Are Standpipe Hydraulic Placards Required?

10/16/2025

Standpipe hydraulic placards - are they required?

You don’t see too many of them, so it would be difficult to find out how much psi max to pump in I don’t see many at the FDCs. Some fire marshals ask for one, others do not. I feel I’m the only one providing them.

NFPA 14 6.8 requires them and tells you what to put on them (2016 to present). I place them at the exterior FDCs, base of standpipes, at the tested valves, and at the fire pump.

Why aren’t the signs enforced?

Are you seeing these regularly?

Thanks in advance.

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12 Comments

Anthony

10/16/2025 08:07:06 am

Required - Yes
Enforced - Depends on the AHJ but after acceptance its only going to be 'enforced' by inspectors which are usually private companies. So high variability in outcomes.
Regularly seeing them - in obvious places like high enforcement environments, schools colleges gov't buildings less in old apartment buildings or manufacturing faculties that have had several tenants churn through the building.

Randy Kimbro

10/16/2025 08:19:16 am

As an AHJ, we inspect for these and require them. We use them primarily for the annual forward flow test to compare the GPM (pitot reading) with the placard to ensure the required GPM is reaching the riser. Specifically we look at the System Demand / GPM Discharge and compare to the forward flow pitot reading. We have found failures when underground valves are not fully open, there is an underground obstruction, or the water department has altered the water main.

Glenn Berger

10/16/2025 08:19:39 am

I am with Anthony on this one. Many times the FD will have this information already available to them as part of their pre-planning activities.

Architects and Owners do not like these signs on their buildings.

Dan Wilder link

10/16/2025 08:19:39 am

This got way too long so TL:DR
Yes
AHJ lacking enforcement
Not a lot, but have not seen many write ups on missing signage like a 13 system either

We would put the information on the sprinkler hydraulic sign as my previous company(ies) did not have separate signage. Currently, this is now something I'll need to go through as we have the 13 signage, 14 signage, General Information Sign, a system capabilities placard, the antifreeze placard...probably a couple others as well**.

Well, since the standpipe Hydraulic Design Information Sign shows up in the 2003 NFPA 14 (Section 6.7, maybe prior but I would need to dig into a box for an earlier version) and has been in NFPA 25 since 2011 - Table 6.1.1.2 & 6.2.3 - However the text reads "When Provided...." so no teeth there, this was changed in the 2014 Edition, same sections, I would suspect that this is also an enforcement issue and while I "love" explaining to owners the cost of recreation of a hydraulic placard as their system documentation is long since forgotten, adding in the standpipe discussion should be a new opportunity in public relations.

**Sounds like a great blog feature showcasing all the required signage for the more common systems (ahem...Mr. Meyer)

Anthony

10/16/2025 08:49:45 am

YESSS!!!! Signage post and cheat sheet!

Joe Meyer

10/16/2025 08:54:49 am

Someone say cheatsheet?

That's a great idea Dan!

One step further - is there any benefit to a tool to populate that information quickly? Such as - enter the info and immediately get a CAD or PDF of the plate for ordering?

I've been asked to populate that information before, and I know some ordering systems can do it; just curious if there was any merit/benefit to having an easy way to create adequate signage, even if the output is just CAD or PDF.

Joe Mc

10/16/2025 08:23:05 am

NFPA 14, 2024 section 8.7 has several new sections all related to signs.

No matter what, we should be provide the information as required by NFPA 14.

Additional we should educate the AHJ, other fire protection contractors and insurance folks about the requirement.

Nimal Tissa Wijetunga

10/16/2025 06:59:57 pm

The best reply among the lot. Well said.

Jack G

10/16/2025 09:25:37 am

Love the cheat sheet for required signage.
Also the best idea is send info to " hydracad, or sprink " to have the signage pop up on a cad screen with the hydraulic calculation for all signage with calculation.
Great idea.

Manny Rios

10/16/2025 03:36:31 pm

In our jurisdiction this is a requirement by applicable codes and the state fire marshal.
The applicable code requirements in NFPA require the placards be installed at the risers/fdc's and remote fdc’s like (fire hydrants).
They shall have required minimum/maximum pressures for the riser and sprinkler system installed, the information shall be etched not filled in with a sharpie.
This one of the things the NVSFM requires and verifies the installation thereof.

Z Hed

10/17/2025 01:27:34 pm

Yes,
And we require them to be embossed, stamped or etched into metal, because too many use sharpies and eventually they fade away. Nothing more frustrating than a blank data plate.

Manny

10/18/2025 12:09:03 pm

Etching the information required instead of using a sharpie is the main reason. Nothing worse than installing a blank placard!

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Are Standpipe Hydraulic Placards Required?

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