W. Va. Code § 15A-11 § 15A-11-3

Promulgation of rules and State Fire Code.

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 10/27/2026
West VirginiaHabitability & Repair

Operative Text

W. Va. Code § 15A-11 § 15A-11-3
(a) Pursuant to the provisions of §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code, the State Fire Commission shall propose and promulgate comprehensive rules for the safeguarding of life and property from the hazards of fire and explosion to be known as the State Fire Code. Rules embodied in the State Fire Code shall be in accordance with standard safe practice as embodied in widely recognized standards of good practice for fire prevention and fire protection and have the force and effect of law in the several counties, municipalities, and political subdivisions of the state: Provided, That buildings or structures utilized primarily for agricultural purposes shall be exempt from the provisions of the State Building Code, the State Fire Code, and any county or municipal building code or ordinance that is or may be adopted, such as the ICC International Property Maintenance Code. The rule shall include, but not be limited to, standard safe practices for the design, construction, location, installation, maintenance, and operation of liquefied petroleum gas systems, and training standards and qualifications for persons who install or maintain liquefied petroleum gas systems.
(b) The State Fire Commission may establish work groups and seek input in the rulemaking process from groups or individuals with an interest in any aspect of the fire code.
(c) For purposes of this section, the term “agricultural purposes” means the raising, cultivation, drying, harvesting, marketing, production, or storage of agricultural products, including both crops and livestock, for sale or use in agriculture or agricultural production, or the storage of machinery or equipment used in support of agricultural production.
(d) The State Fire Commission shall propose rules for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-1 et seq. of this code relating to sprinkler protection, specifically providing that buildings commencing construction after July 1, 2023, housing emergency fire, rescue, or ambulance services shall be protected throughout by approved automatic sprinkler systems: Provided, That emergency services buildings that house only equipment, are less than 5,000 square feet, and do not have designated sleeping areas or quarters within them, regardless when constructed or commencing construction, are exempt from this requirement.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

West Virginia Code § 15A-11-3 establishes the authority and scope of the State Fire Code, which the State Fire Commission is required to develop and enforce as binding law across all counties, municipalities, and political subdivisions in the state. The code must align with widely recognized standards for fire prevention and protection, and it covers areas such as liquefied petroleum gas systems. Buildings used primarily for agricultural purposes — as specifically defined in the provision — are exempt from the State Fire Code, and new emergency-services buildings (fire, rescue, or ambulance) that begin construction after July 1, 2023, must be equipped with approved automatic sprinkler systems, with a limited exemption for smaller equipment-only structures under 5,000 square feet without sleeping areas.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 26, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers operating in West Virginia should be aware that § 15A-11-3 gives the State Fire Code the force of law statewide, meaning compliance is not optional regardless of local jurisdiction. Operators of buildings that house emergency fire, rescue, or ambulance services and that commenced construction after July 1, 2023, are generally expected to install approved automatic sprinkler systems throughout those structures. Landlords who believe their property qualifies for the agricultural exemption under § 15A-11-3(c) should review the statutory definition carefully, as it is specific to raising, cultivating, harvesting, and storing agricultural products or related equipment.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Tenants living or working in West Virginia benefit from § 15A-11-3 because the State Fire Code carries the force of law and sets minimum fire-safety standards for buildings across the state. If a tenant has concerns about fire-safety compliance in their building — such as missing or non-functional fire-protection systems — they may consider contacting the State Fire Commission, which oversees enforcement of the code. Tenant-rights organizations can also help residents understand how the State Fire Code's requirements, including the post-July 1, 2023 sprinkler mandate for emergency-services buildings, may apply to their housing situation.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

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References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

W. Va. Code § 29A-3-1
Not yet ingested

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

W. Va. Code § 15A-11-3
W. Va. Code § 15A-11-5
W. Va. Code § 15A-11-3
W. Va. Code § 15A-11-3

Related Rules

§ 244.260
Compliance required
§ 14.567
ADOPTED BY REFERENCE
§ 244.340
Sewer and water connections

Source Information

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Fetched:Oct 26, 2026, 02:28 PM UTC