When Were Hardwired Smoke Alarms Required? Understanding the August 1997 Rule

June 19, 2026

One of the most common questions we get from landlords and property managers is:

“Do my smoke alarms need to be hardwired?”

The answer is:

It depends on when the property was built.

There’s a lot of confusion around this topic. Some people think every smoke alarm in Victoria must now be hardwired.

That’s simply not true.

The requirement largely comes down to the age of the property and the building regulations that applied when it was constructed.

Here’s what you need to know.

Quick Answer

Australian residential properties built from 1 August 1997 onwards are required to have 240V hardwired smoke alarms installed under the Building Code of Australia. Properties built before this date may still have battery-powered smoke alarms, provided the property has not been ‘majorly renovated’ after this date.

So to summarise:

• Hardwired alarms are required if the property was built after 1st August, 1997
• Battery alarms are okay for all properties built prior to this date
• The only caveat is if the property was majorly renovated after this date

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