• Codes
  • Features

    Features Overview

    Go to features
    Reference

    Reference.

    A reliable and up-to-date source of codes.
    Research

    Research.

    Rapidly and efficiently calculate project parameters.
    Collaboration

    Collaboration.

    Get everyone on the same page and streamline code research.
    Workflows
    Architects General Contractor Building Official & Plans Examiner Inspectors Owner Subcontractors Code Consultants
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • Sign Up
Sign Up
Login
  • Code Library
  • Features
  • Pricing
  • About
  • Careers
  • Help
  • Contact
  • Terms
  • Privacy
Sign Up
Upgrade to Premium
Code calculators: Code Calculators automatically generates a detailed list of requirements.
REFERENCE
Amendment Styling
Industry-leading search
Suggested code sections
Code diagrams
RESEARCH
Code calculators
Filter by topic
Code compare
Code sheet exports
COLLABORATION
Team projects
Bookmarks
Comments
START 2 WEEK FREE TRIAL
Have an account? Sign in
// CODE SNIPPET

§27-954 Required Sprinklers

NYC 1968 Code (Vol I) > 17 Fire Alarm, Detection and Extinguishing Equipment > 4 Automatic Sprinkler Requirements > §27-954 Required Sprinklers
JUMP TO FULL CODE CHAPTER
tppn
Linked Resources Available

This section has been clarified by a tppn issued by the Department of Buildings.

Learn more in the Linked Resources panel on the right.
A system of automatic sprinklers shall be provided in the areas listed in this section and as required in subchapters four through eight of this chapter. A summary of sprinkler requirements is given in table 17-2.
  1. Buildings classified in high hazard occupancy group A.
  2. Spaces classified in high hazard occupancy group A.
  3. Buildings classified in storage occupancy group B-1 exceeding one thousand square feet in floor area, or seventy-five feet or more in height, except as modified under subdivisions a, b and c of section 27-455 of article ten of subchapter seven of this code.
  4. Spaces classified in storage occupancy group B-1 exceeding five hundred square feet in floor area, except as modified under subdivisions a, b and c of section 27-455 of article ten of subchapter seven of this code.
    1. Such storage spaces less than five hundred square feet in area shall install a system of automatic sprinklers, when required by the commissioner or the fire commissioner.
  5. Buildings and spaces classified in storage occupancy group B-2 exceeding five thousand square feet in floor area, or seventy-five feet or more in height, except as modified under subdivisions a, b and c of section 27-455 of article ten of subchapter seven of this code.
  6. Spaces in high rise buildings classified in mercantile occupancy group C, spaces classified in mercantile occupancy group C exceeding seventy-five hundred square feet in floor area or with an unenclosed stair or escalator between any two or more floors.
  7. Buildings classified in industrial occupancy group D when required by section two hundred eighty of the labor law or when seventy-five feet or more in height.
  8. Spaces classified in industrial occupancy group D-1 exceeding seventy-five hundred square feet, in floor area excluding heliports.
  9. Buildings classified in occupancy group E, one hundred feet or more in height having air-conditioning and/or mechanical ventilation systems that serve more than the floor in which the equipment is located, and on or before January eighteenth, nineteen hundred seventy-six, in existing office buildings one hundred feet or more in height having such systems, showroom spaces exceeding seventy-five hundred square feet in area located more than forty feet above curb level. The sprinkler system may be connected to the domestic water supply and/or the standpipe risers. Where connected to a standpipe riser, provision shall be made to prevent excessive pressure on the sprinkler heads. If such work is not completed on or before July eighteenth, nineteen hundred seventy-four, the owner shall submit a statement to the commissioner, with a copy to the fire commissioner, setting forth a plan and time schedule for the performance of the work and completion within the prescribed time. Such plan and schedule shall be subject to the approval of the commissioner. Failure to comply with the provisions of this subdivision, or to perform the work in accordance with the time schedule, as approved by the commissioner, shall constitute a violation.
  10. Dressing rooms and property rooms used in conjunction with all places of assembly, except for F-1B places of assembly not providing live entertainment.
  11. Corridors and exit passageways of buildings classified in institutional occupancy group H where the building or building section is not otherwise required to be fully sprinklered as provided in subchapter four. Patient rooms in H-2 occupancies shall be protected with smoke detectors complying with provisions of section 27-955 of this article when not required to be sprinklered by the provisions of subchapters four through seven.
  12. Regardless of occupancy group classification, any story above grade that cannot be ventilated by at least twenty square feet of free openable area and the first story below grade when it cannot be ventilated by at least thirty-five square feet of openable area per ten thousand cubic feet of volume. Such ventilation shall be provided by operable windows or other natural ventilation sources complying with section 27-749 of article six of subchapter twelve of this chapter. All other stories below grade shall be sprinklered. Sprinklers may be omitted in toilets, shower rooms, stairs, and mechanical and electrical equipment rooms.

