State Fire Marshal’s Office

The mission of the State Fire Marshal’s Office is to make fire safety a way of life in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  We accomplish this by:

• Educating citizens and visitors about fire hazards and fire prevention techniques
• Identifying factors that increase risks from fire and implementing programs to reduce those risks
• Ensuring compliance with the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code (SFPC) through education and progressive enforcement activities, including:
  • Fire prevention inspections of schools, night clubs, health care facilities and other occupancies in localities that do not have a local fire code official
  • Fire prevention inspections of state-owned facilities, including colleges and universities, health care and correctional facilities, and offices
  • Inspection of construction projects in state facilities
  • Investigation of complaints
• Providing technical assistance to local building and fire officials in the application and enforcement of the Statewide Fire Prevention Code and the fire safety related provisions of the Uniform Statewide Building Code
• Analyzing fire incidents to identify needed changes to fire safety related code provisions
• Administering programs to regulate explosives, fireworks, and fire-safe cigarettes.

We have 29 total personnel serving the Commonwealth from our headquarters in Glen Allen and seven regional offices throughout the Commonwealth.

Many of Virginia’s larger urban localities have their own local fire official. Questions or complaints in those localities should be directed to the local fire official.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office does not issue permits for the installation of fire protection systems.  The Building Official in the respective locality should be contacted to determine plan review and permitting requirements. You will find a directory of building officials here.

Please contact the Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office at statefiremarshal@vdfp.virginia.gov with any questions or to submit a report or if you would like to apply for a permit. All fire protection testing and maintenance reports will be reviewed and deficiencies reported will be addressed. For a list of available
permits, please see below.

NOTE: The 2018 versions of the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code, Virginia Construction Code, Virginia Maintenance Code and Virginia Existing Building Code became effective on July 1, 2021. Links to these codes are available in the “Codes and Standards” section below.