NC S77

After December 31, 2012, landlords must install tamper-resistant, 10-year lithium battery smoke alarms when installing new smoke alarms or replacing existing ones, with exceptions for hardwired alarms with battery backup or combined smoke/carbon monoxide alarms.

Landlords remain exempt from the lithium battery requirement if a dwelling unit already has a hardwired smoke alarm with battery backup or a combined smoke and carbon monoxide alarm meeting specified standards.

Landlords must provide and maintain operable smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, replacing or repairing them within 15 days of written tenant notification, and placing new batteries at the beginning of each tenancy.

Tenants are responsible for replacing batteries during tenancy (except for tamper-resistant 10-year lithium battery alarms) and must not deliberately disable or damage alarms or knowingly permit others to do so.

Landlords who fail to provide or repair alarms within 30 days of notice face fines up to $250 per violation; tenants who disable or damage alarms and fail to reimburse repair/replacement costs within 30 days face fines up to $100 per violation.