Fire codes

Texas Fire Code & Departments

High annual-fires load (#2 of 51 nationally) against a International Fire Code (IFC) floor - 1,669 departments on the roster.

International Fire Code (IFC) Adopted 2021

International Fire Code (IFC)

Texas adopts the IFC at the state level, but enforcement is primarily local. The State Fire Marshal focuses on state-owned buildings and assistance to local departments.

International Fire Code (IFC) · fires rank #2 of 51

Texas adopts International Fire Code (IFC) (2021), shared by 33 of 51 states in this extract. 1,669 fire departments; the state ranks #2 of 51 nationally by annual fires (USFA).

  • Annual-fires rank #2 of 51 nationally
  • 33 of 51 states share this code type
  • 160 career / 1,073 volunteer depts
1,669
Fire Departments
63,369
Total Personnel
1,073
Volunteer Depts
160
Career Depts

Largest Fire Departments in Texas

#1
Houston Fire Department
Houston
3,815 personnel
#2
Dallas Fire-Rescue
Dallas
2,030 personnel
#3
San Antonio Fire Department and Ambulance
San Antonio
1,505 personnel
#4
Austin Fire Department
Austin
1,100 personnel
#5
El Paso Fire Department - Central Station
El Paso
880 personnel
View all 1,669 departments in Texas →

Texas's high fire-load code desk

High incident load (#2 of 51 nationally; ~162,000 fires/year) tests International Fire Code (IFC) in the field more often than low-load peers on the same family.

Enforcement capacity is volunteer-dominant: 1,073 volunteer vs 160 career departments (13% career among typed orgs), with 63,369 personnel on HIFLD. In this mix, statewide code language matters most where the state fire marshal or county inspector fills gaps rural companies cannot staff full-time. Largest roster in-state: Houston Fire Department (3,815 personnel, 6.0% of the state total).

USFA annual-fires rank for Texas is #2 of 51 (~162,000 fires/year ; 241 fire deaths; 1,039 injuries). Pair that incident load with the adoption vintage above when judging how hard the code is tested in the field. Figures: HIFLD Open Data ( FEMA / U.S. Fire Administration ), USFA published statistics, and state code-adoption records in this portal's extract.

Same International Fire Code (IFC) family: nearest adoption peers

  • AL · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • AR · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • CO · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • DC · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • GA · adopted 2021 (same model year)
  • IL · adopted 2021 (same model year)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many fire departments are in Texas?
Texas has 1,669 fire departments registered in the HIFLD database, including 160 career departments and 1,073 volunteer departments with 63,369 total personnel.
How does Texas's fire load compare nationally?
USFA ranks Texas #2 of 51 by annual fires (~162,000 fires/year in this extract). Pair that load with the adoption vintage and department mix on this page, high-load states stress code enforcement differently than low-load peers on the same code family.
What fire code does Texas use?
Texas adopts the International Fire Code (IFC) (adopted 2021). Texas adopts the IFC at the state level, but enforcement is primarily local. The State Fire Marshal focuses on state-owned buildings and assistance to local departments.
How current is Texas's adopted fire code?
Texas shows adoption year 2021 in this extract (mid-cycle band, 2019–2021). Local amendments can still tighten sprinkler or wildland rules beyond the statewide floor.
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFireData

Keep reading: Fire safety by state (pairs adoption vintage with incident load).