From 1 January 2027, every home in Queensland must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms — this guide sets out what the law requires, how many alarms a home like yours needs, and exactly what an upgrade costs. You can book your upgrade or request a quote at the bottom of the page.
Rental properties and homes being sold have had to meet this standard since 1 January 2022. 2027 is the deadline that brings owner-occupied homes into line (the story behind these laws is worth reading) — if you own the home you live in, this is the one that applies to you.
Everything below is the minimum the law requires, plus a full price table so you can work out your likely cost before you speak to anyone.
Queensland’s smoke alarm laws exist because of a specific fire. In 2011, a house fire in Slacks Creek killed 11 people, including eight children — the greatest loss of life in a domestic house fire in Australian history. A coronial inquest found there were no working smoke alarms in the home at the time, and that had they been working, some or all of the victims could reasonably have escaped. That finding drove the staged legislation that followed: new builds from 2017, rental and sold properties from 2022, and every remaining home from 2027.
Queensland records more than 1,600 residential house fires a year — roughly one every five hours — with an average of 10 fire-related deaths a year over the past 25 years. Working smoke alarms roughly halve the risk of dying in a house fire, and more than one-third of fatal home fires happen in houses without smoke alarms at all. Interconnection is what makes the difference at night: it means a fire starting at one end of the house sounds the alarm beside the people sleeping at the other end.
What the law actually requires
By 1 January 2027, smoke alarms in your home must be:
- Photoelectric — they detect the visible smoke particles given off by smouldering fires, which cause most house-fire deaths and are more common in modern homes with synthetic furnishings. Ionisation alarms react faster to fast-flaming fires but are slow to detect smouldering ones, and are no longer acceptable in Queensland. If your current alarm carries a radioactive symbol or the word “ionisation”, it needs replacing regardless of its age.
- Compliant with AS 3786:2014 — this is marked on the alarm itself.
- Interconnected — when one alarm sounds, every alarm in the house sounds. This can be done wirelessly or by hardwiring.
- Less than 10 years old — alarms have a manufacture date printed on them and must be replaced within 10 years of that date.
- Powered by either mains electricity (240V, with a backup battery) or a non-removable 10-year lithium battery.
There is one important catch: if you are replacing an alarm that is currently hardwired, the replacement must also be hardwired. You cannot downgrade a hardwired alarm to a battery unit.
Where alarms must be installed
- In every bedroom
- In hallways that connect bedrooms to the rest of the home
- On every storey, even if there are no bedrooms on that level
- If there is no hallway, on the most likely path of travel out of the home
This placement rule is why the number of alarms a home needs is driven by bedrooms and storeys — not floor area.
Does this apply to me?
- You own and live in your home — 1 January 2027.
- You rent the property out — already required, since 1 January 2022.
- You are selling the property — required before settlement.
If you are selling before 2027, you cannot wait — compliant alarms must be in place before settlement, and this often becomes urgent late in a sale. We offer an accelerated installation for sellers at $129 incl. GST per alarm.
How Queensland’s rules compare
Queensland’s requirements go further than most other states. In both New South Wales and Victoria, mains-powered interconnected alarms are only required where the dwelling was constructed after 1 May 2014 and has more than one alarm — a building-code trigger that does not reach most existing homes. Neither state mandates the bedroom-by-bedroom, storey-by-storey coverage Queensland will require of every owner-occupied home from 2027, and Queensland remains the only state that requires an alarm inside each bedroom.
Queensland is also stricter on alarm type. Its ban on ionisation alarms covers all residential dwellings, while several other states still accept them — in Western Australia, for example, both photoelectric and ionisation alarms meet the standard and photoelectric is only recommended. Our state-by-state smoke alarm legislation guide sets out what each state requires in full.
How many alarms will my home need?
These are the minimum numbers required to meet the placement rules above. You can also use our 2027 upgrade calculator for an instant estimate based on your property.
| Single-storey | Double-storey | |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | 1 | — |
| 1 bedroom | 2 | 3 |
| 2 bedrooms | 4 | 5 |
| 3 bedrooms | 5 | 6 |
| 4 bedrooms | 6 | 7 |
| 5 bedrooms | 7 | 8 |
What does a 2027 upgrade cost?
