Manual Pull Station Placement Chart
Where manual fire alarm pull stations go, per NFPA 72 §17.14 (2022 edition): within 5 ft of every exit, no more than 200 ft of travel to the nearest one, on each floor, at a reachable height. The building and fire codes and the AHJ can add requirements on top of these.
Manual pull station placement
| Rule | Requirement | NFPA 72 § |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from each exit doorway | Within 5 ft (60 in) of the nearest edge | 17.14.8.1 |
| Maximum travel distance to the nearest station | 200 ft on the same floor | 17.14 |
| Coverage per floor | At least one station on every floor | 17.14 |
| Mounting height (operable part) | 42 in to 48 in above finished floor | 17.14 |
| Siting | In the natural exit-access path; conspicuous, unobstructed, accessible | 17.14 |
How the two distance rules interact
Two separate distances govern a pull-station layout. The first is local: a station within 5 ft of each exit doorway, so anyone leaving through that door passes one on the way out. The second is global: no point on the floor more than 200 ft of travel — walking distance, not straight-line — from the nearest station. On a compact floor the exit rule alone covers the 200 ft rule; on a long or open floor you add stations mid-path to close the gap. Stations sit in the natural exit-access path, conspicuous and unobstructed, at a 42–48 in handle height.
Edition and local rules
These placement rules are stable across recent NFPA 72 editions. What varies is what the building and fire codes layer on top — some occupancies require pull stations at specific locations regardless of the travel-distance math, and the AHJ can require more. Confirm the edition your jurisdiction enforces and check the local amendments before finalizing a layout.
Common questions
Where do manual pull stations have to be located?
NFPA 72 (2022 edition, §17.14) requires a manual pull station within 5 ft of each exit doorway, measured horizontally to the nearest edge, on every floor. Additional stations are added along the path of egress so that the travel distance to reach one never exceeds 200 ft.
What is the 200 foot rule for pull stations?
No point on a floor may be more than 200 ft of travel from the nearest manual pull station. On a large floor, the 5-ft-from-each-exit rule usually satisfies this on its own, but long corridors or open floor plans can require extra stations mid-path to stay within 200 ft.
How high is a pull station mounted?
The operable handle is mounted between 42 in and 48 in above the finished floor — inside the ADA 48 in high-reach limit so it is reachable from a wheelchair. See the mounting heights chart for the full set of device heights.
Run your whole job on the same numbers
These NORDIX tools are a taste of the full platform — bid pipeline, estimating, and job costing that carry your numbers from the first bid to the final invoice.
See what NORDIX does →