Now that we are into 2025, let’s review the significant changes to the 2025 NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code. Although many jurisdictions don’t adopt the latest edition this quickly, knowing what to expect is always useful. In my last article, I introduced the new Chapter 11 on cybersecurity. These are some other significant changes in the 2025 edition.

Before we begin, there are a few new items in the 2022 edition that will affect the 2025 changes. First, NFPA introduced a new Annex I that adds color-coded tagging recommendations for fire alarm systems. Some states already have such a requirement in place, but certainly not all. It is a good idea for the inspector to quickly glance at the fire alarm system’s condition, which can hopefully help reduce unwanted alarms and ensure more reliable fire protection. A significant change pertains to remote access to fire alarm systems for such things as resetting, silencing, operation of emergency control functions and software updates. 

Additionally, NFPA made changes regarding detector technology that will affect this process in the future. The belief is that photoelectric and ionization smoke detection is going to be a thing of the past, with newer technology such as multicriteria detection becoming the standard to provide greater resistance to unwanted alarms.

In 2025, NFPA deleted Annex J on Cybersecurity because that information was codified and placed in Chapter 11 with explanatory information now provided in Annex A. That is a common practice when new chapters are initially added. 

NFPA introduced two new (at least for fire alarm systems) types of detectors. The first is acoustic leak detectors, which operate by detecting the sound produced by a pressurized gas release (defined in 3.3.79.1). They are also known as ultrasonic gas detectors. More information is provided in 17.11. The other new detector introduced in 2025 is a thermal image fire detector. As defined in 3.3.79.26, it is “an initiating device that senses overheated combustible material by imaging in the long-wave infrared wavelengths (i.e., far infrared) using a focal plane array.” Though thermal image fire detectors are technically radiant energy detectors, the current definition for radiant energy detectors was originally written for traditional (nonimaging) flame and spark detectors. More information is provided in 17.12.

Although smoke detector spacing requirements remain the same up to 40 feet, installing smoke detectors above that height now requires performance-based design spacing. 

A new notification mode was introduced: restricted audible mode operation. As described in the origins section at the beginning of NFPA 72, “It recognizes the need for notification options in areas where loud sounds might be detrimental to typical occupants of the notification zones, such as facilities that service people with autism spectrum disorder, neurodiverse individuals, or other occupants with sensitivity to sound, light, or other stimuli.”

In Chapter 18, new requirements were introduced to provide more information for performing voltage-drop calculations for DC-powered appliances and to account for any notification appliance expanders used between the control unit and the appliances. The new information is in 18.3.7 with explanatory information in A.18.3.7.1.3 and Figure A.18.3.7.1.4.

In Chapter 26, Supervising Station Alarm Systems, auxiliary service providers (ASPs) (defined in 3.3.31.) are introduced. According to the origins section, “The new section on ASPs ensures that fire protection signals that pass from the protected premises through the ASPs’ servers are processed in a reliable and supervised manner and do not bypass the supervising station ... Changes were also made to the communications technologies requirements to begin to address new technical advancements and a variety of methods of transmitting and processing important fire alarm system signals to supervising stations while providing continued recognition of legacy transmitting methods still in use.”

Chapter 29 now points to NFPA 715, Standard for the Installation of Fuel Gases Detection and Warning Equipment, for fuel gas detection. 

The origins section states that “The requirements for notification of persons with hearing loss, the elderly, school age children, and impaired persons have been simplified to provide 520 Hz notification appliances or tactile notification appliances. Smoke alarm spacing relative to cooking appliances has been substantially changed to consider smoke alarms listed for resistance to nuisance sources.” 

New technologies are shaping the methods for installing and using fire alarm systems. The technical committees are doing a great job on trying to keep up with current trends, including cybersecurity, to better protect fire alarm systems and ensure their operation when needed.

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