Smoke alarm rules and regulations in Victoria are derived primarily from the Victorian Building Regulations 2018 (which requires smoke alarms to be installed in accordance with the Building Code of Australia). Amendments are also being made to the Victorian Residential Tenancies Act which will place extra duties on the landlord.

240v mains powered hard-wired smoke alarms with a battery back-up must be installed in all Victorian buildings constructed after 1 August 1997, like these Red brand 240 volt lithium battery back-up smoke alarms.

Buildings constructed before 1st August 1997 can have a battery-powered smoke alarm, like these wireless interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms with a 10 year long life lithium battery.

As a legal minimum the state requires at least one smoke alarm on each floor of a dwelling, positioned to detect to smoke before it reaches the sleeping occupants of a building.

Direct links to the Victorian Government website are posted below if you would like to read the legislative document for yourself.

https://content.legislation.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-10/18-38sra013%20authorised.pdf

The Victorian Country Fire Authority (CFA) recommend smoke alarm best practice above and beyond minimum legal Victorian requirements – refer to the direct link below.

https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/installation-and-replacement

(all images above courtesy Country Fire Association Victoria website).