What's changing on 1 January 2027
Queensland has been phasing in stronger smoke alarm rules for years. The 2027 date is the final phase — the point at which the rules that already apply to new, sold and rented homes extend to every other home, including owner-occupied houses that haven't changed hands.
In short: by 1 January 2027 your home needs interconnected, photoelectric smoke alarms in the right places. If your alarms are older, single (not interconnected), or the ionisation type, they won't meet the standard.
How the rules rolled out
1 January 2017
New homes and homes undergoing substantial renovation must meet the new standard.
1 January 2022
Homes being sold, leased, or with a new or renewed tenancy must comply. This is where most rentals and recently sold homes already stand.
1 January 2027
Every remaining home must comply — including owner-occupied houses that haven't been sold or leased. This is the final phase, and it's the one most homeowners still need to act on.
What the law requires
- Photoelectric — ionisation alarms no longer meet the standard and must be replaced.
- Interconnected — when one alarm sounds, they all sound. This can be done with wiring or wirelessly, or a mix of both.
- Powered correctly — either hardwired to the mains with a backup battery, or fitted with a non-removable 10-year battery.
- Compliant with Australian Standard AS 3786-2014.
Where the alarms have to go
- In every bedroom.
- In hallways that connect bedrooms to the rest of the home (or between the bedrooms and the rest of the home where there's no hallway).
- On every storey, even one without bedrooms.
Alarms also need to be positioned away from corners, light fittings, ceiling fans and air-conditioning vents so they work reliably. Getting the layout right across a whole home is the part most people would rather not work out themselves — it's what we handle on every install.
Do you need an electrician?
It depends on the type of alarm. Alarms with a non-removable 10-year battery can be fitted without an electrician. But 240-volt hardwired alarms must be installed by a licensed electrician, and any home already wired for hardwired alarms generally stays that way.
Either way, the alarms have to be interconnected and correctly placed, and the work is certified on completion. That's the part worth getting right once, rather than discovering a gap later.
A note on insurance
Some home insurers ask about smoke alarm compliance, and alarms that don't meet the legal standard can affect a claim after a fire. It's one more reason to bring your alarms up to standard ahead of the deadline rather than after it.
Common questions
- Do I have to replace smoke alarms that still work?
- If your existing alarms are ionisation type, aren't interconnected, or aren't photoelectric, then yes — they won't meet the 2027 standard, even if they still beep when tested. Photoelectric, interconnected alarms are what the law now requires.
- Do the alarms have to be hardwired?
- No. The law accepts either alarms hardwired to the mains with a backup battery, or alarms with a non-removable 10-year battery. Both are compliant when they're photoelectric and interconnected.
- Can I install them myself?
- Non-removable battery alarms can be fitted without an electrician, but 240-volt hardwired alarms must be installed by a licensed electrician. Getting the interconnection and placement right matters either way, which is why most homeowners have it done professionally.
- I'm selling or renting out my home — does this apply now?
- Yes. Homes being sold, leased, or with a new or renewed tenancy have needed to comply since 1 January 2022. If that's you, the requirement is already in effect, not waiting until 2027.
Get your Buderim home 2027-ready
We assess your current alarms, supply and install compliant interconnected photoelectric alarms, and certify the work on completion. Tell us about your home and we'll give you a fixed quote.
This guide is general information based on the Queensland Fire Department's smoke alarm requirements and is not legal advice. For the full requirements, see the Queensland Fire Department website. We'll confirm exactly what your home needs as part of your quote.