How often do fire extinguishers need to be inspected in Ontario?

By Douse Fire Inc. · November 2, 2026

Short answer: in Ontario, every portable fire extinguisher must be inspected monthly, and its maintenance and testing must follow NFPA 10, which includes a yearly maintenance examination by a trained technician. Each extinguisher must carry a service tag showing when it was last maintained or recharged, by which company, and who did the work.

What the Ontario Fire Code says

The Ontario Fire Code (O. Reg. 213/07) covers portable extinguishers in Subsection 6.2.7:

• Article 6.2.7.1: maintenance and testing of portable extinguishers must conform to NFPA 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers.
• Article 6.2.7.2: portable extinguishers must be inspected monthly.
• Article 6.2.7.3: extinguishers with defects must be repaired and, if necessary, recharged so they work effectively and safely.
• Article 6.2.7.4: each extinguisher must have a securely attached tag showing the maintenance or recharge date, the servicing agency and the signature of the person who performed the service (unless other approved records are kept).

What a monthly inspection looks like

The monthly inspection is a quick visual check that building staff can do themselves. For each extinguisher, check that:

1. it is in its assigned place, mounted, and not blocked or hidden;
2. the operating instructions face outward and are readable;
3. the pressure gauge, if it has one, reads in the green;
4. the safety pin and tamper seal are in place;
5. there is no visible damage, corrosion, leakage or a clogged nozzle;
6. the service tag is attached and the annual service is not overdue.

Record the date and your initials, on the tag or in a log, each month.

What the annual service covers

Once a year, and at the longer intervals NFPA 10 sets for internal examinations and hydrostatic testing (they differ by extinguisher type), a trained technician examines each unit in detail, repairs or recharges it if needed, and attaches a new dated tag. That is the work we do at Douse Fire Inc.: see fire extinguisher inspection and servicing and recharging, refurbishment and supply.

After an extinguisher is used

Any extinguisher that has been discharged, even for a second, has to be recharged before it goes back on the wall. A partly used extinguisher may not have enough agent or pressure for the next fire.

Need your extinguishers checked?

We inspect, service and tag extinguishers for commercial and industrial buildings from Cambridge, Ontario. Book a free site evaluation or call us.

Summary of the Ontario Fire Code, O. Reg. 213/07, as published on e-Laws on November 2, 2026. Your local fire department has the final word for your building.