NFPA 25 Fire Sprinkler Visual Inspection Checklist

NFPA 25 organizes the visual inspection of water-based sprinkler systems into weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannual, and annual cycles, with frequencies that differ between wet pipe, dry pipe, preaction, and deluge systems. This checklist collects the visual (inspection-only) items in one record you can complete on site and keep on file for the building owner and your AHJ. It does not cover the flow tests, trip tests, or hydrostatic tests that NFPA 25 also requires. Download it as a PDF or Excel file, or run the same items digitally in Forz, where each device carries its own inspection frequency (configurable from daily through every 7 years), technicians record Pass, Fail, or Bypass results with photos in the field on the iOS and Android apps, and customers download the completed inspection PDF from the Customer Portal.

Last updated: October 20, 2026

Doing this on paper? Forz's fire inspection software records Pass, Fail or Bypass per device and posts the PDF report to the customer portal. For how often each item comes due, see NFPA 25 and NFPA 72 inspection frequencies.

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NFPA 25 Fire Sprinkler Visual Inspection Checklist

Fire Protection · Checklist

Company: ______________

Date: ______________

Technician: ______________

System & Site Information

Customer / facility name and account number ______________
Site address, building, and area or floors served ______________
System type: wet pipe / dry pipe / preaction / deluge ______________
Riser or system ID, number of risers, and location of valve room ______________
Number of sprinklers and predominant sprinkler type (upright / pendent / sidewall / ESFR / dry) ______________
Hazard classification and whether antifreeze loops are present ______________
Inspection date, time, and frequency cycle covered (weekly / monthly / quarterly / semiannual / annual) ______________
Weather and ambient temperature at time of inspection ______________
Inspector name, company, and license or certification number ______________
Authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) and NFPA 25 edition adopted locally ______________
Date of last inspection and reference to prior report or open deficiencies ______________

Weekly Visual Items

Dry pipe, preaction, and deluge air or nitrogen pressure gauges read within normal range for the listed differential ______________
Dry pipe and preaction system water-supply pressure gauges read normal ______________
Control valves that are not locked or electrically supervised verified in the correct open position, sealed, and accessible ______________
Valve room or enclosure kept above freezing (a minimum around 40 degrees F / 4 degrees C is commonly cited) and inspected daily during freezing weather where no low-temperature alarm is installed, or weekly where a low-temperature alarm is present ______________
Fire pump house heat, ventilation louvers, and lighting confirmed operational (where a fire pump serves the system) ______________
Fire pump suction, discharge, and bypass valves open; suction reservoir or tank full; suction and system pressure gauges normal; no visible leaks (where applicable) ______________
Abnormal gauge readings, leaks, frost, or damage recorded for immediate follow-up ______________

Monthly Visual Items

Wet pipe system water-supply pressure gauge reads normal supply pressure and is maintained ______________
All gauges in good condition, legible, and free of physical damage or fogging ______________
Control valves that are locked or electrically supervised verified in the correct open position, accessible, free of external leaks, and with no tampering ______________
Control valve identification signs present, legible, and securely attached ______________
Post indicator valves (PIV) show OPEN, target visible, and operating wrench in place ______________
Alarm valve and system riser exterior free of physical damage; trim and retard chamber valves in correct position ______________
Dry pipe / preaction valve exterior free of physical damage; trim valves in the correct open or closed position ______________
Dry pipe valve intermediate chamber not leaking through the drip check ______________
Quick-opening device (QOD) gauge reading consistent with the dry pipe valve system-side gauge; QOD control valve open ______________
Air compressor and low-air alarm pressure switch free of damage; wiring and air line connections secure; compressor maintains pressure within the listed run/cutoff band ______________
Backflow preventer assembly visible, undamaged, with both shutoff valves open (where reduced-pressure or double-check assembly is installed) ______________

Quarterly Visual Items

Waterflow alarm devices (vane, paddle, and pressure-switch type) free of physical damage and securely mounted ______________
Valve supervisory (tamper) switches free of physical damage and securely mounted ______________
Fire department connection (FDC) visible, accessible, and identified by sign ______________
FDC caps or plugs in place and undamaged; gaskets present; swivels and threads clear; interior free of obstruction ______________
FDC check valve not leaking and automatic ball-drip / drain valve in place and clear ______________
FDC piping and couplings undamaged and clear of stored materials, vehicles, and landscaping ______________
Hydraulic design information nameplate attached at the riser, legible, and matching the system ______________
Pressure-reducing and pressure-control valves in the correct position, not leaking, and handwheel in place (where installed) ______________
Hose connections, hose, gaskets, and hose-rack pressure-restricting devices undamaged and in place (combined standpipe systems) ______________

Semiannual Visual Items

Valve enclosure and heat source rechecked for adequacy before the heating season where freezing is a concern ______________
Dry pipe and preaction valve trim, drip checks, and low-point auxiliary drains confirmed free of accumulated condensate prior to onset of cold weather ______________
Gauges on the dry pipe, preaction, or deluge valve and across the alarm check valve compared for consistency with the differential ______________
Supervisory and waterflow signal wiring conduit, mounting, and connections visually free of corrosion or damage ______________
Note any vane / paddle / pressure-switch waterflow devices and tamper switches due for their semiannual functional test (scheduled separately) ______________
Pressure-reducing valves serving hose connections and hose racks visually checked for the correct set position and no external leakage (full flow test scheduled separately) ______________

Annual Visual Items

Sprinklers inspected from floor level and free of leakage, corrosion, foreign material, paint, physical damage, and loading; orientation correct for the listing ______________
Sprinklers showing signs of corrosion, loading, or wrong type flagged for replacement; heads beyond their listed service life noted (a baseline near 50 years is commonly cited; dry, fast-response, residential, and harsh-environment heads typically use shorter intervals, so confirm against the listing and adopted edition) ______________
Required clearance maintained from deflectors to storage, ductwork, and obstructions below ______________
Pipe and fittings free of mechanical damage, leakage, external corrosion, and misalignment; no external load bearing on the piping ______________
Hangers, sway bracing, and seismic restraints in place, secure, undamaged, and not loose ______________
Pipe identification, system control, and general information signs at the riser legible and secure ______________
Spare sprinkler cabinet stocked with the correct quantity and types of spares (a minimum of around 6 scaled by sprinkler count is commonly cited) plus the matching sprinkler wrench and an up-to-date spares list ______________
Building survey for changes in occupancy, use, or storage arrangement that affect adequacy of the design (evaluation only) ______________
Information sign noting antifreeze, dry, preaction, deluge, or auxiliary system features present and legible ______________
Low-temperature alarms in valve enclosures inspected toward the start of the heating season and free of physical damage ______________

Antifreeze & Cold-Weather Items

Antifreeze loop identified, mapped, and labeled at the riser and fill point ______________
Antifreeze solution sample drawn from the top and bottom of each system and concentration tested before onset of freezing weather (commonly an annual check) ______________
Measured concentration recorded and within listed limits. Concentration caps commonly cited for legacy non-listed solutions (often around 30 percent propylene glycol or 38 percent glycerin by volume) are edition-dependent, so confirm against the listed antifreeze and AHJ acceptance ______________
Listed (factory-premixed) antifreeze confirmed where required; legacy non-listed solutions flagged for the owner per the antifreeze sunset requirements ______________
Low-point and auxiliary (drum) drains on dry and preaction systems drained of condensate before freezing weather ______________
Heat trace, enclosure heaters, and freeze protection on exposed piping and FDC confirmed operational ______________
Exposed or unheated areas, attic spaces, and loading docks checked for piping exposed to freezing ______________

Referenced Periodic Items (Verify Schedule, Not Part of the Visual Cycle)

Gauges replaced or tested against a calibrated gauge on the periodic interval commonly cited as 5 years (record manufacture date and last calibration) ______________
Internal inspection for obstructing material on its periodic interval (commonly cited as 5 years) scheduled and last completion date recorded ______________
Internal inspection of dry pipe / preaction valves, alarm valves, and check valves scheduled on their periodic intervals per the adopted edition ______________
Main drain test (typically quarterly where supplied through a backflow or PRV, otherwise annually) and waterflow / alarm tests scheduled ______________
Dry pipe valve trip tests (typically an annual partial trip with a periodic full-flow trip) and deluge full trip test scheduled with qualified personnel ______________
Fire department connection supply piping hydrostatic test and standpipe flow / hydrostatic testing scheduled on their periodic intervals where applicable ______________

Results, Deficiencies & Sign-Off

Overall result: pass / deficiencies noted / critical deficiency / impairment in effect ______________
Each deficiency or impairment described with location, severity (critical / noncritical / impairment), and NFPA 25 reference where known ______________
Impairment procedures followed: system tagged, owner and AHJ/monitoring company notified, and fire watch in place where required ______________
Corrective action recommended with priority and a work order, proposal, or quote reference ______________
Photos and measurements attached (count and reference numbers) ______________
Owner or representative notified of deficiencies (name, contact, and date) ______________
Next inspection due date(s) by frequency cycle ______________
Inspector printed name, signature, certification number, and date ______________
Owner / authorized representative printed name, signature, and date ______________

Technician signature

Customer / owner signature

Items above are summarized from publicly available NFPA 25 guidance current as of 2026 and cover visual inspection only, not the tests and maintenance NFPA 25 also requires. Frequencies differ by system type and some items shown (such as waterflow-device, tamper-switch, antifreeze, gauge, and obstruction items) carry separate test or replacement intervals. Editions and locally adopted amendments vary; verify the scope and frequencies against your AHJ and the adopted edition of NFPA 25, and confirm sprinkler service-life and antifreeze limits against the specific listings. This template is a starting point for your inspection records. It is not the standard, and it does not replace inspection, testing, and maintenance by qualified personnel.

Frequently asked questions

How does NFPA 25 schedule sprinkler visual inspections?

Does this checklist cover NFPA 25 flow, trip, or hydrostatic tests?

It does not cover the flow tests, trip tests, or hydrostatic tests that NFPA 25 also requires. It collects the visual (inspection-only) items in one record you can complete on site and keep on file for the building owner and your AHJ.

Does this checklist replace the standard or a qualified inspection?

This template is a starting point for your inspection records. It is not the standard, and it does not replace inspection, testing, and maintenance by qualified personnel.

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