Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 29 — PUBLIC SAFETY AND STATE POLICE · Chapter 541 — Building, Fire and Demolition Codes. Fire Marshals and Fire Hazards. Safety of Public and Other Structures
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 29-296 (2025)

(Formerly Sec. 29-44). Fire Safety Code and State Fire Prevention Code: Variations or exemptions granted by State Fire Marshal

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The State Fire Marshal may grant variations or exemptions from, or approve equivalent or alternate compliance with, particular provisions of the Fire Safety Code or State Fire Prevention Code where strict compliance with such provisions would entail practical difficulty or unnecessary hardship, or is otherwise adjudged unwarranted, provided any such variation or exemption or approved equivalent or alternate compliance shall, in the opinion of the State Fire Marshal, secure the public safety. Any application for a variation or exemption or equivalent or alternate compliance received by a local fire marshal shall be forwarded to the State Fire Marshal by first class mail or electronic mail not later than fifteen business days after receipt by such local fire marshal and shall be accompanied by a letter or electronic message from such local fire marshal regarding the merits of the application.

(1957, P.A. 516, S. 1; P.A. 02-72, S. 4; P.A. 21-165, S. 5.)

History: Sec. 29-44 transferred to Sec. 29-296 in 1983; P.A. 02-72 specified procedures for the forwarding of application for variation or exemption or equivalent or alternate compliance received by local fire marshals to the State Fire Marshal; P.A. 21-165 added reference to Fire Safety Code and State Fire Prevention Code, added provision re application for variation or exemption or equivalent or alternate compliance received by electronic mail and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2021.

Cited. 204 C. 410; Id., 429.

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases, 1987–2001 · leading case: State v. White, 528 A.2d 811 (Conn. 1987).
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State v. White, 528 A.2d 811 (Conn. 1987). · cites it 8× “*414 I Initially, the defendant contends that his convictions for failing to provide smoke detectors must be set aside because the state fire safety code provisions and applicable statutes are unconstitutionally vague, in violation of the fourteenth amendment to the United…”
Tsombanidis v. City of West Haven, 129 F. Supp. 2d 136 (D. Conn. 2001). · cites it 3× “The only provision for discretion in the enforcement of the Code is granted to the State Fire Marshal by Conn.Gen.Stat. § 29-296. See Note 16, supra.”
Tsombanidis v. City of West Haven, 180 F. Supp. 2d 262 (D. Conn. 2001). · cites it 3× “This Court initially held that plaintiffs’ reasonable accommodation claim against the Fire District was not ripe for adjudication because plaintiffs had not sought a variation or exemption from the State Fire Marshal, pursuant to Conn. Gen.Stat. § 29-296. 15 See Tsombanidis, 129…”
State v. Andrews, 528 A.2d 361 (Conn. 1987). · cites it 3× “” The defendant argues that General Statutes § 29-292, which provides that the fire marshall and the codes and standards committee may amend the fire safety code at any time, and General Statutes § 29-296, which states in part that “the state fire marshall may grant variations…”
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