Before any residence is sold in the Borough of Bernardsville, the owner must obtain a Certificate of Smoke Detector/Carbon Monoxide/Fire Extinguisher Compliance from the Fire Prevention Bureau.


To obtain this Certificate, an applicant must go to the Construction Office on the 3rd floor of Borough Hall, fill out an application and pay the inspection fee of $50. Only after the application is completed and the fee paid will the inspection be scheduled. Applications must be made in-person.


At the time of the inspection, the Fire Official or Fire Inspector will check the following:


1) That a fully-charged ABC-type fire extinguisher is mounted within 10 feet of the kitchen


2) That there is a minimum of one (1) working Carbon Monoxide detector installed within 10 feet of the sleeping area(s)


3) There is one working smoke detector on each level of the home.


     IMPORTANT NOTE: If the smoke detectors are monitored by a central-station monitoring company, the system MUST be placed in          test-mode during the inspection. This requires a phone call to the monitoring company by the homeowner or his/her agent prior to the        inspection.


Frequently Asked Questions:


1) What size and type of fire extinguisher is required?


Answer: An ABC-type extinguisher, no larger than 10 pounds.


2) Does the fire extinguisher need to be mounted on the wall?


Answer: Yes


3) How old can the fire extinguisher be?


Answer: The fire extinguisher must be less than 7 years old.


4) Can the Carbon Monoxide detector be the plug-in type?


Answer: Yes


5) Do I need to have a smoke detector inside each bedroom?


Answer: No. Smoke detectors can be located in the hallway outside the bedrooms, as long as there is a smoke detector within 10' feet of each bedroom door.