What changes from 1 January 2027?
From 1 January 2027, all remaining Queensland domestic dwellings must meet the updated smoke alarm requirements.
The reforms have been introduced in stages. Homes being sold or rented already need compliant interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms. From 1 January 2027, the updated requirements extend to the remaining Queensland homes.
For most owner-occupiers, 1 January 2027 is the key deadline. The goal is straightforward: make sure your required smoke alarms are compliant, correctly located and interconnected.
The 5 things Queensland homeowners need to check
Required alarms must be photoelectric, comply with AS 3786:2014 and not contain an ionisation sensor.
Alarms must be less than 10 years old and operate when tested.
A required smoke alarm must be installed in every bedroom.
Hallways or other required connecting areas must be covered, with the correct protection on each storey.
Every required smoke alarm must be interconnected so the alarms operate together.
Important: “on each storey” does not simply mean placing one alarm anywhere on every floor. Bedrooms and connecting areas have specific location requirements. If a storey has no bedrooms, at least one alarm is required in the most likely path of travel from that storey to an exit.
Already know your bedrooms and storeys? Use our 4-question Home Kit Finder to estimate how many alarms your home's layout may need.
Find My Home Kit →Not sure where to start? We've got you covered.
Use these three guides to work through your home one step at a time.
Where Should Smoke Alarms Be Installed in Queensland?
Learn the required bedroom, hallway and storey locations, plus the key ceiling clearances.
View the placement guide →How Many Smoke Alarms Do I Need in Queensland?
Work through bedrooms, connecting areas and storeys to estimate how many alarm locations your layout may need.
View the quantity guide →Can I Install Smoke Alarms Myself in Queensland?
Find out when a suitable battery-powered installation can be DIY and when a licensed electrician is required.
View the DIY guide →Do the alarms have to be hardwired?
Not in every existing-home situation. Existing battery-operated alarms can be replaced, when required, with compliant photoelectric alarms powered by a non-removable 10-year battery. Existing required 240V hardwired alarms must be replaced with 240V hardwired alarms. New construction and major renovations require hardwired 240V alarms.
What does “interconnected” mean?
It means the required alarms are linked so that when one alarm activates, the other interconnected alarms sound too. Interconnection can be wired, wireless or an appropriate combination of both.
What if my alarms are already installed?
Check that they meet the current requirements: photoelectric, AS 3786:2014 compliant, less than 10 years old, operating when tested, installed in the required locations and interconnected with the other required alarms.
What if I sell or rent the property?
The 2027 deadline is not a grace period for properties being sold, rented or re-rented. Those dwellings must already meet the updated interconnected photoelectric smoke alarm requirements. For rentals, the landlord is responsible for installing compliant alarms.
2027-Ready Checklist
These are the same five checks explained above — making it easy to work through your home one step at a time.
Queensland 2027 smoke alarm FAQs
Can I still use 10-year battery smoke alarms?
Yes, in appropriate existing-home situations. Battery-operated alarms must use a non-removable 10-year battery and meet the current photoelectric and AS 3786:2014 requirements. If an existing required alarm is 240V hardwired, its replacement must also be hardwired. New construction and major renovations require hardwired 240V alarms.
Do I need an electrician to install battery smoke alarms?
QFD states that non-removable battery-powered smoke alarms do not need to be installed by an electrician. Mains electrical work for 240V smoke alarms must be completed by a licensed electrician.
Where exactly do the alarms need to go?
Required alarms are installed in every bedroom; in hallways connecting bedrooms to the rest of the dwelling or, where there is no hallway, between bedrooms and the other parts of the storey; and on a bedroom-free storey, in the most likely path of travel to an exit. Additional ceiling placement and clearance rules also apply.
What if my existing alarms are more than 10 years old?
Smoke alarms older than 10 years, or alarms that fail to operate when tested, must be replaced. The replacement must meet the current requirements and retain hardwired power where the alarm being replaced is hardwired.
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Where this information comes from
This article is a plain-English guide. For complete requirements and unusual circumstances, refer to the official Queensland sources below.
General information only. Smoke alarm requirements can differ for new construction, major renovations, existing hardwired systems, rental properties, sales and unusual layouts. Electrical work must be performed by a licensed electrician.
