Guide
ERRCS for condo boards and associations
If your association's building is tall, large or has a garage below grade, firefighter radio coverage is probably on your agenda. This guide is for board members and managers who have to decide, budget and keep records.
Start with three facts
Before the board discusses money, get these on paper:
- Your jurisdiction's rule. Look up your state and city page. In Florida, existing high-rises had to apply for a permit by January 1, 2024 and comply by January 1, 2025 (F.S. 633.202(18)(a)).
- Whether the building is exempt. Florida, for example, exempts low-rise apartments under three stories with exterior access, buildings under 12,000 sq ft with no underground areas, and some wood-frame apartment buildings (F.S. 633.202(18)(h)). The checker applies each published exemption. The statute says "apartments"; condominium buildings are normally classed as apartment occupancies, so the checker applies those exemptions to condos. Confirm with your fire marshal.
- What the signal is today. A coverage test tells you whether you need a system at all, and where. Ask for a written report with a floor-by-floor grid.
The board's checklist
| Step | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Name one person (manager or board member) as the ERRCS contact | Fire departments, installers and the radio licensee will all need one point of contact |
| 2 | Collect any fire marshal letters, past test reports and permits | Deadlines and required scope are usually in these documents |
| 3 | Get a signal test or survey | Shows whether a system is needed, and its size |
| 4 | Ask your fire department for its technical criteria | The fire code official keeps a document with frequencies and design requirements (IFC 2021 510.4.2.2) |
| 5 | Get written bids on the same scope | See the cost breakdown in BDA system cost |
| 6 | Confirm the installer's credentials | FCC general radio operator license and in-building system training at minimum (IFC 2021 510.5.3) |
| 7 | Make sure the radio licensee's consent is obtained and kept | Required before a non-licensee operates a booster (47 CFR 90.219(b)(1)(i); F.S. 633.202(18)(d) in Florida) |
| 8 | Pull the permit, install, and pass the acceptance test | IFC 2021 510.3 and 510.5.4 |
| 9 | Put annual testing on the calendar and in the budget | Required every year and after structural changes (IFC 2021 510.6.1) |
What it may cost
There is no public price list. The one reported figure we could verify comes from Fort Lauderdale high-rise coverage, where the story reported that systems "can cost $250,000 or more", and a retired fire chief quoted in it noted that for a 250-unit condo that is $1,000 per unit owner, and $10,000 each for 25 owners (Sun Sentinel via Firehouse, November 2025). Your building may be far below or above that. Read ERRCS cost for owners for what drives the number.
Records the association should keep
- The acceptance test report and the amplifier gain values. The model code says if those records are lost, the owner must rerun the acceptance test (IFC 2021 510.5.4 item 6).
- Every annual test report. San Diego, for example, requires the acceptance report, the annual report from the last 12 months and the city's Authorization to Operate to be available for inspection (SDFD ERRCS guideline, Appendix C).
- The radio licensee's written consent (47 CFR 90.219(b)(1)(i)).
- Permits, as-built drawings and the service contract.
Getting bids through ERRCSCheck
If you want competing bids, request up to 3 quotes. The form says it plainly: your request is shared with up to 3 vetted installers who serve your area. We send no texts and make no cold calls. Owners never pay us; installers do.
This is guidance, not legal or engineering advice. Confirm with your fire marshal (AHJ) and your association's attorney.
Questions people ask
Is the association or each unit owner responsible for ERRCS?
The fire code puts the obligation on the building owner (IFC 2021 510.5.4 and 510.6.1). How a condominium divides that cost between the association and unit owners depends on your declaration and state condo law, which this site does not cover. Ask your association's attorney.
We are a Florida high-rise condo and missed the 2025 date. What now?
If the fire marshal cites the building and requires a retrofit after the statutory dates, the statute gives the owner at least 1 year from the notice of code violation to finish (F.S. 633.202(18)(g)). Read the notice for your exact deadline and what to do next.
How many bids should we get?
Your declaration, bylaws or state law may set bidding rules; this site does not cover them. Practically, comparable written bids on the same scope make it easier to judge price. Our quote request sends your request to up to 3 vetted installers who serve your area.
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
- International Fire Code 2021, Section 510 (text as published by the City of Eaton), City of Eaton, reproducing the ICC International Fire Code
- Fort Lauderdale cites 69 high-rises with weak radio signals (South Florida Sun Sentinel, republished by Firehouse, November 7, 2025), Firehouse
- 47 CFR 90.219, Use of signal boosters, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- San Diego Fire-Rescue ERRCS guideline (9/22/23), City of San Diego
Related
You got a fire marshal notice about radio coverage. Now what?
A step-by-step plan for owners and managers after an ERRCS or BDA notice of violation: read the deadline, test, hire qualified help, get consent and permits.
What ERRCS compliance costs an owner over time
The full cost of ERRCS compliance for a building owner, from the first signal test through installation, annual testing, repairs and frequency changes, with sources.
ERRCS testing and annual inspection for owners
What owners must do to keep an ERRCS compliant every year: when tests are due, where reports go, deadlines by city, records and failed tests.
Request quotes for an ERRCS or BDA system
Tell us about your building and we will share your request with up to 3 vetted installers who serve your area. Free for owners. No texts, no cold calls.