Under Article 6, Paragraph 5 of the Fire Services Act, for a residential place that is not required to have an automatic fire alarm system, the person with management authority (管理權人) must install a residential fire alarm (住警器) and maintain it. The residential fire alarm installation regulations (《住宅用火災警報器設置辦法》) require alarms in bedrooms, kitchens, stairs and similar places: ionization-type or photoelectric-type (smoke-detecting) alarms in bedrooms, stairs and corridors, and fixed-temperature alarms in kitchens. Taipei and New Taipei each have their own subsidy channels, with different eligibility and rules; this article sets them out separately, based on the official pages verified on 2026-11-07.
The short answer first: A residential fire alarm is a battery-powered alarm installed at home, with no wiring needed. There are three main points: buy a product with an approval mark, install it at the positions and distances the regulations set, and press the test button once a month and replace the battery when the battery prompt sounds. Whether a subsidy applies to your home depends on the type of residence and the city, so the two cities are described separately below; please do not apply the conditions of one city to the other.
Which homes must have a residential fire alarm by law
The Fire Services Act was last amended on November 29, 2024 (checked on the national laws and regulations database, 全國法規資料庫, on 2026-11-07). Two paragraphs of Article 6 concern residential fire alarms:
- Paragraph 4: for hotels and welfare institutions for the elderly that are not required to have an automatic fire alarm system, and for places announced by the central competent authority, the person with management authority must install residential fire alarms and maintain them.
- Paragraph 5: for residential places that are not required to have an automatic fire alarm system, the person with management authority must install residential fire alarms and maintain them.
Both paragraphs state that details such as installation positions, methods and the deadline for improvement are set separately by the central competent authority, that is, the residential fire alarm installation regulations (《住宅用火災警報器設置辦法》). Put simply, a building that already has an automatic fire alarm system installed to the standard is outside this obligation; ordinary homes do not have that system, so residential fire alarms fill the gap. Which buildings need an automatic fire alarm system under the standards for installing fire safety equipment in various places (《各類場所消防安全設備設置標準》) was not checked clause by clause in this article; if you are unsure, ask the local fire brigade.
The statute addresses the "person with management authority" (管理權人), not the "owner" or the "tenant". When the Taipei fire department's residential fire alarm information website (臺北市消防局住警器資訊網) was asked in its FAQ whether the owner or the tenant should install one in a rental, its answer was "it depends on the contents of the people's tenancy contract; please arrange it yourselves". So tenants are best advised to settle in the lease, when signing, who buys the alarm and who replaces the battery.
Local self-governance ordinances have further rules
Besides the central regulations, both cities have their own rules, and the contents are not identical:
| Item | Taipei | New Taipei |
|---|
| Legal basis | Articles 16 and 22 of the Taipei fire prevention self-governance ordinance (《臺北市火災預防自治條例》) (the articles are set out on the Taipei fire department's residential fire alarm information website) | Article 5 of the New Taipei fire prevention self-governance ordinance (《新北市火災預防自治條例》) (quoted on the New Taipei fire department's residential fire alarm page) |
| Places covered | Among places that need no automatic fire alarm system and do not fall under Article 6, Paragraph 4 of the Fire Services Act, this includes "buildings used for residence" | Places without an automatic fire alarm system include "buildings used for residence" and "buildings with a fire record, where the fire department has instructed that a residential fire alarm be installed" |
| Penalty | After the fire department notifies the manager to improve within a time limit, a manager who does not improve by the deadline is fined not less than NT$6,000 and not more than NT$30,000, and may be penalized repeatedly if still not improved after the penalty | The page says that those who have not installed one face "a fine of up to NT$30,000" |
The Taipei ordinance has a further passage: for buildings under Article 16, Item 1 that are not for rent, the penalty applies from December 23, 2022. That date has passed, and the text still read this way on the day of verification. The New Taipei page was published on 2023-03-31; if the ordinance has been amended since, rely on the New Taipei government's regulations database.
The central penalty is in Article 37 of the Fire Services Act. Its text concerns penalties for violating the provisions on installing and maintaining residential fire alarms in "Article 6, Paragraph 4", and for non-business places it penalizes only those who, "after being notified to improve within a time limit, fail to improve by the deadline"; the fine is not less than NT$20,000 and not more than NT$300,000. The article literally cites Paragraph 4, and this article does not judge how it applies to ordinary homes (Paragraph 5); in practice, rely on how the fire department handles it.
