Fire Codes & Regulations

In 1736, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Benjamin Franklin formed the first American volunteer fire company. Other colonies soon did the same. Notable historical figures who served as volunteer firefighters include Sam Adams, Alexander Hamilton, John Hancock, Paul Revere, and George Washington.

Find out more about your local fire and building codes by starting here. If you are simply interested in the minimum facts, use the "U.S. State Code Finder" below and highlight your state in the map. For more in-depth information, follow the links to the right where you can learn about the history of U.S. building and fire codes along with interesting fire facts about each state. Historical fires are detailed along with the impact that they had on the development of codes. Pertinent portions of all the major U.S. fire and building codes are also provided, along with links to specialized codes that apply to the municipalities of New York City or The City of Chicago.