Detector Inspector charges $89 incl. GST per alarm, supplied and installed, for our own brand alarm. We also offer the PSA brand at $149 incl. GST per alarm, which uses an advanced sensor designed to resist false triggers from insects, humidity and dust.
Every installation includes a compliance certificate confirming your property meets Queensland's requirements, and a complimentary wireless smoke alarm controller.
 $89 per alarm |
 $149 per alarm |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-storey | Double-storey | Single-storey | Double-storey | |
| Studio | $89 | — | $149 | — |
| 1 bedroom | $178 | $267 | $298 | $447 |
| 2 bedrooms | $356 | $445 | $596 | $745 |
| 3 bedrooms | $445 | $534 | $745 | $894 |
| 4 bedrooms | $534 | $623 | $894 | $1,043 |
| 5 bedrooms | $623 | $712 | $1,043 | $1,192 |
Minimum cost to meet the legal requirement for a home of that size, incl. GST, supplied and installed, with a compliance certificate. The final cost may change if our technician identifies that more alarms are needed to meet compliance requirements. Where asbestos is identified, magnetic fixings will be used to install the alarms; this incurs an additional cost of $100. Click here for Terms & Conditions.
Hardwired or 10-year battery?
Both are legal, and the right answer usually depends on what you already have.
- If your existing alarms are hardwired, your replacements must be hardwired too. This work must be done by a licensed electrician.
- If your existing alarms are battery-powered, you can use 10-year non-removable lithium battery alarms. These are quicker to install and avoid electrical work.
Wireless interconnection means battery alarms can still talk to each other — you do not need to run cabling between them to meet the interconnection requirement.
What to check before you book anyone
- They install photoelectric alarms marked AS 3786:2014 — ask which brand and model.
- They will assess the whole home, not just swap the alarms you already have. The number and position of alarms is what the law is actually about.
- They provide written confirmation of compliance you can keep, which matters if you later sell.
- Any hardwired work is done by a licensed electrician.
- You get a clear written estimate up front — and they tell you what could change it on the day, such as extra alarms being required.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I don’t upgrade by 1 January 2027?
Your home will not meet Queensland law. Beyond the legal position, non-compliant alarms are a genuine safety risk — interconnection exists so that an alarm triggered at one end of the house wakes people at the other.
Do I need an alarm in the kitchen or bathroom?
No. Alarms are required in bedrooms, connecting hallways and on each storey. Alarms are generally not placed in kitchens or bathrooms, because steam and cooking fumes cause false alarms.
Can I install the alarms myself?
If your home uses 10-year battery alarms, you can install them yourself — but you are responsible for getting the placement, interconnection and testing right, and for proving compliance later. Hardwired alarms must be installed by a licensed electrician.
How long does an upgrade take?
Most homes are completed in a single visit.
Do my alarms need replacing if they are already photoelectric and interconnected?
Only if they are approaching 10 years from their manufacture date, or if they do not carry the AS 3786:2014 marking. Check the printed date on the alarm itself.
Getting your home compliant
Detector Inspector has installed more than 125,000 alarms in Queensland homes and maintains an industry-low failure rate. We also offer an ongoing smoke alarm safety service once your upgrade is done. Upgrades start at $89 incl. GST per alarm, supplied and installed, with a compliance certificate provided.
Get a quote for your 2027 upgrade or call 07 4800 7390.
This guide is general information, current at the time of writing. The Queensland Fire Department is the authority on smoke alarm requirements — see fire.qld.gov.au for the official position.
Book your upgrade in minutes
1
Book online
Pay securely via Stripe
2
Confirm appointment
We will be in touch
3
Installation day
Licensed electrician installs
Service areas: Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and SEQ. Have a question? Call 07 4800 7390 — we’re happy to help.
Request a quotation
Get an estimate based on your property, or ask us a question.