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Office of the State Fire Marshal

Engineering and Plan Review

The Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) Engineering Services Section employs a dedicated staff of Fire Protection Engineers who perform pre-construction plan reviews. They approve designs for new and modified fire and life safety systems, including fire alarms, fire suppression systems, and smoke management systems for compliance with Maryland law and the State Fire Prevention Code - PDF - 516.5 KB statewide. 

Engineers provide fire protection assistance to architects and other design professionals throughout the State during design and pre-construction phases. 

Application process

  • Please be advised that the Annotated Code of Maryland, Public Safety Article Section 6-305(a) requires that new construction, alterations, and additions be in accordance with the Maryland State Fire Prevention Code (Fire Code), including the 2024 editions of NFPA 1, Fire Code, and NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, and codes and standard referenced in NFPA 1, Chapter 2.  Project documents including Architectural, Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Project Specifications demonstrating compliance with the Fire Code should be provided for review. 
  • One half-size set of drawings shall be provided onsite at the time of inspection. 
  • Construction must match the project documents, and all documents shall be available onsite at inspection.  Please provide revised submittals as needed. 
  • A submittal should be provided for the installation or alteration to any fire protection system including water-based systems, special extinguishment systems, fire alarm systems, etc.  A standard submittal includes shop drawings, system calculations, and product data. 
  • Contact shall be made with the local building department, and the applicant is responsible for obtaining any permits required by the local jurisdiction (ie:  building permit, low voltage permit).  

County Variations

Some counties (like Prince George's) mandate a Third-Party Review Program (TPRP) for fire protection systems, requiring you to hire an authorized agency to review shop drawings.

Submission

Check with your specific county's permitting office (e.g., DPIE for PG County, County Planning & Zoning for others) for their submission process and forms, often involving a specific Fire Marshal Plan Review form. 

Questions?