Fire Extinguisher Annual Certification in Aliso Viejo

The tag an OCFA inspector reads

Aliso Viejo's fire regulations name the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) as the fire authority having jurisdiction. Its Community Risk Reduction Department, which used to be called Fire Prevention, does annual life safety inspections of existing commercial, industrial, educational and multi-family residential buildings. Your extinguishers are part of that walk-through.

Tags tell the story. An inspector can see when each unit was last serviced, and by whom. Extinguishers are the most common reason Aliso Viejo businesses have called us. One caller had a letter from an Orange County fire inspector saying the building's extinguishers had to be brought current. An annual visit on schedule keeps that letter from showing up.

Fire extinguisher inspection in Aliso Viejo: two separate jobs

Searching for fire extinguisher inspection? You probably need one of two things.

The monthly check is yours. Under NFPA 10, the owner (or someone the owner picks) looks at each unit once a month: is it in its spot, easy to reach, pin and tamper seal in place, gauge in the green, cylinder free of damage? No license is needed.

The annual one is ours. California Title 19 requires annual maintenance by a firm and technician licensed by the State Fire Marshal. The work is recorded on a tag. A monthly glance never replaces it.

How the certification visit goes

1. We find every unit in the building. That includes the one behind the break-room door.
2. Each extinguisher is checked to NFPA 10: cylinder condition, pressure, hose and nozzle, pin and seal, mounting height, signage, and whether its class matches the hazard nearby.
3. Units due for a 6-year teardown or a hydrostatic test get flagged.
4. Passing units get a new tag. If a unit fails, we tell you why.

Units that need more than a tag

Some extinguishers hit longer deadlines. Stored-pressure dry chemical units get a 6-year internal maintenance (a teardown), and they are hydrostatically tested every 12 years, while CO2, water and wet chemical (Class K) units are tested every 5 years. We handle both through hydrostatic testing in Aliso Viejo and extinguisher refills. Running a kitchen with a hood suppression system? You also need a Class K unit; see kitchen fire service in Aliso Viejo.

Code and license, in plain terms

Aliso Viejo adopted the 2025 California Fire Code, with local amendments, through Ordinance No. 2025-246. Section 906 of that code covers portable fire extinguishers. Ask the OCFA fire marshal if a local amendment touches your occupancy.

Who may do the work? Hedrick Fire Protection performs it. Hedrick holds C-16 (fire protection) and C-10 (electrical) contractor licenses and is licensed by the California State Fire Marshal under Title 19 for portable extinguisher service.

Staff training is a separate rule. If employees are expected to use the extinguishers, OSHA requires training at hire and at least once a year after that, which we cover under fire extinguisher training in Aliso Viejo.

Questions about a specific building? Call (949) 558-2201 or email socal@1profire.com

More for Aliso Viejo: the Aliso Viejo fire protection hub and fire extinguisher service and installation. Nearby: annual extinguisher certification across Orange County and annual extinguisher certification in Los Angeles County.