QLD Smoke Alarm Laws 2027: What Every Gold Coast Homeowner Needs to Know
From 1 January 2027, every existing home in Queensland must have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms. That includes houses, townhouses, units and manufactured homes – and it now covers owner-occupied homes, not just rentals and properties being sold.
If you own and live in your home and haven't upgraded yet, this deadline applies to you. Here's what the law requires, in plain English, from a licensed Gold Coast electrician who installs these every week.
Who has to comply?
Queensland brought in its new smoke alarm laws in stages:
Rental properties had to comply from 1 January 2022, from the start of any new or renewed lease.
Homes being sold had to comply from 1 January 2022, before the property transfers.
All other homes, including owner-occupied houses and units, must comply by 1 January 2027.
Registered caravans and motorhomes also need a photoelectric smoke alarm by the same date.
What counts as a compliant smoke alarm?
Every smoke alarm in the home must:
Be photoelectric, not ionisation. Ionisation alarms are no longer allowed at all.
Comply with Australian Standard AS 3786-2014 (it's marked on the alarm body).
Be interconnected, so when one alarm sounds, every alarm in the house sounds.
Be either hardwired to mains power with a backup battery, or powered by a non-removable 10-year battery.
A plain 9-volt battery alarm on its own does not comply. Neither does a hardwired alarm that isn't linked to the others.
Where do smoke alarms need to go?
The Queensland Fire Department requires alarms:
In every bedroom.
In hallways connecting bedrooms to the rest of the home.
If there's no hallway, between the bedrooms and the rest of that storey.
On every storey – and if a storey has no bedrooms, in the most likely path of travel out of the house.
That means most three- or four-bedroom Gold Coast homes need five or more alarms, not the one or two many older homes have. Stairwells, sloping ceilings and open-plan layouts have extra placement rules, so it pays to have an electrician lay it out.
Hardwired or 10-year battery – which do I need?
If your home already has hardwired (240V) smoke alarms, the replacements generally need to be hardwired too. This is because replacements should match what was required when the home was built. Most Gold Coast homes built since 1997 were built with hardwired alarms.
Hardwired alarms must be installed by a licensed electrician. When we finish, you receive a Certificate of Testing and Compliance for the work – the paperwork you'll want if you ever sell.
For homes with no hardwired alarms, 10-year lithium battery alarms that link wirelessly are a legal option. Many owners still choose hardwired interconnected alarms for reliability and to avoid replacing every unit at the same time a decade from now.
What if I'm selling or renting out my home?
Selling: the seller must upgrade before transfer and declare it on the Form 24 (Property Information Transfer form). Leave it to the last week and it can hold up settlement.
Renting: landlords must already comply. Within 30 days before each tenancy starts, the landlord must test and clean every alarm. Landlords who don't comply can receive an infringement notice.
Why you shouldn't leave it until December
Thousands of Gold Coast homes still need upgrading, and every electrician's calendar fills up in the final months before a deadline. Booking now means you pick the day, not take whatever's left.
Old alarms also have a shelf life. Any smoke alarm more than 10 years old should be replaced anyway, deadline or not.
How Bonus Electrical can help
We're a licensed local electrician based in Upper Coomera, servicing the Gold Coast, Logan and Scenic Rim. A typical upgrade includes:
A check of your current alarms and what the law requires for your home's layout.
Supply and installation of compliant interconnected photoelectric alarms.
Testing of every alarm and a Certificate of Testing and Compliance.
We also work with property managers and body corporates on multi-property and multi-unit upgrades.
Book your smoke alarm upgrade before the rush. Call Lewis on 0411 292 602 or send an enquiry. Read more about our smoke alarm installation service and smoke alarm compliance.
This article summarises Queensland Fire Department guidance as of October 2026. Always check the QFD smoke alarm page for the latest requirements.
