Your BDA annual test is due. Here is what to do.

The model fire code lists four parts to the yearly test (IFC 2021 510.6.1). Ask for every one of them in the quote and in the report.

A floor passes when 95 percent of its area and 99 percent of its critical areas meet the signal level (IFC 2021 510.4.1). Critical areas include the fire command center, fire pump room, exit stairs, elevator lobbies and standpipe locations (NFPA 1225 18.8.3). For a full walk through test day, see how BDA testing works.

The person who runs the test must be approved by your fire marshal: NFPA 1225 says the test is "conducted, documented, and signed by a person approved by the AHJ" (NFPA 1225 20.3.10). The model code also sets credentials for the people who design and install these systems, such as an FCC general radio operator license and in-building system training, unless the fire code official accepts other proof (IFC 2021 510.5.3).

You do not have to use the company that installed the system. You do need someone your fire marshal will accept, so call the fire prevention office and ask before you book.

At the end of the test, a report that shows the system still meets the acceptance values "shall be submitted to the fire code official" (IFC 2021 510.6.1). Some fire departments take it on paper, some through an online portal, and some have their own report form. Ask yours which.

Keep these together and send copies to the tester before test day:

1. The acceptance test report with the original amplifier gain values (IFC 2021 510.5.4 item 6).
2. Last year's annual report, so the tester can compare.
3. The radio license holder's written consent for the system, which fire marshals ask for and Florida requires for any new system or change (F.S. 633.202(18)(d)).
4. A list of renovations since the last test: new walls, ceilings, roof work, new windows. These can change coverage and are a reason for testing under the code (IFC 2021 510.6.1).

Our printable inspection checklist has the full list.

Florida's statute does not set the yearly test. What it does is limit how often a fire marshal can require a new assessment of a building's radio coverage: once every 3 years for high-rises and buildings over 12,000 gross square feet, once every 5 years for other buildings, with exceptions after a Level III alteration, reconstruction, or a reported radio failure (F.S. 633.202(18)(c)2).

So a Florida building with a working system still needs its yearly test under the fire code its fire marshal enforces. The 3 and 5 year limit is about coverage assessments, not about that test. The details are on our Florida re-test page, and local rules by city and county are on ERRCSCheck's requirements hub.

1. Find the due date. It is usually one year from the date on the last report or the tag on the equipment.
2. Ask the fire marshal's office which code edition and report form they use, and whether they keep a list of approved testers.
3. Get two or three quotes that list every part of the test above, who submits the report, and what a retest costs if something fails.
4. Fix open trouble signals first. If the fire alarm panel shows a BDA trouble, have it repaired before test day. See trouble signal help.
5. Plan access. Keys and an escort for stairs, roof, elevator rooms, pump room, closets, garage levels and tenant spaces. Miami-Dade, for example, requires on-site staff with access to all areas for its tests.
6. Tell your monitoring company that BDA trouble signals are expected during the battery test.

We have not found a published, verifiable price for a yearly BDA test. The price mostly follows the number of floors, the number of radio bands, and how long it takes to reach every area. Fire department fees are separate. Miami-Dade, for example, charges $194.44 when an inspection is cancelled on the day it is scheduled (Implementing Order 04-123). More on BDA costs.

Being late does not change what the test is. It does make it more urgent, because the code expects the system to be kept working at all times (IFC 2021 510.6).

1. Book the earliest date a qualified tester can give you, and get it in writing.
2. Call the fire marshal's office, tell them the test is late and give them the booked date. Ask if they want anything else in the meantime.
3. Check the panel now. An open trouble signal means the system may already be down.
4. Do not let it slide another year. Once the report is in, log the date in a free BDACheck reminder so the next one does not surprise you.

If the test finds problems, our page on what to do after a failed annual test walks through the next steps.

If you want help finding a tester, the form below sends your request to up to 3 licensed installers who serve your area. They contact you by email, or by phone only if you choose calls.