Austin Kitchen Fire Suppression Inspection
Austin, Texas — 8 licensed inspectors found
Austin restaurants, bars, food trucks, and commissary kitchens need a current six-month wet-chemical inspection tag under NFPA 17A/96. Food trucks permitted in Austin since May 2022 that cook with grease-producing appliances need a hood suppression system with a current six-month tag before Austin Fire will pass them. That tag is not a hood-cleaning sticker — grease-duct degreasing is a different trade and does not certify Ansul, Kidde, or similar suppression equipment.
In Texas, the State Fire Marshal’s Office (Texas Department of Insurance) registers fire-extinguisher companies with an Extinguisher Certificate of Registration (ECR). Technicians who install, certify, or service pre-engineered kitchen cooking systems typically hold a Type K – Kitchen Cooking Systems license (FEL-K), or a broader Type A fixed-systems license. Austin Fire Department is the usual AHJ checking the six-month tag on site; AFD’s Fire Marshal’s Office also reviews and permits commercial kitchen extinguishing hood systems. HoodInspect only shows license numbers companies actually published — confirm them with TDI and your AHJ before you hire. Compare Austin inspectors below, including Ansul and Kidde shops, or read the six-month tag, hood cleaning vs suppression, and NFPA 17A/96 guides.
Six-month tag guideHood cleaning vs suppressionNFPA 17A / 96 guideInspection checklistInspection costMonthly owner logUL 300Ansul inspectors, Kidde inspectors
Who inspects kitchen fire suppression systems in Austin?
Austin commercial kitchens hire Texas State Fire Marshal–registered fire-extinguisher companies — not hood cleaners — to inspect and tag wet-chemical hood systems under NFPA 17A/96. Companies need an Extinguisher Certificate of Registration (ECR); individuals who certify kitchen cooking systems typically hold a Type K (FEL-K) or Type A (FEL-A) license. Austin Fire Department is the usual AHJ. Confirm any published Texas license with TDI. HoodInspect lists Austin inspectors who service brands such as Ansul and Kidde.
Inspectors in Austin
Kitchen fire suppression FAQs in Austin
- How often is an Austin kitchen fire suppression inspection required?
- About every six months under NFPA 17A and NFPA 96. Austin Fire Department looks for a current wet-chemical tag on the hood system — the familiar kitchen fire suppression inspection Austin operators schedule on a semi-annual cycle. A hood-cleaning sticker does not satisfy that check. See our six-month tag guide for what the visit usually covers.
- Who is licensed to inspect kitchen hood suppression systems in Austin?
- Companies need a Texas Extinguisher Certificate of Registration (ECR) from the State Fire Marshal’s Office (TDI) to engage in extinguisher and fixed-system work. Individuals who install, certify, or service pre-engineered kitchen cooking systems typically hold a Type K – Kitchen Cooking Systems license (FEL-K); a Type A fixed-systems license (FEL-A) also covers that work. Verify any number on a listing with TDI; HoodInspect only shows licenses companies actually published.
- Is an Austin hood-cleaning certificate the same as a suppression tag?
- No. Hood cleaners degrease ducts. A suppression inspector checks nozzles, fusible links, and wet-chemical agent on brands such as Ansul and Kidde, then applies the six-month tag. Read our hood cleaning vs suppression guide if a vendor is bundling both trades.
- Who is the AHJ for commercial kitchen wet-chemical tags in Austin?
- Austin Fire Department is the usual authority having jurisdiction for on-site tag checks in the city. The Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office registers the companies and individual technicians. Requirements can vary by occupancy — always confirm with your AHJ what they expect to see on the cylinder or control head.
- What is a Texas ECR for kitchen fire suppression inspectors?
- An Extinguisher Certificate of Registration (ECR) is the company registration the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office issues to firms that install or service portable extinguishers and fixed extinguisher systems, including kitchen wet-chemical systems. Listings may also mention a Type K (FEL-K) individual license. Confirm both with TDI before you hire; HoodInspect does not invent missing badges.
- What standards cover Austin kitchen wet-chemical inspections?
- NFPA 17A (wet chemical extinguishing systems) and NFPA 96 (ventilation control and fire protection of commercial cooking operations) set the familiar six-month inspection and tagging cycle. Local amendments and AHJ practice still control — operators should verify with Austin Fire Department or their covering fire marshal. Our NFPA 17A/96 guide summarizes the buyer-facing basics.
- Which suppression brands do Austin inspectors typically service?
- Austin listings on HoodInspect include shops that service Ansul wet-chemical systems (the brand many Austin buyers search alongside kitchen fire suppression inspection), plus Kidde and other factory-authorized brands named on each company page. Match the nameplate on your cylinder or control head before you book.
- Do Austin food trucks need a fire suppression system?
- Yes, if the truck got a new Austin Fire mobile food vendor permit after May 1, 2022 and cooks with gas or electric appliances that make grease-laden vapors (stove tops, flat tops, charcoal grills). Austin Fire counts new construction, a change of ownership, or a permit lapse over six months as new. Those units need a Class 1 hood automatic fire suppression system (commonly called Ansul) with a current semi-annual inspection tag. Units renewing a permit issued before May 1, 2022 stay under the 2015 IFC list. Source: Austin Fire Mobile Food Vending Fire Inspections page.
- What does Austin Fire check at a food truck fire inspection?
- For a new permit, Austin Fire looks for the hood suppression system with a current six-month service tag, a 2A10BC extinguisher and a Class K extinguisher with current annual tags, a Propane System Inspection Report from a licensed LPG plumber if the unit uses propane, an explosive-gas detector, and a one-time electrical inspection form from a master electrician. The fire inspection fee is $222, and failing, arriving more than 15 minutes late, or missing the slot means paying a new fee to reschedule. Book your suppression inspection before the AFD appointment so the tag is current.
- My food truck operates outside Austin city limits. Who inspects it?
- Inside the City of Austin, Austin Fire performs the mobile food vendor fire inspection as part of permitting. Vendors operating outside the city but within Travis County are permitted through the Travis County Fire Marshal. Austin Fire asks vendors who are unsure to email AFDMobileVending@austintexas.gov with the full operating address. Out-of-town trucks working an Austin special event also need an AFD inspection.