Topic Title

The state of Minnesota has issued legislation requiring carbon monoxide alarms in all single family and multi family residences, new and existing. I have no problem with that, but reading thru the details of the new “law”, I get to the exceptions. There, listed as one of the exceptions is the following: “The requirements of this section do not apply to facilities owned or operated by the sate of Minnesota.” What? The state decided this issue was important enough to mandate that everyone in the state run out and buy a CO detector but yet they exclude themselves? That’s pretty darn convenient. It really ticks me off that they can do that.

Sorry. I just had to vent.

The state of California does that with our Title 24 energy requirements - state buildings have been exempt from the stringent requirements the rest of us have to adhere to! The one thing that they apparently DO have to do now is that all new state buildings have to meet LEED requirements.

I am from the New Jersey and sit on an advisory committee for the Department of Community Affairs which is the governing body that controls all building codes and requirements in the State of New Jersey. We also are required to have C.O. detectors in all residential/multiple dwellings that have Gas fire appliances and or an attached garage. The detector is to be located within 10'-0" of all bedrooms. No government, state or local building is required to have them because there are no bedrooms. This may be why your state is not requiring them in there own buildings.

I have attached our state requirements below just for reference.

5:10-28.1 Carbon monoxide alarms

(a) Carbon monoxide alarms shall be installed and maintained in full operating condition in the following locations:

1. Single station carbon monoxide alarms shall be installed and maintained in the immediate vicinity of the sleeping area in every guestroom or dwelling unit in buildings that contain a fuel-burning appliance or that have an attached garage.

2. As an alternative to the requirements in (a)1 above, carbon monoxide alarms may be installed in the locations specified in the Uniform Construction Code (5:23-3.20). A copy of the certificate of approval issued by the local construction code enforcing agency shall be provided to the Bureau at the time of installation, at or after the time of inspection, or at any other time, as proof of installation, in accordance with the Uniform Construction Code.


(b) Carbon monoxide alarms shall be manufactured listed and labeled in accordance with UL 2034 and shall be installed in accordance with the requirements of this subchapter and NFPA 720. Carbon monoxide alarms shall be battery operated, hard-wired or of the plug-in type.

(c) At the request of a tenant of a multiple dwelling unit in which a person who is deaf or hearing-impaired resides, the owner shall provide and install a visual alarm type carbon monoxide detector for that unit.

I guess I assumed the state owned some prisons or hospital or some sort of institution that requires sleeping quarters.

Totally understand your position. There argument in defense will more than likely be that that hospitals, prisons and other building of that nature are manned with a 24 hr staff that can monitor this. Boarding homes, foster homes, etc where all of the occupants will be asleep at the same time will more than likely require co detectors.

My only suggestion is to contact you state office that oversees your construction code requirements and state your concerns. Chances are you are not the only one feeling this way.

Our state allows for a 60 day commentary period where any person or persons can make a comment on any code adoption proposal before it is passed into law. The state officials MUST respond to each comment and give reason to there response before the governor will sign the proposal into law.

I do agree with you that states usually try to get around anything they can sometimes.

You know what's funny about that Law Brian? Other then their exception.


In the star and Trib last week (local major newspaper) was an article about how the CO detectors arn't necessarily that accurate. Only certain high priced detectors are accurate.


This article of course was written because of that 17 year old in Rogers(???) that died from CO poisoning.

Also, wouldn't this only cover all "NEW" residence?

I would think it would only address "NEW" construction and or renovations.
If a house here in N.J. is sold a plug in type co detector must be installed at the time of sale. If you have a rehabilitaion code in effect in your state check and see if it requires the co detectors.