Fire Extinguisher Inspection Report
A record of each portable fire extinguisher checked: where it is, its type and size, its gauge, seal, condition and tag, what was serviced or replaced, and when the next annual maintenance and hydrostatic test are due.
ReportDraft Safety from $12 a month. 14-day free trial with your first report and up to 5 template downloads. Card required, nothing charged today, cancel anytime. Need just one? One fire extinguisher inspection report for $19, no subscription.
Sample notes, 100 words
Building: Riverside Plaza, 410 Market St Date: 10/06/2026, monthly check Inspected by: Dana Cole, facilities Lobby by front doors: 10 lb ABC, serial A44120, gauge in green, pin and seal OK, tag current Kitchen: class K 6 L, gauge OK, tag punched ...
We sorted 17 items into 2 sections and flagged 1 to fix soon.
- Fix soonInspection items (all units)
Tamper seal missing
Still to add
- NeededType of inspection
- RecommendedNotes for service performed
- RecommendedNotes for follow-up
Filled in for you
14 days free, nothing to pay today. After your first report, your name, license and company details fill in by themselves. Or preview your own notes first, no sign-up.
What goes in it
Every fire extinguisher inspection report from ReportDraft follows the same professional structure, so clients and reviewers find things where they expect them.
- Extinguishers inspectedLocation, Type and size, Serial or ID, Result, Last annual maintenance, Last hydrostatic test
- Inspection items (all units)In its designated place, Visible, unobstructed and mounted (sign where needed), Pressure gauge in the operable range, Safety pin and tamper seal intact, No damage, corrosion or leakage; hose and nozzle clear, Operating instructions legible and facing out, Full (weighed or hefted), Inspection tag present and up to date
- Service performedWhat was recharged, replaced, serviced, tested or removed from service, and any loaner or spare left in place.
- Follow-upWhat still needs doing and when: units to service, recharge or replace, and the next inspection or test dates.
How it works
1. Add your notes. Type or paste what you saw. Rate items with one tap if you like.
2. Get a draft. Findings, recommendations and a summary are written for you, in your report's structure.
3. Check, sign, send. A completeness list shows anything missing. Sign to lock the PDF and download Word too.
Why it pays for itself
What United States federal rules require
- Portable fire extinguishers (or hose used in their place) are visually inspected monthly; the employer is responsible for the inspection, maintenance and testing of all portable fire extinguishers in the workplace29 CFR 1910.157 (e) (1), (2)
- The monthly inspection is a visual check that fire protection equipment is in place, charged and ready for use in the event of a fire; OSHA has said the monthly frequency cannot be stretched to quarterly without a rulemaking petition or a varianceOSHA standard interpretation, November 29, 2006 (29 CFR 1910.157 (e) (2), 1910.155 (c) (27))
- Portable fire extinguishers get an annual maintenance check (stored pressure extinguishers do not need an internal examination); the employer records the annual maintenance date and keeps that record for one year after the last entry or the life of the shell, whichever is less, available to OSHA on request29 CFR 1910.157 (e) (3)
- Stored pressure dry chemical extinguishers that require a 12-year hydrostatic test are emptied and given the applicable maintenance every 6 years (counted again from any recharge or hydrostatic test); dry chemical extinguishers with non-refillable disposable containers are exempt29 CFR 1910.157 (e) (4)
- Hydrostatic testing is done by trained persons with suitable equipment and facilities at the intervals in Table L-1, and sooner when a unit has been repaired by soldering, welding, brazing or patching, has damaged threads, or has corrosion that caused pitting; the employer keeps a certification record with the test date, the tester's signature and the extinguisher's serial number or other identifier until the next test or until the extinguisher leaves service29 CFR 1910.157 (f) (1), (2), (16)
- Portable fire extinguishers are kept fully charged and operable and in their designated places at all times except during use, and are mounted, located and identified so that employees can reach them readily without risk of injury29 CFR 1910.157 (c) (1), (4)
- Extinguishers are selected and placed for the classes of fire expected: travel distance to an extinguisher is 75 feet or less for Class A, 50 feet or less from a Class B hazard area, and 75 feet or less for Class D agent in combustible metal working areas; Class C follows the Class A or B pattern29 CFR 1910.157 (d) (1) to (6)
- While a portable fire extinguisher is out of service for maintenance or recharging, the employer provides alternate equivalent protection29 CFR 1910.157 (e) (5)
- Where extinguishers are provided for employee use, employees get education on the general principles of extinguisher use and the hazards of incipient stage fire fighting when hired and at least annually; employees designated to use fire fighting equipment get training in its use29 CFR 1910.157 (g)
- These OSHA rules apply to the placement, use, maintenance and testing of portable fire extinguishers provided for the use of employees29 CFR 1910.157 (a)
In United States workplaces, OSHA's portable fire extinguisher rule (29 CFR 1910.157) sets how often extinguishers are inspected, maintained and tested, and what records the employer keeps. Here is each rule with a link to the official text.
Monthly, annual, 6-year and hydrostatic
Every portable extinguisher gets a visual inspection each month and a maintenance check each year, and the employer records the annual maintenance date. Stored pressure dry chemical units that need a 12-year hydrostatic test are emptied and maintained every 6 years. Hydrostatic tests are done by trained people at the intervals OSHA lists, or sooner after repairs, thread damage or pitting corrosion, and each test gets a certification record with its date, the tester's signature and the extinguisher's serial number.
The monthly inspection is a visual check that each extinguisher is in place, charged and ready to use, and OSHA has said it cannot be stretched to quarterly. The annual maintenance record is kept for one year after the last entry or the life of the shell, whichever is less.