How to install in bedrooms, kitchens and stairs
The residential fire alarm installation regulations were promulgated on December 30, 2010 (the national laws and regulations database page lists only the promulgation date, not any amendment date). Article 3 sets the positions where alarms must be installed:
| Location | Article 3 of the regulations |
|---|
| Bedrooms | Bedrooms, hotel guest rooms or other rooms used for sleeping |
| Kitchens | Kitchens |
| Stairs (floors with bedrooms) | On a floor with bedrooms, install on the stairs, except where that floor is the evacuation floor (避難層) |
| Stairs (only the evacuation floor has bedrooms) | The top of the stairs leading to the upper floors |
| Corridors or stairs | For positions other than those above, where any floor has 5 or more rooms of more than 7 square meters, install in the corridor; if there is no corridor, install on the stairs (the regulations limit this to cases "not covered by the first three subparagraphs", not as an additional installation) |
The same article ends with an exception: where an automatic sprinkler system that meets the installation standards, or extinguishing equipment of equivalent or better performance (limited to closed-type sprinkler heads with a marked temperature of 75 degrees or below and an operating time within 60 seconds), is installed, residential fire alarms may be omitted within its effective range. The National Fire Agency's FAQ also mentions that places that already have an automatic fire alarm system do not need another.
Distance from ceilings and walls
Article 4 sets the installation method, and Question 3 of the National Fire Agency FAQ restates it in plain language:
| Situation | Article 4 of the regulations |
|---|
| Mounted on a ceiling or floor slab | The lower end of the alarm is within 60 cm of the ceiling or floor slab (the National Fire Agency Q&A adds that beyond 60 cm, alarms must be installed separately); the installation position is at least 60 cm from walls or beams |
| Mounted on a wall | At least 15 cm and no more than 50 cm below the ceiling or floor slab |
| Air outlets | At least 1.5 m from the air outlet |
| Position within a room | As a rule, install at the center of the room |
The National Fire Agency Q&A also lists positions it suggests avoiding: near windows, fans or air-conditioner outlets (smoke may be blown away); bathrooms or directly above a stove (humidity and cooking fumes may affect detection or cause false alarms); and places where the roof is very high or sloped. These are the National Fire Agency's suggestions, not mandatory provisions of the regulations.
The New Taipei fire department page adds one suggestion: "install one in every room" (每個居室都裝1顆), in locations including the living room, stairs, bedrooms and corridors. This is a New Taipei fire department publicity suggestion; the minimum positions required by the regulations are those in the table above.
Smoke-detecting and fixed-temperature alarms, batteries and service life
Article 5 of the regulations requires the type to be chosen according to position:
| Location | Type | National Fire Agency explanation |
|---|
| Bedrooms, stairs, corridors | Ionization-type or photoelectric-type (together called smoke-detecting alarms) | Sounds the alarm when the detection area senses smoke particles produced by a fire |
| Kitchens | Fixed-temperature type | Sounds the alarm when the temperature in the detection area rises to a set temperature |
Why not a smoke-detecting alarm in the kitchen? The National Fire Agency Q&A explains that kitchens normally have cooking fumes, and ionization-type or photoelectric-type alarms are prone to false activation, so a fixed-temperature type is more suitable. Conversely, if the smoke-detecting alarm in your kitchen keeps giving false alarms, first check whether the type was chosen correctly.
How to replace the battery
- Article 6 of the regulations: when a battery-powered residential fire alarm reaches the lower voltage limit and gives a prompt or sound, the person with management authority replaces the battery immediately.
- Article 7 of the regulations: when an external power source other than a battery is used, the power supply must be ensured to be normal; no socket or switch may be placed in the wiring between the power source and the distribution board.
- Article 8 of the regulations: for alarms with a self-test function, replace when a malfunction message appears; for those without, replace before the end of the service life. In other cases, the person with management authority inspects according to the instruction manual and keeps the alarm working normally.