    For purposes of this subdivision fixed windows may be considered as "openable" (may be broken inward) if they are not more than one hundred feet above grade, or fifteen feet below grade; or if they are located within six feet of an accessible roof or setback; or if they are located within six feet of an operable window having at least three foot by three foot openings.
    1. Buildings classified in occupancy group J-2 with not more than three dwelling units and buildings classified in occupancy group J-3 shall be exempt from this provision provided all spaces classified in storage occupancy group B-2 exceeding one thousand square feet have been sprinklered in accordance with the requirements of this subchapter.
  13. Rubbish chutes, laundry chutes, and chutes for similar uses. Sprinklers, protected from damage, shall be provided in accordance with reference standard RS 17-2, RS 17-2A, or RS 17-2B, as applicable.
  14. Soiled linen collection and sorting areas.
  15. Workshops exceeding one hundred square feet except in one- and two-family dwellings.
  16. Refuse collection and disposal areas.
  17. Drying area of laundries or similar spaces in which two or more clothes drying machines are installed. Sprinklers to be spaced to cover area five feet in front, rear, and sides of machines.
  18. Sprinklers for cooling towers, where required by subchapter five of this chapter, shall be either a dry pipe or deluge system designed in accordance with the provisions of reference standard RS 17-4.
    1. F-4 places of assembly used as cabarets.
    2. Stages within F-1a, F-1b, F-3 or F-4 occupancies providing live entertainment at anytime as set forth in subchapter eight of this chapter.
  19. Buildings classified in occupancy group J-1, buildings classified in occupancy group J-2 with four or more dwelling units, spaces classified in occupancy group J-1, and spaces classified in occupancy group J-2 with four or more dwelling units.
  20. Places of assembly located within a building classified in occupancy group J-1.
  21. Catering establishments and banquet halls with an occupant load of three hundred or more persons.
  22. In all existing buildings classified in occupancy group J-1 (except for "residential hotels," as such term is defined by the commissioner pursuant to rules,) all spaces listed in subdivisions (c), (d), (l), (m), (n), (o), (p) and (q) of this section, except that an approved smoke detection alarm system may be installed in those locations described under subdivisions (o) and (q) in lieu of sprinklers other than in those locations where sprinklers are required pursuant to section 27-123.2 of this chapter. Such smoke detection system shall be of the supervisory type connected to an approved central station.
  23. High rise buildings classified in occupancy group F-1, F-3, F-4, or G, or any spaces classified in such occupancy groups located within a high rise building or building section more than seventy-five feet above curb level.
  24. Spaces in existing high rise buildings classified in occupancy group C and any space in an existing building classified in occupancy group C with an unenclosed stair or escalator between any two or more floors.
  25. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision i of this section, high rise buildings classified in occupancy group E and low rise buildings classified in occupancy group E with a total gross floor area of one hundred thousand square feet or more.
  26. Regardless of occupancy group classification, in each basement, cellar or other location below grade, regardless of the floor area of such space, in any mercantile establishment in which the fire commissioner permits the storage of flammable or combustible mixtures pursuant to sections 27-4066, 27-4070 or 27-4094 of this code, except that, where such flammable or combustible mixtures are stored in such basement, cellar or other location below grade, in a room or other area that is segregated, vertically and horizontally, from surrounding spaces by a fire separation of not less than a two-hour fire-resistance rating, such system of automatic sprinklers shall be required only within such room or other area. Such system of automatic sprinklers shall conform to the requirements for automatic sprinklers for spaces classified in storage occupancy group B-1 pursuant to subdivision d of this section.
*TABLE 17-2
SUMMARY OF SPRINKLER REQUIREMENTS
Automatic
Sources
Required

