Smoke detector: what the law requires in Quebec
One smoke alarm per storey, a test every month, a replacement after 10 years. The rules in Quebec and Montreal, for owners and tenants.
The device on your ceiling is officially a smoke alarm, often called a smoke detector. In Quebec, "avertisseur de fumée" (smoke alarm) is the term used in the Code de sécurité, and Québec.ca uses both words. The rule comes down to three points: at least one smoke alarm per storey, basement included, a test every month and replacement 10 years after the date of manufacture. In Montreal, residential buildings built before 1985 must have smoke alarms with a non-removable 10-year lithium battery.
What the regulations require in Quebec
Two levels of rules apply. The Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ), Quebec's building authority, administers the Safety Code (Code de sécurité) (chapter B-1.1, r. 3) and its Building chapter. The ministère de la Sécurité publique specifies that these obligations apply, among others, to owners of buildings of more than two storeys and more than eight dwellings. Elsewhere, your municipality's by-law sets the requirements.
Section 353 of the Safety Code, up to date as of June 1, 2026, requires a smoke alarm on every storey of every dwelling. On a storey with bedrooms, it goes between the bedrooms and the rest of the storey, or in the hallway serving them.
Section 358 sets the lifespan: every smoke alarm must be replaced 10 years after the date of manufacture shown on the casing. If there is no date on the casing, the device must be replaced without delay.
The Montreal example
The Règlement sur le Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (RCG 12-003) requires the installation, maintenance and good working order of the smoke alarm. The Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM), Montreal's fire department, summarizes the requirements as follows.
- Residential buildings in the agglomeration built before 1985 must have lithium smoke alarms with a long-life non-removable 10-year battery
- A building from before 1985 that already has 120-volt electric smoke alarms does not have to add lithium smoke alarms
- All dwellings must have at least one smoke alarm per storey, basement included
- In residential buildings built after June 2015, one is also required in every room where people sleep
The SIM announces penalties of $80 to $2,000 for a first offence committed by an individual.
Where to install a smoke detector
Québec.ca, in its page updated on July 26, 2024, recommends a smoke alarm in four places.
- On every storey, including the basement
- In the hallway near the bedrooms
- In every bedroom where someone sleeps
- Near the stairs
The device is mounted on the ceiling, at least 10 centimetres from the wall, or on the wall, 10 to 30 centimetres from the ceiling. Québec.ca also asks for a distance of 1 metre from a fan, an air conditioner, an outlet or an air return.
Electric or battery smoke detector
According to Québec.ca, the battery-operated smoke alarm is the most common. The site advises choosing models with a lithium battery that lasts 10 years. The electric smoke alarm, connected to 120-volt power, should contain a backup battery in case of a power failure.
A smoke alarm connected to an electrical circuit cannot be replaced by a battery model. Electric smoke alarms must be interconnected. Every smoke alarm must bear the ULC logo of Underwriters Laboratories of Canada.
Photoelectric or ionization smoke detector
| Type | Where Québec.ca recommends it |
|---|---|
| Ionization | Bedrooms and hallways |
| Photoelectric | Near the kitchen and the bathroom |
Québec.ca describes the ionization type as more sensitive to steam and smoke. The Safety Code requires the photoelectric type only in certain supervised residences, in section 355.
Changing the battery, replacing the device
The RBQ no longer advises changing the battery twice a year when the clocks change. It asks you to test the smoke alarm once a month and to replace the battery when it emits an intermittent beep. Québec.ca adds the time you move into a new home.
To test it, press the test button for a few seconds. A smoke alarm does not detect carbon monoxide, which requires its own alarm.
Owner or tenant: who is responsible
According to the ministère de la Sécurité publique leaflet, owners must provide smoke alarms in good working order. Tenants must test them, maintain them and replace the batteries, if needed.
In Montreal, the SIM writes that every owner must provide and install the smoke alarms, and that maintenance is up to the occupant. In apartment buildings, rooming houses and condominiums, the check must be recorded in a register at least once a year.
This text summarizes public documents. It is not legal advice.
Further reading
- Fire prevention at home: the three devices
- Carbon monoxide detector: where it is mandatory and what to do when it goes off
- Fire extinguisher: which one to choose for the home, where to put it and when to refill it
- Loss: definition, reporting it to the insurer and the steps after a fire
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Frequently asked questions
Are smoke detectors mandatory in Quebec?
Yes. Section 353 of the Safety Code requires them in every dwelling of the buildings it covers. Municipal by-laws cover other homes.
Where and how many smoke detectors?
You need at least one per storey, basement included. Québec.ca recommends adding one in the hallway near the bedrooms, one in each bedroom and one near the stairs. The number required depends on your municipality's by-law.
What is the difference between a smoke detector and a smoke alarm?
The Safety Code says smoke alarm (avertisseur de fumée) for the device in the home. Québec.ca speaks of smoke detectors for devices connected to a remote monitoring centre. Such a detector does not replace the smoke alarm required by municipal regulations.
How do I know when to change the smoke detector batteries?
The smoke alarm emits an intermittent beep when the battery needs to be replaced. Also change it when you move in, or if the device stays silent during the monthly test.
Why does my smoke detector go off when there is no smoke?
Québec.ca names steam and cooking smoke, near the kitchen, the fireplace and the bathroom. The SIM adds dust buildup in the device. An intermittent beep instead signals a battery to replace.
How do I stop a smoke detector from beeping?
If the beep is intermittent, replace the battery. If the smoke alarm goes off for no reason, the ministère de la Sécurité publique asks you to use the hush button. Never remove the battery and never disconnect the device.
What is the best smoke detector?
Official sources do not rank any model. Québec.ca recommends the ionization type for bedrooms and hallways, and the photoelectric type near the kitchen and the bathroom. The device must bear the ULC logo.
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Sources
- LégisQuébec, Code de sécurité, chapter B-1.1, r. 3, sections 353 to 358, up to date as of June 1, 2026
- Gouvernement du Québec, Avertisseurs de fumée, up to date as of July 26, 2024
- Ministère de la Sécurité publique, L'avertisseur de fumée sauve des vies, leaflet dated August 2014, consulted on October 11, 2026
- Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Conseils de sécurité en logement, undated page, consulted on October 11, 2026
- Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal, FAQ sur l'avertisseur de fumée, undated page, consulted on October 11, 2026
- Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal, Règlement sur le Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal, summary of by-law RCG 12-003, undated page, consulted on October 11, 2026