The National Fire Agency Q&A says that when the battery is nearly flat the alarm gives short "beep" sounds at set intervals, with the alarm light flashing at the same time, and that is the signal to replace the battery. How long the battery and the unit last differs between products, so follow the marking in the product's instruction manual; the National Fire Agency's suggestion is that once an alarm has been in place for more than 10 years it is best replaced with a new one. When you install it, you can write the date with an oil-based marker on the installation date sticker on the unit so it is less likely to be forgotten.
Routine upkeep and testing
- After installation, press the test button to confirm that it sounds. If it does not, first check whether the battery is connected and whether the battery connector and the alarm connector are connected properly, before considering whether it is faulty.
- Test by pressing the test button regularly (once a month) or when you are away for 3 days or more.
- Wipe with a cloth dampened with neutral detergent and wrung out thoroughly, and do not touch the detection holes; if the detection holes are visibly stained, the alarm may not sense a fire.
The National Fire Agency adds a reminder in this section that the inspection methods are for reference only, and details still follow the product's instruction manual.
Buying and handling false alarms
Both the Taipei page and the National Fire Agency page remind buyers to look for the approval mark. The Taipei page says "the National Fire Agency, Ministry of the Interior, individual approval pass mark" (內政部消防署個別認可合格標示), while the National Fire Agency Q&A says "the approval mark of an institution registered with the Ministry of the Interior" (內政部登錄機構認可標示). The two pages use different names, and this article did not find how the two relate; when buying, look at the approval mark on the packaging and check it against the lookup websites mentioned in the next sentence. The National Fire Agency page also lists the websites of two foundations where approved residential fire alarms can be looked up, and you can check there when you cannot find a mark or model number. The Taipei Q&A also reminds buyers that when buying on an online platform they should first ask the seller whether the product has passed the National Fire Agency's testing.
When an alarm sounds, the National Fire Agency Q&A gives this order of handling:
- First confirm whether it is a fire. If it is a fire: alert your family loudly and evacuate immediately, call 119, and if it is hard to put out the fire in its early stage, evacuate at once.
- If it is not a fire (for example smoke particles other than fire, such as from smoking or cooking fumes): press the alarm sound stop button (designs differ, so follow the instruction manual) and switch on the indoor ventilation equipment until the alarm returns to its normal detecting state.
- For repeated false alarms, confirm whether the type of alarm is appropriate, for example an ionization-type or photoelectric-type installed in a kitchen.
The safety of gas appliances is a separate issue: a residential fire alarm detects smoke or high temperature, not gas or carbon monoxide. For that, see our pages on where to install a carbon monoxide alarm, steps to take for a gas leak, water heater ventilation rules and water heater ventilation during typhoons. For an overall check of your home you can use the home inspection checklist tool.
Subsidy applications in Taipei and New Taipei
The subsidy details for the two cities below come from official pages verified on 2026-11-07: for Taipei, the Taipei fire department's residential fire alarm information website (the subsidy page data was updated on May 13, 2026, shown in ROC-year format as 115-05-13); for New Taipei, the New Taipei fire department's residential fire alarm page (published 2023-03-31). Eligibility, quantities and procedures may be adjusted each year, so check each city's website for the current position before applying; the information below is not a guarantee that you will receive a subsidy.
| Item | Taipei | New Taipei |
|---|
| Eligibility | Places covered by Article 6, Paragraph 5 of the Fire Services Act (for example apartments of 5 floors or fewer, and townhouses), with those meeting the conditions given priority | Apartments and townhouses in buildings of 5 floors or fewer in total height located in New Taipei, that have not previously applied to a fire department unit for an installed residential fire alarm |
| Priority groups | Low-income households, elderly people living alone, people with disabilities | Elderly people living alone, low-income and middle-low-income households, recycling households, people with disabilities and high-risk families (given priority for home installation) |
| Quantity | The page does not state the number per household | Counted per address, at most 1 alarm subsidized per address, and repeat applications are not allowed |
| How to apply | The information website has "online application" and "paper application form download", and the addresses and phone numbers of district brigades and battalions are listed on the subsidy page | Take your ID card to the local fire brigade and fill in a form; or apply online through the fire department's residential fire alarm information website, with brigade staff reviewing it, which the page says takes about 2 to 3 working days |
| How it is received | The page does not state this | Ordinary people who meet the conditions collect it after being contacted and install it themselves; disadvantaged households are arranged to have it installed at home |
Points to watch in Taipei
The Taipei subsidy page describes the eligible group as "priority subsidy", not limited to these three groups. The subsidy page does not state the number per household or whether household registration is required; this article does not write those details, so rely on the online application page and the brigade's explanation. One FAQ item states plainly: if the fire authority needs to visit a home to inspect, it will phone beforehand, arrive in uniform with an identification badge, and the department has not contracted outside firms to install or inspect; if a firm claims to be from the fire department to sell products, refuse.