Partial
System
Permitted

Connection
to Domestic
Permitted

Alternate
Permitted
(§27-955)

Siamese
Required
(§27-959)

Centrala Station
Required (§27-955)
(§27-967)

Waterb Flow
Alarm Required
(§27-957)

Automatic Dry
Sprinkler
Permitted
(§5212 of RS-17)


Dry Nonautomatic
Sprinkler
Permittedc

High Hazard Bldg. — Group A
(§27-954(a))
2 No No
§27-961(c)
No Yes Nonea Yes Yes No
High Hazard Spaces — Group A
(§27-954(b))b
1 Yes No §27-961(c) No §27-959 (a)(3) If over 36
heads in a fire section
Nonea Yes
If over 36 heads in a fire section
Yes No
Storage Occupancy Bldg. —
Group B1 (§27-954(c))
1 No No
§27-961(c)
No Yes Nonea Yes Yes No
**Storage Occupancy Spaces —
Group B1 (§27-954(d))
And Permitted Below Grade
Flammable/Combustible
Storage Spaces in Mercantile
Establishments (§27-954(aa)




1 Yes Yes
§27-962(c)
No §27-959 (a)(3)
If over 36 heads
in a fire section

Nonea Yesb
If over 36 heads
in a fire section

Yes No
Storage Occupancy Spaces —
Group B2 (§27-954(e))
1 Yes No No §27-959 (a)(3)
If over 36 heads
in a fire section

Nonea Yesb
If over 36 heads
in a fire section

Yes No
Mercantile Occupancy Spaces —
Groups C Exceeding 7,500 sq. ft.
(§27-954(f))

2 sources if
exceeding
20,000 sq. ft.
1 source if
not more
than 20,000
sq. ft.





No No No Yes Nonea Yes Yes No
Industrial Occupancy Bldg.—
Group D-1, When required by
Labor Law (§27-954(g))

1 source if
not hazardous
occupancy

No No No Yes Nonea Yes Yes No
Industrial Occupancy Spaces—
Group D-1, exceeding 7,500 sq. ft.,
(§27-954(h))

1 No No No Yes Nonea Yes Yes No
Business Occupancy Spaces—
Group E Showrooms when
Required by (§27-954(i))

1 Yes Yes and/ or StandpipeRiser No Yes Nonea Yes Yes No
Assembly Occupancy Spaces—
Group F-1a (§27-954(j))
1 Yes Yes No §27-959 (a)(3) If over 36 heads
in a fire section
Nonea Yesb No No
Institutional Occupancy Group H
— Corridors and Exit
Passageway (§27-954(k))

1 Yes Yes No §27-959 (a)(3)
If over 36 heads
in a fire section

Nonea Yes No No
Unventilated Areas Above or Below Grade (§27-954(l)) d 1 Yes Yes No §27-959 (a)(3) If over 36 heads
in a fire section
Nonea §27-962(e)(8) Yes No
Rubbish—Laundry and
Similar Chutes
(§27-954(m)) d,e

1 Yes Yes No No Yesa None Yes No
Soiled Linen—Collection and
Sorting Area
(§27-954(n))

1 Yes Yes No §27-959 (a)(3)
If over 36 heads
in a fire section

Nonea Yes
§27-962(e)(8)
Yes No
Workshops
(§27-954(o))d
1 Yes Yes Yes §27-959 (a)(3)
If over 36 heads
in a fire section

Yes
If smoke detector
is used in lieu
of sprinkler


Yes
§27-962(e)(8)
Yes No
Refuse Collection and
Disposal Areas
(§27-954(p))

1 Yes Yes in
Occupancy
Groups
E, G, J


No §27-959 (a)(3)
If over 36 heads
in a fire section

Nonea Yes
§27-962(e)(8)
Yes No
Drying Areas—Laundries or
Similar Spaces (§27-954(q)) d
1 Yes Yes in Occupancy
Groups
E,G, J

Yes §27-959 (a)(3)
If over 36 heads
in a fire section

Yes
If smoke detector
is used in lieu
of sprinkler


Yes
§27-962(e)(8)
No No
Cooling Towers (§27-954(r)) 1 No Yes No No Nonea Yes Yes No
Building and Spaces in
Residential Occupancy Group
J-1 (§27-954(t))