Charged, in place and within reach
Extinguishers stay fully charged, operable and in their designated places, mounted and marked so employees can reach them safely. Travel distance to one is 75 feet or less for ordinary combustibles and 50 feet or less from a flammable liquid hazard. When a unit goes out for service, equivalent protection takes its place, and employees learn how to use extinguishers when hired and every year.
Common mistakes
- Skipping a month because the extinguisher looked fine last time.
- Not recording the annual maintenance date.
- Leaving an area without an extinguisher while one is out for recharge.
- Letting stock, carts or pallets block an extinguisher.
- Losing the hydrostatic test certification records.
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.157 (e) (1), (2), checked October 12, 2026
- OSHA standard interpretation, November 29, 2006 (29 CFR 1910.157 (e) (2), 1910.155 (c) (27)), checked October 12, 2026
- 29 CFR 1910.157 (e) (3), checked October 12, 2026
- 29 CFR 1910.157 (e) (4), checked October 12, 2026
- 29 CFR 1910.157 (f) (1), (2), (16), checked October 12, 2026
- 29 CFR 1910.157 (c) (1), (4), checked October 12, 2026
- 29 CFR 1910.157 (d) (1) to (6), checked October 12, 2026
- 29 CFR 1910.157 (e) (5), checked October 12, 2026
- 29 CFR 1910.157 (g), checked October 12, 2026
- 29 CFR 1910.157 (a), checked October 12, 2026
Last reviewed October 12, 2026. Next review due January 12, 2027. This page explains published rules to help you write your report. It is not legal advice; the official text linked above governs. State rules can add to these.
Fire extinguisher inspection report rules by state
The key rule in each state, linked to the official text. Each guide lists every rule with its sources, and each template is set up for that state. Last reviewed October 20, 2026.
| State | Key rule | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| AlaskaTemplate | Copy of the report to the fire code official within 30 days | 13 AAC 50.025 (16) (IFC 2021 Section 901.6 as amended) |
| ArkansasTemplate | Remove pre-October-1984 stored pressure dry chemical units | Portable/Fixed Systems Rules 3.3, 3.6 |
| CaliforniaTemplate | Condemned units get a red Condemned tag; obsolete types come out of service | 19 CCR 577.1, 577.2, 596.6 (OSFM Fire Extinguisher Law & Regulations) |
| DelawareTemplate | A discharged unit is swapped at once for a spare of the same type and capacity | 1 Del. Admin. Code 703, Chapter 1, 6.3 |
| FloridaTemplate | Service by a licensed fire equipment dealer | Fla. Stat. s. 633.304 (1) |
| GeorgiaTemplate | Keep records two years at the firm | Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 120-3-23-.13 (4) (a) |
| IllinoisTemplate | Tags and tamper seals are green in 2026 and blue in 2027 | 41 Ill. Adm. Code 251.50 (b), (c), (e); 251.60 |
| KansasTemplate | Keep a copy 24 months for the deputy state fire marshal | K.A.R. 22-10-19 (c) |
| LouisianaTemplate | Red tag: written notice to the owner and the Fire Marshal within two working days | LAC 55:V.3039 (C) (3), (6), (7) |
| MassachusettsTemplate | Report lost or stolen tags within 72 hours | 527 CMR 1.00, 1.13.5.4.7 |
| OklahomaTemplate | Red tag: written notice to the owner and the fire code official within 24 hours | OAC 265:50-5-1 (b) |
| South CarolinaTemplate | Unmaintainable units removed from service and replaced | S.C. Code Regs. 71-8303.8 (B) |
| TennesseeTemplate | Red tag: prompt written notice with recommendations, unit replaced with an approved substitute | Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-14-.12 |
| TexasTemplate | Impairments: written notice to the owner, the AHJ told within 24 hours, a copy within 3 business days, red tag | 28 TAC 34.521 (a), (c) |
| UtahTemplate | A new tag at every service, with the State Fire Marshal wording | Utah Admin. Code R710-1-7 (1), (2), (6), (7) |
Template preview
Questions
What goes in a fire extinguisher inspection report?
A record of each portable fire extinguisher checked: where it is, its type and size, its gauge, seal, condition and tag, what was serviced or replaced, and when the next annual maintenance and hydrostatic test are due. ReportDraft lays it out in 4 sections: extinguishers inspected, inspection items (all units), service performed, follow-up.
Do my state's rules change the report?
Pick your state when you start. Where we have checked a local requirement against official sources, it is added to your completeness list with a link to the source.
Can I edit the draft?
Yes. Every finding, rating and sentence is editable before you sign. Your own entries always win over anything drafted from your notes.
What do I get at the end?
A signed, locked PDF for your client and an editable Word file, both with your company details. Signed reports keep a fingerprint so later changes are visible.
Which plan covers it?
ReportDraft Safety covers a fire extinguisher inspection report along with workplace safety inspections, incident reports, forklift inspections, vehicle inspections (dvir). Fire Extinguisher Inspections is also sold on its own.
How often must fire extinguishers be inspected under OSHA?
A visual inspection every month and an annual maintenance check, with the annual maintenance date recorded.
How long do I keep fire extinguisher maintenance records?
The annual maintenance record is kept for one year after the last entry or the life of the shell, whichever is less. Hydrostatic test records are kept until the next test or until the extinguisher leaves service.
How far can employees be from a fire extinguisher?
75 feet or less for Class A fires and 50 feet or less from a Class B hazard area.
Part of ReportDraft Safety
Safety and workplace management: every report and plan