Cal. Civ. Code § 22-11-18-3.5

Dwellings; installation of smoke detectors

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 11/2/2026
effective 10/13/2026IndianaCO & Smoke Alarms

Operative Text

Cal. Civ. Code § 22-11-18-3.5
Sec. 3.5. (a) This section only applies to dwellings.

(b) A rule or an ordinance is not voided or limited by this section if
the rule or ordinance:

(1) applies to an occupied dwelling; and

(2) is at least as stringent as the requirements of this section.

(c) A dwelling must have at least one (1) functional smoke detector
installed as follows:

(1) According to the manufacturer's instructions.

(2) Outside of each sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the
bedrooms.

(3) On the ceiling or a wall not less than four (4) inches or more
than twelve (12) inches from the ceiling. However, a smoke
detector may not be recessed into a ceiling.

(4) On each additional story of the dwelling, including basements,
cellars, and habitable attics. Unless there is a door between levels
in dwellings with split levels, a smoke detector must be installed
only on the upper level if the lower level is less than one (1) full
story below the upper level.

(d) All smoke detectors must be:

(1) battery operated or hard wired into the dwelling's electrical
system;

(2) accessible for servicing and testing; and

(3) maintained and at least one (1) time every six (6) months
tested by the occupant to ensure that the smoke detector is in
operational condition.

(e) Each owner or the manager or rental agent of the owner is
responsible for:

(1) the installation of a required smoke detector; and

(2) the replacement and repair of a required smoke detector
within seven (7) working days after the owner, manager, or rental
agent is given written notification of the need to replace or repair
the smoke detector.

(f) A person may not tamper with or remove a smoke detector
except when necessary for maintenance purposes.

(g) A unit (as defined in IC 36-1-2-23) may adopt an ordinance
concerning dwellings that:

(1) includes more stringent or detailed requirements than those set
forth in this chapter; and

(2) does not conflict with this chapter.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Indiana Code § 22-11-18-3.5 establishes minimum standards for smoke detector installation and maintenance in dwellings. At least one functional smoke detector must be placed outside each sleeping area, on each story (including basements and habitable attics), and mounted on a ceiling or wall within a specific height range from the ceiling. Owners are responsible for installation and must repair or replace a detector within seven working days of receiving written notice, while occupants are responsible for testing detectors at least once every six months. Local governments may adopt stricter ordinances without conflicting with this state law.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 14, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Ind. Code § 22-11-18-3.5, property owners, managers, and rental agents bear direct responsibility for ensuring that required smoke detectors are properly installed in each covered dwelling according to manufacturer instructions and the statute's placement requirements. When a tenant provides written notification that a detector needs repair or replacement, a compliant operator generally acts within the seven-working-day window specified by the provision. Keeping records of written notices received and maintenance actions taken is a practice commonly associated with demonstrating compliance with this section.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Ind. Code § 22-11-18-3.5 gives occupants the right to live in a dwelling equipped with properly installed, functional smoke detectors, and places the duty of installation and repair squarely on the owner or their agent. If a smoke detector is non-functional or missing, providing written notification to the owner, manager, or rental agent starts the seven-working-day repair clock established by this provision. Tenants who believe this requirement is not being met may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization, a local housing or code enforcement office, or consulting an attorney to understand available remedies, including whether a local ordinance offers additional protections.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 13, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Ind. Code § 36-1-2-23
Not yet ingested

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

Ind. Code § 22-11-18-3.5
Ind. Code § 22-11-18-3.5

Related Rules

§ 26C
Certain public accommodations; automatic smoke or heat detectors
§ 26D
Definitions applicable to Secs. 26D to 26F
§ 26E
Residential buildings or structures; installation of smoke detectors

Source Information

Snapshot SHA:
Fetched:Oct 13, 2026, 09:44 PM UTC