ERRCS Requirements: A Practical Guide for GCs and Building Owners

What is an ERRCS?

An ERRCS is an in-building system that carries the radio signals firefighters, police, and EMS use from outside the building to every floor, stairwell, and basement — and carries their radios back out. It typically consists of a donor antenna on the roof aimed at a public safety radio site, a bi-directional amplifier (BDA) or fiber head-end, and a distributed antenna system of coax or fiber and indoor antennas.

The model fire code calls it an Emergency Responder Communication Enhancement System (ERCES). It’s regulated by Section 510 of the International Fire Code (adopted in California as Section 510 of the California Fire Code), with design governed by NFPA 1225.¹

When is an ERRCS required?

Under the 2025 California Fire Code, an approved in-building ERCES is required in all new buildings, unless an exception applies.¹ The state-level exceptions include:

• One-story buildings of 12,000 sq ft or less with no area below grade.
• Buildings where the fire code official determines a system isn’t needed.
• Buildings where an approved wired communication system is accepted instead.

In practice, most jurisdictions decide based on a radio coverage test of the finished building: if public safety radios don’t meet the coverage standard, a system is required. Many cities also publish their own triggers. For example, San Diego requires an ERCES in new high-rises and evaluates low-rise buildings that are 3+ stories, over 20,000 sq ft, or have a basement over 2,500 sq ft.³ Burbank applies its rules to buildings with 2+ levels above grade, any below-grade level, or 12,000 sq ft or more.²

Coverage and signal targets

The 2025 CFC sets a baseline of 95% coverage of all areas and 99% coverage of critical areas on each floor, with a minimum Delivered Audio Quality (DAQ) of 3.0 in both directions.¹ Local fire departments frequently go further:

Sources: CFC 510¹, Burbank², San Diego³. Always confirm the current local amendment for your jurisdiction.

Critical areas are designated by the fire code official. Typical lists include the fire command center, fire pump room, exit stairs, elevator lobbies, standpipe and sprinkler valve locations, and similar rooms firefighters must reach.^3,2

System requirements

• Listed equipment: equipment must be listed to UL 2524, and RF-emitting devices must be certified by the FCC before installation.¹
• Secondary power: at least 12 hours at 100% system capacity, from dedicated batteries or 2-hour batteries backed by a facility generator.¹
• Enclosures: signal booster components in NEMA 4-type cabinets; battery systems in NEMA 3R or better.¹
• Monitoring: system faults (power loss, battery, antenna, amplifier failures) reported through the building fire alarm system.²
• Pathway survivability: backbone cabling and active equipment protected to a fire rating set by NFPA 1225 and local rules — often 2-hour in high-rise construction.³

Approvals: fire department and frequency licensee

An ERRCS rebroadcasts licensed public safety frequencies, so two parties have to sign off: the fire code official and the frequency license holder (usually the city or county radio system). The CFC requires prior coordination and approval from both, and written authorization from the licensee before the system is turned on.¹ Signal boosters must also comply with FCC rules at 47 CFR § 90.219.⁵

Acceptance and annual testing

Acceptance testing divides each floor into a 20-area grid and measures two-way performance in each area; more than one failed area fails the floor (with a 40-area retest allowed in some cases).¹ After acceptance, the system must be tested annually and after structural changes. See our annual testing guide for details.

Designers and lead installers generally need an FCC General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL) plus in-building system training or manufacturer certification; many jurisdictions also require NICET In-Building Public Safety Communications certification.^1,2