WA smoke alarm and RCD rules when you sell or rent out a house

Published 1 September 2026 · Updated 23 October 2026

When the rules apply

If you're selling, build the electrician's visit into the timeline before settlement, not the week of it. If a switchboard has no room for safety switches, the job can turn into a switchboard upgrade, and some upgrades need Western Power to disconnect the supply, which takes 5 to 7 weeks to book.

Deadlines for smoke alarms and RCDs

From Building and Energy and Consumer Protection WA, checked 12 October 2026. The rules apply to the owner, or the landlord for a rental.

What counts as compliant smoke alarms

• Permanently connected to mains power. A 12-volt feed or an alarm run through a security system may not comply
• Less than 10 years old, not past their expiry date, and in working order
• Interconnected where there's more than one, unless the home's building permit was applied for before 1 May 2015
• Meeting the building code edition in force when they were installed

A battery-powered alarm is only allowed where there's no hidden space to run cable, such as a concrete ceiling or a flat roof with no ceiling space, and in a rental it must have a 10-year battery that can't be removed. Only a licensed electrical contractor can connect or disconnect mains-powered alarms.

There's one exemption for sales: if the buyer gives the seller a statutory declaration that they'll demolish the home within six months, the seller doesn't have to install alarms. If it isn't demolished in that time, alarms are required.

What counts as compliant RCDs

• At least two RCDs, covering every circuit that supplies power points and lights
• Each RCD protecting no more than three circuits, so bigger homes need more
• Lighting circuits split between RCDs, so one trip doesn't leave the house dark
• Installed at the switchboard

If a seller doesn't comply, the buyer must install them within two months of settlement and can recover the reasonable cost from the seller. The penalty is up to $15,000 for an individual. If your board still has ceramic fuses, see ceramic fuses and old fuse boxes.

Proof of smoke alarm and RCD work when you sell

Not as a separate document for the sale. When an electrical contractor installs smoke alarms or safety switches, they must give you an Electrical Safety Certificate within 28 days, and that's your record of the work if a buyer asks. See the Electrical Safety Certificate in WA for what it must show and what to do if it doesn't arrive.

Penalties and who enforces them

Smoke alarm laws are enforced by local government, which in Busselton is the City of Busselton. Consumer Protection WA says a home offered for sale, rent or hire without a smoke alarm can bring a $1,000 infringement notice, and a landlord or owner offering a home for hire could be fined up to $5,000.

For RCDs, the penalty under the Electricity Regulations is up to $15,000 for an individual and $100,000 for a company.

What getting compliant costs

Published smoke alarm and safety switch prices

Prices as published, checked 12 October 2026. What's The Damage's Perth figures were updated October 2026. If the switchboard has no room or still has ceramic fuses, a full upgrade may be needed instead of single safety switches.

The total depends on how many alarms are needed, whether cable has to be run to new positions, and whether the switchboard can take extra safety switches. Doing alarms and RCDs in one visit saves a second call-out.

After the lease starts

Landlords must keep smoke alarms maintained so they stay compliant, and faulty RCDs must be replaced immediately. Consumer Protection says tenants should test smoke alarms monthly and RCDs every three months, and tell the landlord about any fault. Tenants only change a 9-volt alarm battery where the alarm is easy to reach.

For a hard-wired alarm that keeps chirping between tenants, see why is my smoke alarm beeping?. You can also run your property through the smoke alarm and RCD checker.

Common questions