--- title: SB 374. Buildings; local fire ordinances requiring fire sprinklers in certain multifamily dwellings; authorize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sb374 cite_as: SB 374, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb374 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb374.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb374/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72065 date: 2025-04-04 status: introduced corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb373.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb375.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 95 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb374.md?full=1 bill_number: SB 374 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: bill status_date: 2025-04-04 last_action: Senate Read and Referred sponsors: - Brian Strickland text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB374/2025 upstream_id: 2020905 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - fire safety - building codes - multifamily housing - local government authority --- # SB 374. Buildings; local fire ordinances requiring fire sprinklers in certain multifamily dwellings; authorize ## Text 25 LC 44 3143 Senate Bill 374 By: Senator Strickland of the 42nd A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 8 of the Off icial Code of Georgia1 Annotated, relating to general provisions regarding buildings generally, so as to authorize2 local fire ordinances requiring fire sprinklers in certain multifamily dwellings; to provide for3 related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:5 SECTION 1.6 Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating7 to general provisions regarding buildings generally, is amended by revising Code Section8 8-2-4, relating to certain residential fire sprinkler requirements prohibited, as follows:9 "8-2-4.10 Neither the state residential and fire building code nor any re sidential and fire building11 code adopted by a political subdivision of the state adopted af ter May 24, 2010, shall12 include a requirement that fire sprinklers be installed in a si ngle-family dwelling or a13 residential building that contains no more than two dwelling units. This Code section shall14 not preclude any political subdivision of the state from adopting an ordinance requiring fire15 sprinklers to be installed in residential buildings that contain more than two dwelling units."16 S. B. 374 - 1 - 25 LC 44 3143 SECTION 2.17 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.18 S. B. 374 - 2 - ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia Senate bill would clarify that cities and counties can require fire sprinklers in multifamily buildings with more than two units, even though state law bars such mandates for houses and duplexes. ### Plain-language summary Georgia law currently bars the state building code and any local fire code adopted after May 24, 2010 from requiring fire sprinklers in single-family homes or buildings with no more than two dwelling units, such as duplexes. This bill rewrites that section (O.C.G.A. § 8-2-4) to add a clarifying sentence stating that the ban does not stop a city or county from passing its own ordinance requiring fire sprinklers in residential buildings that have more than two dwelling units, such as apartment complexes or larger multifamily developments. The bill does not force any local government to require sprinklers; it simply removes doubt about whether local governments have the authority to do so for larger multifamily buildings. The existing protection for single-family homes and duplexes stays in place. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws. ### What it does - Keeps the existing ban on requiring fire sprinklers in single-family homes and buildings with two or fewer dwelling units. - Adds language confirming that cities and counties may pass ordinances requiring fire sprinklers in residential buildings with more than two dwelling units. - Repeals any state or local laws that conflict with this clarified rule. ### Who it affects Local governments (cities and counties) that write fire and building codes, developers and owners of multifamily housing such as apartment buildings and townhome complexes, and residents living in buildings with more than two units who could be affected by new local sprinkler rules. ### Why it matters Local governments would have clear legal authority to require sprinkler systems in larger multifamily buildings, which could affect construction costs and safety standards for new apartment and condo projects, while homeowners and duplex owners remain shielded from any such mandate. ### Key provisions - Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 8-2-4 to keep the prohibition on sprinkler mandates for single-family dwellings and buildings with two or fewer units. - Section 1 adds a sentence stating the prohibition does not stop a political subdivision from adopting an ordinance requiring sprinklers in buildings with more than two dwelling units. - Section 2 repeals any laws that conflict with the amended section. ## Status - Status: Introduced (2025-04-04) - Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-04-04) - Sponsors: Brian Strickland - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72065 > The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb374.md?full=1