International Fire Code
Arizona enforces the 2024 IFC as a statewide minimum
The 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) has been in force in Arizona since Apr 13, 2026. It applies as a statewide minimum; local codes may go further. Adopted by Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (Office of the State Fire Marshal). The legal citation is A.A.C. R4-36-201 (amended 32 A.A.R. 558); A.R.S. 37-1383(A)(2).
Record of adoption
Edition in force
2024 IFC
Arizona State Fire Code
Verified
- In force since
- Legal citation
- A.A.C. R4-36-201 (amended 32 A.A.R. 558); A.R.S. 37-1383(A)(2)
- Adopted by
- Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (Office of the State Fire Marshal)
- Second reading
- Applies
- Statewide minimum; local codes may go further
- Also called
- State Fire Code, R4-36-201, 4 A.A.C. 36
The A.A.C. and the Register notice show the 2024 IFC effective Apr 13, 2026, while State Fire Marshal web pages still name the 2012 and 2018 editions.
Exceptions
- The state fire code standards for fire protection and exits exclude family dwellings with fewer than five residential dwelling units (A.R.S. 37-1383(A)(2)(e)).
- Cities of 100,000 or more with their own nationally recognized fire code and an ordinance assuming jurisdiction enforce their own code, but remain subject to the state fire code in state or county owned buildings (A.R.S. 37-1383(A)(5)); HB 2324 (2026) allows an agreement for city enforcement in county-owned buildings.
- Counties, cities, towns and fire districts adopt local fire codes; a fire district’s code must be one approved by the State Fire Marshal (A.R.S. 48-805), and State Fire Marshal plan review of most construction applies where no local fire code exists (agency page).
- Public buildings must meet the state fire code and the fire code of the jurisdiction where they sit (A.R.S. 34-461).
How Arizona adopts the IFC
The Legislature does not name an edition; A.R.S. 37-1383(A)(2) directs the Office of the State Fire Marshal to adopt the state fire code by rule. The Department amends R4-36-201 by rulemaking published in the Arizona Administrative Register to incorporate a newer IFC edition by reference (2024 IFC via R26-18, effective Apr 13, 2026). No legislative approval step was identified; fire districts separately adopt codes with State Fire Marshal approval (A.R.S. 48-805).
Cycle. Irregular; R4-36-201 was amended effective Apr 7, 2007, Jan 2, 2016, Jan 7, 2022, and Apr 13, 2026, not on every ICC cycle.
Laws, rulings, and other actions
- Other actionOffice of Manufactured Housing adoption of the 2024 I-Codes and 2023 NEC for factory-built buildings (reported; effective date shown)
Reportedly replaces the 2018 I-Codes and 2017 NEC that 4 A.A.C. 34 lists for factory-built buildings and manufactured homes; it does not govern site-built construction.
- LegislationHB 23242026 regular session
Lets a municipality and the Office of the State Fire Marshal agree that the municipality enforces its own fire code in county-owned buildings instead of the state fire code.
Enacted (signed by the Governor, Laws 2026 ch. 57; House summary dated Apr 14, 2026)
azleg.gov (opens in a new tab)
How it was checked
Verified
Two separate readings of the state’s own record agree, and the passage is on file word for word.
Read twice: a second, blind reading of the state’s record agreed with the first on .
The state’s record was last read on , from eight source pages.
Evidence 12 sources
Sources for the record itself come first, the state’s own records ahead of others. A label marks a source about something else, such as an exception. A source marked secondary is not the state’s own record.
“The Department needs to amend its rules to update the incorporated materials to the more recent 2024 edition.”
Arizona Administrative Register, Vol. 32, Issue 10 (March 6, 2026): Notice of Final Rulemaking, Title 4, Chapter 36 [R26-18]Arizona Secretary of Stateapps.azsos.gov (opens in a new tab)State registerRetrieved “April 13, 2026”
Arizona Administrative Register, Vol. 32, Issue 10 (March 6, 2026): Notice of Final Rulemaking [R26-18], preamble item 4 (effective date of the rule)Arizona Secretary of Stateapps.azsos.gov (opens in a new tab)State registerRetrieved “shall comply with the provisions of the International Fire Code (2024 Edition),”
“incorporated by reference as the State Fire Code,”
“and modified by Article 3.”
Arizona Administrative Code, Title 4, Chapter 36, Department of Forestry and Fire Management (Supp. 26-1), R4-36-201Arizona Secretary of Stateapps.azsos.gov (opens in a new tab)Administrative codeRetrieved “Amended by final rulemaking at 32 A.A.R. 558 (March 6, 2026, Issue 10), effective April 13, 2026 (Supp. 26-1).”
Arizona Administrative Code, Title 4, Chapter 36 (Supp. 26-1), R4-36-201 Historical NoteArizona Secretary of Stateapps.azsos.gov (opens in a new tab)Administrative codeRetrieved “Adopt by rule a state fire code establishing minimum standards for:”
37-1383. Powers and duties; construction plans and specifications; permit applications; arson investigatorsArizona Legislatureazleg.gov (opens in a new tab)StatuteRetrieved “Enforce compliance with the fire code adopted pursuant to this subsection throughout this state except in any city with a population of one hundred thousand persons or more”
37-1383. Powers and duties (subsection A, paragraph 5: enforcement of the state fire code)Arizona Legislatureazleg.gov (opens in a new tab)StatuteRetrieved About an exception
“Such cities do not have authority that supersedes and are not exempt from the state fire code”
“in state or county owned buildings wherever located throughout this state.”
37-1383. Powers and duties (subsection A, paragraph 5: state and county owned buildings)Arizona Legislatureazleg.gov (opens in a new tab)StatuteRetrieved About an exception
“Public buildings shall be constructed in compliance with the state fire code”
“adopted by the city, town, county or fire district in which the building is located”
34-461. Applicability of local codes; exceptions; definitionArizona Legislatureazleg.gov (opens in a new tab)StatuteRetrieved About an exception
“adopt the _______ fire code, which is a nationally recognized fire code approved by the state fire marshal.”
48-805. Fire district; powers and duties; definitionArizona Legislatureazleg.gov (opens in a new tab)StatuteRetrieved About an exception
Arizona State Statute and Fire CodeArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (Office of the State Fire Marshal)dffm.az.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved About the note
AZ State Statute and Fire CodeArizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (Office of the State Fire Marshal)dffm.az.gov (opens in a new tab)Agency pageRetrieved About a law or bill
HB 2324: fire code; municipalities; county buildings (House summary, signed by the Governor)Arizona House of Representativesazleg.gov (opens in a new tab)BillRetrieved
Tracker cross-checks
Code adoption trackers are a cross-check. They are not Arizona’s own record.
ICC’s code adoption mapCross-checkDoes not agree with the record
The Arizona State Fire Code, adopting the 2018 IFC, requires the submittal of plans for new construction