1 No Nof No Yes, except as provided in §27-959(a)(3) No Yes No No
Buildings and Spaces in
Residential Occupancy Group
J-2 with 4 or more Dwelling
Units and not exceeding Six
Stories or 75 Feet in Height
(§27-954(t))




1 No Yesg No Yes, except as provided
in §27-959(a)(1) and
§27-959(a)(5)

No Yes No No
Buildings and Spaces in
Residential Occupancy Group
J-2 with 4 or more Dwelling
Units and Exceeding Six
Stories or 75 Feet in Height
(§27-954(t))




1 No Noh No Yes, except as provided in §27-959(a)(3) No Yes if over 36
heads
No No

Notes for Table 17-2:
  1. Central Station supervision required only when booster pump is provided under §27-964 or when non-automatic sprinkler is permitted by the commissioner.
  2. Water flow alarms required when more than 36 heads are installed in a fire section or fire area.
  3. Only when permitted by the commissioner (§27-967(c)).
  4. See §27-954(w) for requirements pertaining to these spaces located in a building classified in occupancy group J-1.
  5. See section 4-4.8 of reference standard RS 17-2.
  6. Except as provided in reference standard RS 17-2A.
  7. Notwithstanding section 27-962(i) of this chapter.
  8. Except as provided in section 27-962(i) of this chapter.
    *Amended by Local Law 10-1999.
    **Amended by Local Law 26-2002

Related Code Sections


§27-954 Fire Alarm, Detection and Extinguishing Equipment, Required Sprinklers
A system of automatic sprinklers shall be provided in the areas listed in this section and as required in subchapters four through eight ...
NYC 1968 Code (Vol I) > 17 Fire Alarm, Detection and Extinguishing Equipment > 4 Automatic Sprinkler Requirements > §27-954 Required Sprinklers
§27-404 Special Uses and Occupancies, Sprinkler Requirements
Sprinkler protection meeting the construction requirements of subchapter seventeen of this chapter shall be installed in all high hazard occupancies ...
NYC 1968 Code (Vol I) > 7 Special Uses and Occupancies > 2 High Hazard Occupancies > §27-404 Sprinkler Requirements
901.9.3 Fire Protection Systems, Additional Requirements for Enlargements
for a space or building. Exception: Section 901.9.3 shall not require sprinklers to be installed in enlarged portions of unsprinklered buildings ...
NYC Building Code 2014 > 9 Fire Protection Systems > 901 General > 901.9 Special Provisions for Prior Code Buildings > 901.9.3 Additional Requirements for Enlargements
§27-931 Fire Alarm, Detection and Extinguishing Equipment, Existing Sprinklers
(a) Required sprinklers. Sprinkler systems and devices existing on December sixth, nineteen hundred sixty-eight shall not be required to be altered ...
NYC 1968 Code (Vol I) > 17 Fire Alarm, Detection and Extinguishing Equipment > 2 Existing Buildings-Fire Extinguishing Equipment > §27-931 Existing Sprinklers
Article 16 Sprinkler Systems [PDF] (page 44)
Sprinkler Systems in Non-fireproof Business Structures.-In business structures requiring a sprinkler system to comply with section C26-254.0 the sprinkler ...
NYC 1938 Code [PDF] > 16 Sprinkler Systems
Help Contact Us Privacy Terms
Search
Search
Don't miss relevant code. Quickly locate sections across your jurisdiction.
Code diagrams
Code diagrams
Unpack the code through illustrations and descriptions.
Code Compare
Code Compare
Highlight differences between any two building codes.
Shared projects
Shared projects
Projects provide a dedicated space to collaborate on code research.
Code sheet exports
Code sheet exports
Generate a code sheet that integrates with your drawing set.
Code Calculators
Code Calculators
Code calculators automatically generate a detailed list of requirements.
UpCodes Premium
Leverage the most sophisticated code compliance platform.
TRY FREE FOR TWO WEEKS VISIT PRICING
UpCodes Premium
Leverage the full code compliance platform.
START 2 WEEK FREE TRIAL LEARN MORE