Florida · city · ERRCS / BDA requirements
ERRCS and BDA requirements in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville requires minimum radio signal strength in all new and existing buildings. An FCC GROL-licensed vendor surveys the building; if levels fall below the city's threshold, a BDA is required. New buildings show compliance as part of permitting.
Guidance, not engineering advice. Rules on this page come from the documents listed under Sources. Confirm with Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD), Fire Marshal and Office of Fire Plans Review before you design, permit or test a system.
Who must comply
State rules apply here too. See Florida statewide rules.
| Rule | Effect | Citation | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Once a building is substantially complete, or when an existing building is suspected of poor coverage, a qualified FCC GROL-licensed vendor surveys signal levels after notifying the city radio shop. | Note | BDA Survey and Installation Requirements | City of Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department |
| Trigger | Published value |
|---|---|
| Minimum building size | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Minimum stories | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Height trigger | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Below-grade areas | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Building types named | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
| Existing buildings must retrofit | Yes |
| Compliance deadline | Not published; confirm with the fire marshal |
The city document predates the 2023 changes to F.S. 633.202(18), and the deadlines it lists (2019, 2022) are out of date. Current state deadlines are on the Florida page.
Signal and coverage
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Minimum downlink signal | -95 dBm |
| Minimum uplink signal | -95 dBm |
| Delivered audio quality (DAQ) | 3.0 |
| Coverage, general areas | 95% of floor area |
| Coverage, critical areas | 99% of floor area |
| Critical areas named | Fire command centers, Fire pump rooms, Exit stairs, Exit passageways, Elevator lobbies, Standpipe cabinets, Sprinkler sectional valve locations, Other areas the AHJ deems critical |
| Public safety radio bands | 800 MHz P25 (city system: 807-816 MHz base receive, 854.9-861 MHz base transmit) |
Inbound: at least -95 dBm with DAQ 3.0. Outbound: at least -95 dBm at the donor site with DAQ 3.0. Donor-to-inside antenna isolation of at least 20 dB, and no more than 15 microseconds of delay. These values come from an older city document; confirm them before design.
How coverage is tested
One floor, 20 squares, a radio check in each
- 20 test areas per floorEach floor is divided into a grid of 20 roughly equal areas.IFC 2021 510.5.4
- One test spot per areaA spot near the center stands for the whole area. No extra spots after it is chosen.
- One failed area is allowedMore than one failed area fails the floor. With exactly two, the floor may be re-divided into 40 areas, and up to two non-adjacent failures are allowed.IFC 2021 510.5.4
- Critical areas count moreTypical model-code targets: 95 percent of all areas and 99 percent of critical areas such as stairs and elevator lobbies. Your fire marshal sets the numbers that apply to you.IFC 2021 510.4.1
Illustration: 19 of 20 areas pass, so this floor passes. Some fire departments use other numbers; Miami-Dade, for example, stops an acceptance test below 90 percent of general areas.
Testing
| Test | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptance test | A passing survey is written up by the vendor, signed by the FCC licensee with test data attached, and filed with the Office of Fire Plans Review. A failing survey means a BDA is required. | BDA Survey and Installation Requirements |
| Annual test | Not published in the local documents we found; confirm with the fire marshal. | None found |
| Five-year test | Not published in the local documents we found; confirm with the fire marshal. | None found |
| Coverage assessment interval | Set by state law: the fire marshal may require an interior coverage assessment no more than once every 3 years for an existing high-rise or an existing building over 12,000 total gross square feet, and once every 5 years for other existing buildings, with exceptions for major alterations, reported radio failures and imminent threats. | F.S. 633.202(18)(c)2 |
Permit and inspection process
- Have an FCC GROL-licensed vendor get approval from the city radio shop and survey the building. Building survey requirements
- Retrofit systems in existing buildings need a building permit because of the rated enclosures. New buildings that show the enclosures on their plans can pull an associated fire permit instead. Electrical and fire alarm permits may also be needed. Technical information
- Use a contractor holding an EC, EF, EY or ES (two-way radio communications enhancement system specialty) license, plus an FCC GROL. License requirement
Ask JFRD for the current version of its requirements; the copy we could read is circa 2020.
After a notice
Six steps from the letter to a closed violation
- Read the noticeWrite down the code section, the deadline, the contact and what it asks for.
- Check the ruleRun the checker for your building and look for a published exemption.
- Get a signal testYou cannot size a fix without measuring floor by floor.IFC 2021 510.4.2.2
- Hire qualified peopleFCC general radio operator license and in-building training, at minimum.IFC 2021 510.5.3
- Consent, permit, install, testRadio licensee's consent, a permit, then the acceptance test.47 CFR 90.219(b)(1)(i); IFC 2021 510.3, 510.5.4
- Keep it compliantAn annual test and a report to the fire department, records kept on site.IFC 2021 510.6.1
In Florida, a required retrofit after the statutory dates gets at least 1 year from the notice of code violation (F.S. 633.202(18)(g)). Elsewhere, the date on your notice controls.
Your notice
How long do we have?
Every date here comes from the statute or rule cited under it.
In Florida, after the fire marshal issues a notice of code violation, the owner gets at least 1 year to complete a required retrofit. The date written on your notice controls; it may give you more. F.S. 633.202(18)(g)
Codes and standards referenced
| Code or standard | Edition | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Fire Prevention Code (NFPA 1 and NFPA 101, Florida editions), in force statewide | 8th edition (NFPA 1, Florida 2021 edition), effective December 31, 2023 | rule |
| NFPA 1221 and NFPA 72 (as listed in the city document) | 2016 and 2013 editions in the city document; the 8th edition Florida Fire Prevention Code now governs | jax |
Notes
The only published copy of Jacksonville's requirements we could find is hosted by a trade group (the Safer Buildings Coalition), not the city, and the document predates the 2020 amendments to F.S. 633.202 (it still quotes the older deadlines). Treat the signal values as a starting point and confirm the current requirements with JFRD.
Next step
Take the board a plan, not just a problem
Ask for up to 3 quotes from vetted installers who serve your area, or start with a one-page brief the board can read before the next meeting. Free for owners, boards and managers. No texts, no cold calls.
Questions people ask
What signal does Jacksonville require?
The city document sets -95 dBm inbound and outbound with DAQ 3.0, in 95% of general building areas and 99% of critical areas. It is an older document, so confirm with JFRD before you design.
Who can install a BDA in Jacksonville?
The city lists certified electrical contractors (EC), alarm system contractors (EF or EY) and two-way radio communications enhancement system specialty contractors (ES), with an FCC GROL license.
Do the deadlines in the Jacksonville document still apply?
No. The document cites 2019 and 2022 dates from an older version of the statute. Current state law set January 1, 2024 (permit) and January 1, 2025 (compliance) for existing high-rises.
Sources
Primary documents we read for this page. Rules change; confirm with your fire marshal (AHJ).
- Florida Statutes 2026, section 633.202, subsection (18), The Florida Senate
- Florida Fire Prevention Code, 8th edition: Florida amendments to NFPA 1 (2021 edition), sections 11.10.2 and 11.10.2.1, Florida Division of State Fire Marshal
- Rule 69A-60.003, F.A.C.: NFPA 1, the Fire Code, Florida 2021 edition, adopted (effective 12/31/2023), Florida Department of State, Florida Administrative Code
- City of Jacksonville BDA Survey and Installation Requirements (Office of Fire Plans Review, circa 2020; hosted by a third party, the Safer Buildings Coalition; predates the 2020 statute amendments), City of Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department
- Fire and Rescue Plan Review Procedures, City of Jacksonville