NFPA 72 Record of Completion
The NFPA 72 Record of Completion, and how to stop filling it in by hand.
Every new fire alarm system and every modification ends with the same paperwork. Here is what the Record of Completion is, what goes on it, and how CodeGreen ITM fills it in from the system you already built.
Written by Joseph Montuori, NICET Level IV, SET.
What the Record of Completion is
The Record of Completion is the NFPA 72 form that documents a fire alarm system at acceptance. It tells the owner, the next service company and the fire marshal exactly what was installed or changed, who did the work, how the system is monitored and how it is powered. NFPA 72 puts its documentation requirements in Chapter 7, and the form itself changes from edition to edition, so always use the one for the edition your AHJ has adopted.
When you need one
- New systems, at acceptance testing.
- Modifications and alterations to an existing system, such as a tenant fit-out that adds devices or a panel replacement.
- Whenever the AHJ asks for it. Many fire marshals won't sign off an acceptance test without a completed record in hand.
What goes on it
Section numbering varies by edition, but a complete record typically covers:
- Property information and the occupancy classification
- The installing, servicing, testing and monitoring contractors
- The type of system or service, and whether it's new or a modification
- Annunciators, circuits and pathways, and their survivability where it applies
- Initiating devices and notification appliances, by type and quantity
- System control functions and interconnected systems
- Primary and secondary power, including the batteries
- Certifications, approvals and signatures
Where it goes wrong
- Blank fields that should say N/A, or N/A where something actually applies
- The wrong edition of the form
- Device counts that don't match the drawings or the panel
- Missing battery and secondary power information
- Missing signatures, or a record that was never updated after a modification
In CodeGreen ITM
The Record of Completion fills itself in.
The record pulls from the system you already built in the app, asks only for what is missing, and is signed on the phone or on paper.
For the office
Review it before it goes out.
The office sees the completed record alongside the inspection and can review a whole account on one page, then send it as one package.
It's part of the fire alarm program in CodeGreen ITM, the inspection software Joe Montuori built for Titan Fire Protection. See the fire alarm program →
Record of Completion Questions
What is the NFPA 72 Record of Completion?
It is the NFPA 72 form that documents a fire alarm system at acceptance: the property, the contractors and monitoring, the type of system, its circuits, devices and appliances, its power supplies and batteries, and the signatures of the people responsible. The documentation requirements are in Chapter 7 of NFPA 72.
When is a Record of Completion required?
For new systems, and for modifications and alterations to existing systems, where the edition adopted by your AHJ requires it. Many fire marshals will not complete an acceptance test without it.
Who fills it out and signs it?
The installing or servicing contractor prepares it and the responsible parties sign it. A copy goes to the owner and stays with the system documentation, and the AHJ may require one for its records.
Which edition of the form should I use?
The edition your AHJ has adopted. The form and its section numbering change between editions, so the edition belongs on the record itself.
Can I sign it on a phone?
In CodeGreen ITM, yes. The record can be signed on the phone at the job, or printed and signed on paper.
Let the record fill itself in on your next job.
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