How much does a fire extinguisher inspection cost?
A professional fire extinguisher inspection costs $40 to $100, or $5 to $15 per extinguisher when a company prices by the unit, per HomeGuide.
HomeGuide puts a professional fire extinguisher inspection at $40 to $100 on average, and says specialized units cost more to inspect than common ones — up to $300 for a wet chemical or Halotron extinguisher. Where a company prices by the unit rather than by the visit, HomeGuide puts the per-extinguisher fee at $5 to $15.
Source: HomeGuide
This page is general information, not professional advice, and it is not legal advice. Fire code is adopted locally and your building's requirements come from your own fire marshal and your insurer, so the only schedule that governs your property is the one they give you in writing.
Fire extinguisher inspection cost by extinguisher type
| Extinguisher type | Inspection cost | Where you find it |
|---|---|---|
| ABC dry chemical | $40 – $70 | The common red one, offices and shops |
| Water | $50 – $80 | Many commercial spaces, ordinary combustibles only |
| Foam | $40 – $100 | Commercial kitchens and industrial settings |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) | $80 – $120 | Around electrical equipment and flammable liquids |
| Wet chemical | $150 – $300 | Commercial kitchens, cooking oils and fats |
| Halotron | $100 – $200 | Computer rooms, museums, sensitive equipment |
| Water mist | $100 – $200 | Where water damage has to be kept down |
| Dry powder | $40 – $80 | Combustible metals, industrial only |
Source: HomeGuide
What fire extinguisher service includes, and what it does not
OSHA writes the job in two pieces and they are not the same visit. Portable extinguishers are visually inspected monthly, and that check is done by your own staff at no cost. Separately, the employer has to make sure every portable extinguisher is subjected to an annual maintenance check, record the date of it, and keep that record for a year after the last entry or the life of the shell, whichever is less. The annual check is the one a fire protection company charges for.
Source: OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.157
HomeGuide lists what a certified inspector does on that annual visit: check every part of the extinguisher for physical damage, confirm the operating instructions are readable, confirm the gauge sits in the safe zone and test for leaks, check the tag for the last service date, do whatever maintenance the unit needs, and leave documentation behind. Anything beyond that — a recharge, a new unit, a hydrostatic test — is priced separately.
Source: HomeGuide
What the punched tag on the extinguisher means
The tag hanging off the neck of the extinguisher is the record OSHA asks you to keep, in physical form. A technician punches the month and the year of the service they just performed and signs it. Two things are worth knowing about it. First, a tag proves the annual check happened; it does not prove the extinguisher is full, which is what the gauge is for and what your own monthly look is for. Second, an inspector who arrives and finds no tag will treat the unit as unserviced, which is why a building that has changed hands often gets billed for a full round of service in its first year.
The other line items on a fire protection invoice
| Line item | Published price |
|---|---|
| Annual professional inspection | $40 – $100 |
| Monthly visual inspection by your own staff | Free |
| Recharge after any use | $10 – $60 |
| Replacement extinguisher | $40 – $200 |
| Inspection of a complete fire sprinkler system | $300 – $500 |
Source: HomeGuide
The recharge line is the one people are surprised by. HomeGuide says it is required after each use regardless of how much agent came out, and again if the unit loses pressure over time. A discharged extinguisher that was put back on the bracket is not a working extinguisher.
Source: HomeGuide
What moves the number on your quote
- How many units are on the route. A company that prices per extinguisher gets cheaper per unit as the count goes up; a company that prices per visit does not.
- What is in them. The wet chemical unit over a commercial fryer costs several times what the ABC unit in the hallway costs to service.
- Whether anything is due. A six-year maintenance or a hydrostatic test falls in a different year from an ordinary annual check, and it is a different price.
- How fast you need it. HomeGuide notes that next-day service usually carries a premium over standard scheduling.
If what you are really trying to work out is how many extinguishers the building needs before you call anyone, use the fire extinguisher calculator.
Questions people ask next
- How much does a fire extinguisher inspection cost?
- HomeGuide publishes $40 to $100 for a professional inspection, or $5 to $15 per extinguisher where a company prices by the unit. HomeGuide puts specialized units higher — a wet chemical extinguisher at $150 to $300 to inspect.
- Who is allowed to inspect a fire extinguisher?
- The annual maintenance check is done by a certified fire protection professional. The monthly visual inspection is done by your own staff and costs nothing — OSHA writes it as a visual inspection, not a service call.
- What happens if the annual inspection is skipped?
- OSHA requires the employer to record the annual maintenance date and keep the record. Without it, an inspector treats the unit as unserviced, and your insurer may take the same view after a loss.
- Does a recharge cost extra?
- Yes. HomeGuide lists recharging at $10 to $60 and says it is required after each use no matter how little agent was discharged, and again whenever the unit has lost pressure.
Written for building owners by Most Recommended Fire Protection, which measures which fire protection companies AI assistants actually recommend. Nobody can pay to be on those lists. How we measure.