Points to watch in New Taipei
Two conditions on the New Taipei page are easy to miss: the floor limit of "5 floors or fewer", and "has not previously applied to this department's units", meaning that once you have received one you cannot apply again. The page also has a background sentence, "buildings of 5 floors or fewer have no system-type fire safety equipment installed", and the subsidy is for these homes. If you live in a high-rise with system-type equipment already installed, the subsidy may not apply; contact the brigade directly.
This article did not check cities and counties other than these two cities; do not treat the table above as applying across Taiwan.
FAQ
In a rental, does the landlord or the tenant install the residential fire alarm?
The statute says the "person with management authority". The Taipei fire department's FAQ answer is that it depends on the lease, and the parties should arrange it between themselves. It is advisable to write into the lease who buys it and who replaces the battery, and to photograph the installation date and the test, which makes things easier to explain when you move out.
If my home already has an automatic fire alarm system, do I still need a residential fire alarm?
The National Fire Agency FAQ says "places that already have an automatic fire alarm installed do not need a residential fire alarm", and the statute likewise applies to places that "are not required to have an automatic fire alarm system". Whether your home counts as already equipped, please confirm with the management committee (管理委員會) or the fire brigade.
How often should a residential fire alarm be replaced?
The battery is replaced when the alarm gives its low-voltage prompt, under Article 6 of the regulations; the unit has no statutory service life, and the National Fire Agency suggests replacing one that has been in place for more than 10 years. Service life differs between products, and the regulations also require inspection according to the instruction manual, so rely on the manual that came with your product.
My alarm keeps sounding for no reason; is it broken?
First rule out non-fire smoke particles such as cooking fumes and smoking, and switch on ventilation until it returns to its normal state. If a smoke-detecting alarm is installed in the kitchen, it should be changed to a fixed-temperature type. The short "beep" of the battery prompt is different from the alarm sound; do not confuse them. Only if it still sounds abnormally after all of the above should you consider whether it is faulty and contact the seller or the manufacturer.
Can I buy a cheap one without an approval mark?
Both the Taipei page and the National Fire Agency page advise looking for the approval mark. For a product without a mark it cannot be confirmed whether it meets the performance requirements, and using it in place of a qualified residential fire alarm is not recommended.
Sources
- National laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): Fire Services Act (verified 2026-11-07): last amended November 29, 2024; Article 6, Paragraphs 4 and 5, and Article 37.
- National laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): residential fire alarm installation regulations (住宅用火災警報器設置辦法) (verified 2026-11-07): Articles 3 to 8 on positions, distances, types, batteries and replacement; promulgated December 30, 2010.
- National Fire Agency, Ministry of the Interior: residential fire alarm Q&A (verified 2026-11-07): types, positions and distances, positions to avoid, handling after an alarm sounds, inspection methods, and the suggestion to replace after more than 10 years.
- Taipei fire department residential fire alarm information website (臺北市政府消防局住警器資訊網): subsidy procedure and eligibility (verified 2026-11-07): subsidy eligibility and priority groups; page data updated May 13, 2026 (shown as ROC 115-05-13).
- Taipei fire department residential fire alarm information website (臺北市政府消防局住警器資訊網): articles of the Taipei fire prevention self-governance ordinance (verified 2026-11-07): Articles 16 and 22 and the range of fines.
- Taipei fire department residential fire alarm information website (臺北市政府消防局住警器資訊網): FAQ (verified 2026-11-07): who installs in a rental, approval marks, and notes on fire authority home inspections.
- New Taipei fire department: residential fire alarms (新北市政府消防局：住宅用火災警報器) (verified 2026-11-07): subsidy eligibility, 1 alarm per address, application process and quotations from the ordinance; page published 2023-03-31.
