Fire Plans Submittal Requirements

Only design drawings prepared and sealed by a Tennessee registered architect or engineer are accepted when a plans submittal is required to be sent to the State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO).

Plans may be submitted electronically through the electronic plans submittal portal in a format acceptable by the Division, or by providing one (1) full-size paper copy of the required documents and a pdf copy of the documents on electronic media acceptable by the Division with certification that the pdf copy is an identical electronic copy of the paper copy. All plans reviews and approvals are performed at the Nashville office. Only the completed design drawing set ready for construction is accepted.

A completed Plans Review Submittal form (PRSF), and a check for the plans review Fee made out to TDCI (Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance) is also required. The Fee covers the cost of the entire construction process from the plans review and approval phase through Deputy State Fire Marshal (DSFM) field inspections, DSFM final acceptance field inspections, and the DSFM issued Certificate of Occupancy.
An interagency journal voucher is processed for the Fee payment amount for State projects that have a State Building Commission number issued by the Tennessee State Building Commission.

Tennessee Registrant Sealed Drawings

A complete set of registrant sealed design drawings must include (this is a brief and is not intended to include all items necessary for a complete submittal):

  1. A Cover sheet drawing showing a code analysis for the building with any currently adopted minimum building, fire, life safety, and accessibility codes enforceable at the time of the submittal.
  2. Civil/Site plans with grading, underground utilities, underground fire protection sprinkler piping, fire department access, exit discharge from the building, accessibility from exterior exit discharge to a public way, and fire hydrant location with hydrant test data.
  3. Life Safety Plan showing use for each space with occupant loads based on occupant load factors, exiting paths with exit occupant load and capacity of the exit door or exit stairway; common path and travel distance; limits and enclosures of smoke partitions, smoke barriers, one/two-hour fire-resistance rated partitions, and 2/3/4-hour fire-resistance rated fire walls with appropriate legends.
  4. Architectural floor plans showing the use of each space, dimensions, door, door hardware schedules, window schedule, sections, details, UL fire-resistance rated assembly details for rated walls, rated floor/ceiling assemblies, rated roof/ceiling assemblies, rated columns, girders, and beams; head-of-wall joints, and floor-to-exterior wall joints.
  5. Structural design plans and details with seismic and other minimum design loads and location and details of any 2/3/4-hour fire-resistance rated fire walls.
  6. Mechanical HVAC system design drawings which include fire, smoke, and combination fire/smoke damper locations, gas furnace/boiler combustion air, fire-resistance rated wall limits and legend that matches architectural plans, UL firestopping details for penetrations through rated assemblies.
  7. Plumbing systems design drawings including fire-resistance rated wall limits and legend that matches architectural plans and UL firestopping details for penetrations through rated assemblies.
  8. Fire protection sprinkler/standpipe/fire pump systems design drawings (when included or required) including fire-resistance rated wall limits and legend that matches architectural plans and UL firestopping details for penetrations through rated assemblies.
  9. Electrical design drawings including complete fire alarm system, emergency lighting, exit signs, duct smoke detectors for HVAC fan shut down, including fire-resistance rated wall limits and legend that matches architectural plans and UL firestopping details for penetrations through rated assemblies.

Tennessee Registrant Sealed As-Built Drawings

As-built drawings are submitted by a Tennessee registered architect or engineer to the SFMO when necessary to prove code compliance for renovations to existing buildings, new additions to existing buildings, and change of occupancies in existing buildings. Previously drawn existing plans are not acceptable. The designer must furnish current plans with current dated registrant seals, with current minimum adopted codes, and a current codes analysis.

As a minimum, provide a floor plan for each story level showing location of walls, doors (size, type, and hardware), windows, and identify the use of every space. Include door, window, and finish schedules. Show interior or exterior location of all gas appliances such as furnaces (including cfms) and water heaters. Include any new and existing fire-resistance rated partition or 2/3/4-hour rated fire wall limits with rated partition type legends. Show fire alarm system with device locations, location of emergency lighting, and exit signs. Show any fire alarm connections and shut down systems for the electric and gas service for kitchen cooking appliances below the commercial kitchen hood and exhaust duct system. The designer must differentiate between what work is new and existing. Any new design work must be performed by a registered architect or engineer competent in that design discipline.

Fee

The owner or architect must submit a fee by check made out to TDCI with the initial plans submittal. The fee is calculated based on the estimated total construction cost less excavation or site preparation. [Rule 0780-02-03-.04 Fees] The fee is reduced to one-half the total amount (access the Plans Review Fee Calculator for complete details) when a project is in an Exempt Jurisdiction. Be sure to round the estimated construction cost up to the nearest one-thousand dollars (e.g., $456,101.25 to $457,000.00). There are two cost categories used to reach the final fee amount. The minimum fee is $250.00.

TFM and Project Number

All initial new project submittals processed by the SFMO are assigned a Tennessee Fire Marshal (TFM) and Project number based on the location of the building. That number stays with the building indefinitely. Any future new additions that are added to this building will be issued the same TFM number; however, the Project number will be different. For a campus of buildings, an alphabetic letter is added to the end of the TFM number to differentiate buildings. A TFM, and Project, number is not assigned until the project plans are received by the SFMO in Nashville. This file holds all historical data on a project so the designer must add the TFM, and Project, number to all correspondence with the SFMO such as letters, transmittal letters, e-mail correspondence, phone calls along with the project name and assigned plans examiner to expedite communications.

Project Resubmittals

Any plans review responses and any changes to the approved plans would be received by the SFMO as a resubmittal. No additional fees are required except when for example a new fire protection sprinkler system is added to the project after the plans were originally approved without the system or when increasing the building size after the approval was issued. The designer must add the project TFM, and Project, number, project name, and assigned plans examiner on any correspondence document sent to the SFMO to expedite processing. Always provide registrant sealed revised drawings, addenda, and any small design details when sending to the SFMO.

Preliminary Meetings

A plans examiner will meet with designers when requested to discuss code issues during the schematic phase of architectural design drawings. This is not considered a plans review since only the completed design drawing set ready for construction is accepted. A plans examiner can identify major code issues while looking at a floor plan so that the designer can make adjustments before construction drawing phase of design is initiated. Also, code issue agreements can be documented so that the designer has assurance that what has been agreed upon is enforced during the plans review process. A formal Code Equivalency Request must be processed when directed by the plans examiner or requested by the designer and must be approved by the plans examiner supervisor. The plans examiner keeps notes of the meeting for their use. The plans examiner that meets with a designer is assigned the project once it is submitted to the SFMO. The designer must add the project name and plans examiner name on any correspondence document sent with the initial plans submittal to expedite processing.