Don't Be Left in the Dark

Emergency lights and exit signs must remain illuminated for 90 minutes during a power failure. Battery degradation is the #1 cause of failure.

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Combine your Emergency Lighting test with your Annual Fire Alarm Inspection for discounted pricing and a single disruption-free visit.

Our 90-Minute Test Includes:

Load testing of battery backup systems
Verifying charging circuit functionality
Bulb and lamp inspection
Beam alignment and positioning check

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What NFPA 101 Requires for Emergency Lighting

NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code, mandates specific testing intervals and performance standards for emergency lighting and exit signage in commercial buildings. Here is exactly what the code requires — and what our technicians verify.

Monthly 30-Second Functional Test

NFPA 101 §7.9.3 requires a brief functional test at least monthly. The test simulates a power loss and verifies that the emergency battery unit activates and the lamp or LED illuminates. It does not fully discharge the battery — it simply confirms the transfer circuit and lamp are functional.

Many property managers perform monthly tests in-house. We can train your facilities staff on the correct procedure and provide a template log to document each monthly test for the fire marshal's records.

Annual 90-Minute Load Test

NFPA 101 §7.9.3 requires a 90-minute full-discharge test annually. The emergency lighting unit must illuminate the egress path for the full 90 minutes without the lamp going out, flickering, or falling below the minimum footcandle level (average 1 fc, minimum 0.1 fc at floor level per NFPA 101 §7.9.2.1).

Battery degradation is the primary cause of failure in the annual test. A unit that passes the monthly 30-second check may still fail the 90-minute load test because the battery no longer holds sufficient capacity. This is why annual professional testing with battery replacement is essential — not just a checkbox exercise.

Simulate utility power loss at the breaker or test button
Verify lamp/LED illumination throughout full 90-minute discharge
Confirm illumination level at floor meets NFPA 101 minimums
Document pass/fail result per unit on digital report
Replace batteries in units that fail the duration test

Exit Sign Testing

Illuminated exit signs require the same annual 90-minute test. Exit signs with internal battery backup must maintain illumination when power is cut; externally illuminated signs with emergency circuit feeds must remain lit via the emergency panel. Common failures include burned-out lamps in older incandescent units and battery degradation in self-contained LED exit signs.

California Building Code (CBC §1013) and NFPA 101 §7.10 also regulate exit sign placement, lettering size, and contrast — we document signs that are obstructed, damaged, or missing and include them in our deficiency report.

Who Needs Emergency Lighting Testing?

NFPA 101 applies to virtually every occupied commercial building, including:

Office buildings, retail stores, and restaurants
Hotels, motels, and apartment buildings
Healthcare facilities and assisted living communities
Educational and assembly occupancies
Parking structures with egress lighting requirements
Warehouses and industrial facilities with occupied work areas

Combine your emergency lighting test with our annual fire alarm inspection for bundled pricing and a single visit. See our compliance resource page for California documentation requirements.

Emergency Lighting Testing FAQ

Can our maintenance staff do the annual test themselves?

While NFPA 101 does not require a licensed contractor for the annual test, it does require a written record signed by the person responsible. For buildings subject to fire marshal inspection or insurance audit, a third-party-certified test with a digital report provides a stronger evidentiary record than a handwritten log. We often partner with property teams to handle the annual 90-minute load test while they manage the monthly 30-second checks.

How do we know if a battery unit will pass the 90-minute test?

You often can't tell without testing. Battery voltage at rest looks normal even when capacity has declined significantly. The 90-minute load test is the only reliable way to confirm a unit can sustain full illumination. Units more than 4 years old have a statistically higher failure rate, and we proactively recommend battery replacement at that age.

What happens if units fail the 90-minute test?

Failed units are flagged in the inspection report. We carry replacement batteries for the most common emergency lighting units on our service vehicles. Units that fail are either repaired on-site or documented as deficiencies requiring follow-up within a specific timeframe to maintain code compliance.

Do you test units in stairwells, parking structures, and mechanical rooms?

Yes. We test all units required by NFPA 101 for means-of-egress illumination, including those in stairwells, parking structures, corridors, mechanical rooms, and egress paths through storage or service areas. Accessibility to utility spaces and lockboxes should be arranged before the inspection date.

Is emergency lighting testing the same as fire alarm testing?

No. Fire alarm testing is governed by NFPA 72 and is separate from emergency lighting, which falls under NFPA 101. However, both inspections can be scheduled on the same visit. Many property managers bundle them to minimize tenant disruption and get a single combined inspection report.

How often are these tests required in California?

Monthly 30-second functional test and annual 90-minute load test, per NFPA 101 §7.9.3 as adopted by the California Fire Code. The California Building Code (CBC) adopts NFPA 101 provisions for emergency lighting in new and substantially renovated commercial buildings.

Schedule Your Emergency Lighting Test

Bundle with your annual fire alarm inspection and save. NICET-certified technicians, same-day digital reports.

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Emergency Lighting & Exit Sign Testing