Annual Inspection & Semiannual Visual

Code-anchored ERCES inspections — QR-verifiable reports your AHJ can trust.

Any building with installed BDA/ERCES equipment must be annually operational-tested per NFPA 1225 §20.3.10 and IFC §510.6, plus a semiannual visual inspection under §20.3.10.2. Zion delivers both on a predictable calendar with a certified, QR-verifiable inspection report.

Check if your building needs inspection → Request an inspection quote

What triggers annual inspection?

Any installed BDA/ERCES equipment, in any state, in any building type.

The obligation is universal

NFPA 1225 §20.3.10.2.3 requires an annual operational test of every installed ERCES/BDA system — regardless of when the system was installed, whether the current building code would newly require it, or which of the §510.1 exceptions the building might qualify for today. Installed = inspected annually.

Seven required test elements

Coverage grid re-demonstration at signal threshold (≥ –95 dBm typical)
Donor amplifier gain within ± 3 dB tolerance
Isolation ≥ 20 dB above gain
Monitored fault supervision to the FACP
Battery load test for the rated hours (typically 12 hr)
Spectrum verification (no unwanted intermod, hostile RF)
Semiannual visual inspection (V-1..V-16 items)

And it's a code default

Every recent IFC edition (2015 onward), 47 CFR §90.219 with Appendix J for FCC signal-booster compliance, and NFPA 72 Ch. 10 all mandate ongoing operational testing of installed ERCES. Missing annual inspection can trigger AHJ notice, permit hold, or Certificate-of-Occupancy revocation in aggressive jurisdictions.

The Program

A scheduled annual signal-survey, not a fire drill.

Most building owners only think about ERCES when the AHJ flags a missed inspection — and by then it's a scramble. Our annual program flips that. We pre-schedule your test on a 12-month cycle, mobilize a PCTEL-instrumented crew, and submit the AHJ-ready report before your tag expires.

For multi-building portfolios, we coordinate testing windows across all sites and consolidate reporting into a single owner deliverable.

What you receive

Pre-scheduled annual test, calendar-locked 90 days out
20-grid signal survey per IFC §510.5.3 with PCTEL instrumentation
DAQ measurements per NFPA 1225 §18.5
Battery-backup capacity test (12 / 24 hr per AHJ)
Donor antenna alignment + RSSI verification
Visual / mechanical inspection of BDA, antennas, cabling, NEMA enclosures
AHJ-ready PDF report, electronically submitted to your Fire Marshal portal
New annual inspection tag posted in your fire-control room
Deficiency report with photos, locations, and corrective recommendations

Pricing

Know your number before we ever step on site.

Most owners find out what an ERCES inspection really costs after the invoice arrives — trip fees, re-test charges, change orders. That's not fair, and it's not how we work. Every inspection is quoted as one fixed annual price, in writing, before anything is scheduled. The price we quote is the price you pay.

Single building

One fixed annual price covering the full operational test, the AHJ-ready report, and your new inspection tag. No trip fees. No re-test charge for minor corrections.

Portfolio (3–10 buildings)

One master agreement, one coordinated testing calendar, one discounted per-building rate. Every site tested on schedule, consolidated into a single owner report.

Enterprise (10+ buildings)

Custom master agreement with a dedicated program manager, quarterly compliance reporting, and priority emergency mobilization when an AHJ deadline lands in your lap.

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Sample report

See what we deliver.

Download a redacted but realistic sample of our annual ERCES inspection report. It's what your AHJ will see, what you'll keep on file, and what the next building owner will inherit if you sell.

Download sample report (PDF) →

What our annual customers say

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Building Signal Check

Is first-responder radio working in your building?

Texas's 2024 IFC adoption and Florida's January 2025 high-rise retrofit deadline pulled thousands of existing buildings into ERCES annual-testing scope. Enter your address and we'll tell you if yours is likely one of them — in 60 seconds.

Check your building →