida amendments to NFPA 1. Acceptance testing is set by the adopted NFPA standards and your local fire marshal; see your county or city page and confirm with the fire marshal. | None found |
| Annual test | Not published in F.S. 633.202(18); confirm with the fire marshal. | None found |
| Five-year test | Not published in F.S. 633.202(18); confirm with the fire marshal. | None found |
| Coverage assessment interval | The fire marshal may require an interior coverage assessment no more than once every 3 years for an existing high-rise or an existing building over 12,000 total gross square feet, and once every 5 years for other existing buildings. More frequent checks are allowed after a Level III alteration, reconstruction, a reported radio failure inside the building, or an imminent life safety threat. | F.S. 633.202(18)(c)2 |
Permit and inspection process
- Existing high-rise buildings not in compliance had to apply for the appropriate permit with the local government agency having jurisdiction by January 1, 2024. (18)(a)
- Get the express consent of the frequency license holder before installing or changing a system, and keep it where an FCC representative can see it. (18)(d)
Permit names, fees, plan review and test scheduling are set locally. Use your county or city page.
Codes and standards referenced
| Code or standard | Edition | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Fire Prevention Code: NFPA 1, Florida 2021 edition (8th edition FFPC), section 11.10.2 | 8th edition, effective December 31, 2023 | s3 |
| Proposed 9th edition FFPC: NFPA 1, Florida 2024 edition, section 11.10.2 requires an enhancement system where signal cannot be maintained in accordance with NFPA 1225 | Proposed effective date December 31, 2026 (not yet in force) | s4 |
| NFPA 1225, Standard for Emergency Services Communications (proposed reference in the 9th edition) | 2022 | s5 |
| 47 CFR 90.219 (FCC signal booster rules: licensee consent, Class B registration) | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal | s6 |
Notes
This page covers state law and the statewide fire code. Signal levels, permit steps and test forms differ by county and city. The proposed 9th edition (NFPA 1, Florida 2024 edition) moves the in-building radio reference to NFPA 1225 (2022); the State Fire Marshal's proposed effective date is December 31, 2026. We will update this page when the rule is final.
Questions people ask
Does Florida set one square-footage threshold for ERRCS?
No. The statute exempts buildings under 12,000 total gross square feet only when they have no underground areas (F.S. 633.202(18)(h)2). Everything not exempted must meet the minimum signal strength the local fire marshal sets.
Can my city or county demand more than state law?
Not for whether a system is required or how it is designed or installed. F.S. 633.202(18)(i) bars local fire marshals from enforcing stricter requirements than the Florida Fire Prevention Code and the statute.
How often can the fire marshal make us re-test coverage?
For an existing high-rise or an existing building over 12,000 total gross square feet, no more than once every 3 years; for other existing buildings, once every 5 years, unless one of the exceptions in F.S. 633.202(18)(c)2 applies.
We were cited. How long do we have?
If the citation requires a retrofit after the statutory dates, the owner gets at least 1 year from the notice of code violation (F.S. 633.202(18)(g)). Read the citation itself for your exact deadline.
Which edition of the Florida Fire Prevention Code applies now?
The 8th edition, based on NFPA 1 and NFPA 101 (Florida 2021 editions), effective December 31, 2023 (Rule 69A-60.003, F.A.C.). The State Fire Marshal has proposed a 9th edition, based on the 2024 editions, with a proposed effective date of December 31, 2026.
What is NFPA 1225 and does it apply in Florida?
NFPA 1225 (2022) is the NFPA standard that absorbed NFPA 1221's in-building radio rules. Florida's proposed 9th edition fire code requires an enhancement system where signal cannot be maintained in accordance with NFPA 1225. Until that edition takes effect, ask your fire marshal which standard it enforces.
Do we need permission from the radio system owner before installing a BDA?
Yes. State law requires the express consent of the frequency license holder for any new or modified system (F.S. 633.202(18)(d)), and FCC rules require Class B boosters to be registered (47 CFR 90.219).
Sources
Primary documents we read for this page. Rules change; confirm with your fire marshal (AHJ).
- Florida Statutes 2026, section 633.202, subsection (18), The Florida Senate
- Florida Fire Prevention Code, 8th edition: Florida amendments to NFPA 1 (2021 edition), sections 11.10.2 and 11.10.2.1, Florida Division of State Fire Marshal
- Rule 69A-60.003, F.A.C.: NFPA 1, the Fire Code, Florida 2021 edition, adopted (effective 12/31/2023), Florida Department of State, Florida Administrative Code
- Florida Fire Prevention Code, 9th edition: draft Florida amendments to NFPA 1 (2024 edition), June 15, 2026, Florida Division of State Fire Marshal
- Notice of Proposed Rule, Rules 69A-60.002 to 69A-60.007 (9th edition Florida Fire Prevention Code), Florida Division of State Fire Marshal
- 47 CFR 90.219, Use of signal boosters, Federal Communications Commission (eCFR)