Fire Protection Surcharges

What is the surcharge?

Minnesota Rules, part 7512.1200, subpart 1, requires the payment of a surcharge fee on all fire protection-related work. The surcharge fee is the project cost multiplied by 0.002. This fee is paid to the state fire marshal for all fire protection work requiring a permit.

How or when is it paid?

Permits for fire protection-related work are obtained from the State Fire Marshal Division (SFM) or a municipality. When the SFMD issues the permit, the surcharge is included with the permit fee on the application.

If the permit is obtained from a jurisdiction, including the Department of Labor and Industry’s Construction Codes and Licensing Division (CCLD), the surcharge is paid separately to the SFM.

When a fire protection permit was obtained from the jurisdiction, a state surcharge fee was listed and collected. Does this satisfy the fire protection surcharge fee?

No, the surcharge fee collected by local jurisdictions and CCLD is a building code surcharge. It is separate from and in addition to the fire protection surcharge. It does not replace the fire protection surcharge.

 

How often should contractors pay the fire protection surcharge fee?

The fire protection surcharge fee is supposed to be paid at the time of the work. The SFM allows contractors to pay them quarterly or at the end of the year. Payment frequency may depend on the volume of work the contractor performs; in some cases, the contractor may prefer to pay quarterly. In other cases, an annual payment is acceptable.