Signage Requirements in NFPA 13 (2025)

Failure to include the required signage is an obvious mistake that can be costly. NFPA 13 requires numerous signs, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, and other standards; however, many sprinkler designers, installers, and inspectors are not familiar with the signs they are required to provide. We all know about the control valve and main drain signs requirement, but what about the rest? This presentation discusses required signs and explains why they are critical for the safe operation of a sprinkler system.

At the completion of this seminar, you should be able to:

1. Locate all signage requirements in NFPA 13.
2. Identify locations and devices that require signage.
3. Identify the information that needs to be included for each type of sign.
4. Define “permanently marked.”

John August Denhardt, P.E., ET, FSFPE, CWBSP

John August Denhardt, P.E., ET, FSFPE, CWBSP, is Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services for AFSA. He is a Professional Engineer (P.E.) registered in the District of Columbia as well as the states of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. He is a NICET Level III in Automatic Sprinkler System Layout and Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems and an NFPA Certified Water-Based Systems Professional (CWBSP). He is a member of the NFPA 13 Sprinkler Discharge Committee and is a Fellow in the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE). Denhardt is a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Research Foundation trustee, sits on the University of Maryland Department of Fire Protection Engineering’s Board of Visitors, and is a member of the SFPE Board of Directors. A native of Maryland, Denhardt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland in College Park.