Florida · city · ERRCS / BDA requirements
ERRCS and BDA requirements in West Palm Beach, Florida
The West Palm Beach Fire Department is the fire AHJ in the city, separate from Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. We found no BDA signal levels, test forms or permit guide published by the city, so the state rules are the published baseline.
Guidance, not engineering advice. Rules on this page come from the documents listed under Sources. Confirm with West Palm Beach Fire Department, Fire Prevention Bureau before you design, permit or test a system.
Who must comply
State rules apply here too. See Florida statewide rules.
| 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 | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Building types named | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Existing buildings must retrofit | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Compliance deadline | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
Palm Beach County's local amendments apply in PBCFR's service area and in cities that adopted them by interlocal agreement. Ask the city whether it uses the county's -102 dBm level or its own.
Signal and coverage
Not published by the city.
| 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 |
Not published by the city.
Testing
| Test | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance test | Not published in the local documents we found; confirm with the fire marshal. | None found |
| Annual test | Not published in the local documents we found; confirm with the fire marshal. | None found |
| Five-year test | Not published in the local documents we found; confirm with the fire marshal. | None found |
| Coverage assessment interval | Set by state law: 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, with exceptions for major alterations, reported radio failures and imminent threats. | F.S. 633.202(18)(c)2 |
Permit and inspection process
- Call the Fire Prevention Bureau through the city line, (561) 822-2222, and ask how it tests buildings and reviews BDA plans. Fire Prevention Bureau page
Codes and standards referenced
| Code or standard | Edition | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Fire Prevention Code (NFPA 1 and NFPA 101, Florida editions), in force statewide | 8th edition (NFPA 1, Florida 2021 edition), effective December 31, 2023 | rule |
Notes
We will add the city's own rules when it publishes them.
Questions people ask
Do Palm Beach County Fire Rescue's BDA rules apply in West Palm Beach?
Not automatically. The county amendments apply in PBCFR's service area and in cities that adopted them; West Palm Beach has its own fire department. Ask its Fire Prevention Bureau.
Does West Palm Beach publish its own BDA requirements?
Not that we could find on the city website as of our last check.
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
- Fire Prevention Bureau, City of West Palm Beach Fire Department
- Palm Beach County Local Amendments to the Florida Fire Prevention Code (effective December 31, 2023), section 11.10, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue