NFPA 72 Fire Alarm Inspection & Test Report
Use this NFPA 72 fire alarm inspection and test report to document visual inspections and functional tests across the control unit, primary and secondary power, initiating devices, notification appliances, emergency control function interfaces, and the supervising station. It follows the inspection, testing, and maintenance structure commonly set out in the NFPA 72 inspection and testing chapter — the visual-inspection and functional-test tables that typically drive the weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannual, and annual cycles — so one form covers a routine walkthrough through the full annual test. Print it for the clipboard, or run the same checks in Forz: record Pass, Fail, or Bypass per device with photos and a digital signature, schedule each test on its own recurring frequency (up to 14 intervals from daily through every 7 years), and let customers download the inspection PDF from the portal.
NFPA 72 Fire Alarm Inspection & Test Report
Fire Protection · Form
Company: ______________
Date: ______________
Technician: ______________
Site & System Identification
- Property name, street address, and building or suite covered
- Building owner or responsible party and on-site contact
- Inspection company, technician name, and NICET or state license number
- Inspection date, start time, and finish time
- Inspection type: weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual
- Fire alarm control unit manufacturer, model, and physical location
- Software or firmware revision of the control unit
- System type: addressable, conventional, or hybrid; number of zones or points
- Supervising (monitoring) station name, phone, and account number
- Total device count: initiating devices, notification appliances, modules
- NFPA 72 edition adopted and any local amendments in force
- Record of completion, as-built drawings, and prior reports available on site
Fire Alarm Control Unit
- Visual: panel reads normal — no alarm, trouble, or supervisory conditions active
- Visual: enclosure clean, undamaged, securely mounted, and door key present
- Visual: field wiring landed on terminals, no loose or corroded connections
- Visual: fuses, LEDs, and power-supply indicators in normal state
- Functional: lamp/LED test illuminates all panel indicators
- Functional: audible panel sounder operates on alarm and trouble
- Functional: trouble signal annunciates when a circuit is opened (initiating, notification, and signaling line circuits)
- Functional: ground-fault detection annunciates when a fault is introduced
- Functional: each programmed alarm input produces the correct output sequence (cause and effect)
- Disconnect, disable, or trouble conditions silence and restore correctly
- Event history reviewed and panel time/date set to current
- Walk test or single-point test of each addressable point logged at the panel
Primary & Secondary Power, Batteries
- Visual: primary (AC) power connected, on a dedicated breaker, and breaker labeled
- Functional: disconnect primary power — system transfers to secondary power and annunciates AC loss
- Visual: batteries free of corrosion, leakage, swelling, or heat damage
- Battery terminals clean, torqued, and interconnect cabling intact
- Battery manufacture date recorded; sealed lead-acid commonly replaced within about 4 years — verify against the manufacturer's listed life and your adopted edition
- Charger test: float/charging voltage and current within the manufacturer's listed range
- Load (capacity) test under full alarm load; terminal voltage holds above manufacturer end voltage
- Replace battery if measured capacity is at or below 80 percent of rating
- Standby duration confirmed adequate (commonly 24 hours standby plus 5 or 15 minutes in alarm — verify per design)
- Engine-driven generator or alternate power source tested where it serves as secondary supply
Initiating Devices
- Visual: every device in place, undamaged, unobstructed, and within listed spacing
- Manual pull stations: operate each station, confirm alarm at panel and correct address, then reset
- Spot-type smoke detectors: functional test each with listed aerosol or test gas; confirm alarm and correct location label
- Smoke detector sensitivity measured within listed range — first year, then alternate years (or per device self-test)
- Heat detectors: test restorable spot types per manufacturer; confirm non-restorable types by mechanical or simulated means
- Duct (air-sampling) smoke detectors: verify sampling airflow and alarm response; confirm fan shutdown interface where tied in
- Carbon monoxide detectors: test per manufacturer where integrated into the fire alarm system
- Waterflow switches: functional flow test quarterly; confirm alarm within the retard period
- Valve tamper / supervisory switches: operate and confirm supervisory signal at panel
- Pressure, low-air, and low-temperature supervisory devices: operate and confirm signal
- Addressable modules (monitor/control) report correct address and state
- Device location labels and point list match the as-built record
Notification Appliances
- Visual: horns, strobes, speakers, and combo units in place, undamaged, and correctly mounted
- Visual: strobe lenses clean and candela markings match the approved plans
- Functional: every audible appliance sounds during the alarm test
- Functional: every visual appliance flashes during the alarm test
- Sound pressure level measured — meets required dBA above ambient in occupiable areas
- Strobe synchronization confirmed within field of view where required
- Voice evacuation: messages intelligible (STI-PA or qualitative) at representative locations
- Microphone, paging zones, and prerecorded message priority verified where installed
- Visible appliances in sleeping areas meet required candela where applicable
Emergency Control Functions & Interfaces
- Elevator Phase I recall: confirm primary and alternate recall on lobby/machine-room/hoistway detector activation
- Elevator shunt trip and machine-room/hoistway smoke interface operate before recall, where provided
- HVAC fan shutdown and smoke-control sequences operate on the designated alarm input
- Smoke and fire dampers actuate to the correct position on alarm
- Magnetic door holders release and rated doors close and latch
- Electrically locked egress doors unlock on alarm where interfaced
- Fire suppression releasing or pre-action solenoid signals verified (without discharge) per procedure
- Each control relay confirmed to change state and return to normal after test
Annunciators & Remote Equipment
- Remote annunciator display and LEDs mirror panel status during the test
- Annunciator controls (acknowledge, silence, reset) operate and are access-restricted as designed
- Graphic or LCD annunciator zone labels match field locations
- Remote power supplies / NACs and addressable repeaters report normal and annunciate trouble
- Printer or event recorder, where installed, logs events legibly
Supervising Station & Communications
- Place system on test with the supervising station before transmitting signals
- Transmit and confirm receipt of alarm, supervisory, and trouble signals for each type
- Confirm both communication paths operate (e.g., IP plus cellular) on dual-path communicators
- Fault each path individually and confirm the path-failure signal reaches the station within the listed time
- Verify account number, premises address, and zone descriptions on file are correct
- Confirm call list, emergency contacts, and runner/response instructions are current
- Restore system from test and confirm the station logged normal restoration
Results, Deficiencies & Sign-Off
- Overall result: system operates as intended — Pass / Fail
- Deficiencies and impairments listed with device type, address, and location
- Critical deficiencies (impaired detection, notification, or signaling) flagged and owner notified in writing
- Corrective actions completed on site or recommended with priority
- Devices left in bypass/disable noted with reason and planned restoration date
- System restored to full automatic operation; all zones and the supervising station verified normal
- Building owner or representative notified of results
- Technician signature, printed name, license number, and date
- Owner or authorized agent signature, printed name, and date
- Next inspection and test due dates by frequency
Technician signature
Customer / owner signature
Inspection, testing, and maintenance requirements come from the NFPA 72 inspection and testing chapter (recent editions commonly place visual inspection and functional test requirements in the Chapter 14 tables, but chapter, table, and section numbering varies by edition). Editions and locally adopted amendments vary; verify the applicable scope, test methods, and frequencies with your AHJ and the adopted edition. Frequencies shown here are commonly cited (for example quarterly waterflow testing, annual functional testing of most devices, and alternate-year smoke sensitivity checks) but can differ in your jurisdiction. This template is a starting point for your records, not the standard itself, and does not replace inspection or testing performed by qualified personnel.
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