Virginia Code Title 15.2. Counties, Cities and Towns § 15.2-922. Smoke alarms in certain buildings

A. Any locality, notwithstanding any contrary provision of law, general or special, may by ordinance require that smoke alarms be installed in the following structures or buildings if smoke alarms have not been installed in accordance with the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.): (i) any building containing one or more dwelling units, (ii) any hotel or motel regularly used, offered for, or intended to be used to provide overnight sleeping accommodations for one or more persons, and (iii) any rooming houses regularly used, offered for, or intended to be used to provide overnight sleeping accommodations. Smoke alarms installed pursuant to this section shall be installed only in conformance with the provisions of the Uniform Statewide Building Code and shall be permitted to be either battery operated or AC powered. Such installation shall not require new or additional wiring and shall be maintained in accordance with the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§ 27-94 et seq.) and subdivision C 6 of § 36-105, Part III of the Uniform Statewide Building Code. Nothing herein shall be construed to authorize a locality to require the upgrading of any smoke alarms provided by the building code in effect at the time of the last renovation of such building, for which a building permit was required, or as otherwise provided in the Uniform Statewide Building Code.

B. The ordinance may require the owner of a rental unit to provide the tenant a certificate that all smoke alarms are present, have been inspected by the owner, his employee, or an independent contractor, and are in good working order. Except for smoke alarms located in public or common areas of multifamily buildings, interim testing, repair, and maintenance of smoke alarms in rented or leased dwelling units shall be the responsibility of the tenant in accordance with § 55.1-1227.