Fire Extinguisher Missing or Expired Inspection Tag
Your fire extinguisher is missing its inspection tag, or the tag on it has expired. A licensed extinguisher service company needs to inspect it and attach a current tag.
Simple
Property manager view
Your fire extinguisher is missing its inspection tag, or the tag on it has expired. A licensed extinguisher service company needs to inspect it and attach a current tag.
Professional
Technical view
Portable fire extinguisher lacks current NFPA 10 annual maintenance tag, OR tag shows service date more than 12 months past, OR unit is approaching the 6-year internal exam or 12-year hydrostatic test window.
What inspectors find
An extinguisher with no tag at all, a tag with an inspection date more than 12 months old, or a tag missing the 6-year or 12-year service marks for units that have reached those age windows.
Why it matters
The annual inspection is the moment a licensed technician confirms the extinguisher is pressurized, physically undamaged, properly mounted, and capable of discharging. Between inspections, pressure can leak, discharge heads can clog, hoses can develop cracks, and units can be tampered with. The tag is the proof that the extinguisher was verified to work within the last year — without it, there is no evidence the unit will discharge when needed.
Common causes
- Previous service company was not scheduled for the current year
- Building owner was not aware of the annual inspection requirement
- Tag was damaged, removed, or fell off
- Extinguisher was added to the building without being enrolled in the inspection program
- Unit reached its 6-year or 12-year window and the deeper maintenance has not been performed
How it gets corrected
Contact a licensed fire extinguisher service company for annual maintenance — in most states this must be a licensed company, not in-house staff. The technician performs the full NFPA 10 Section 7.2 maintenance: visual inspection, pressure check, physical damage check, hose and nozzle check, and attaches a new tag. If the unit is 6 years old, the technician also performs the internal examination (empty, inspect, refill); at 12 years, the unit undergoes hydrostatic testing or is replaced.
For portfolios with 50+ extinguishers, the right program is an annual rotation with the same vendor, scheduled on the same month each year, with the service company tracking the 6- and 12-year cohorts for you. This prevents missed service, surprise 6-year costs, and the common hand-wringing over "which units are due this year."
Code references
Standards referenced for this deficiency category.
NFPA 10
7.2 (annual maintenance)
Edition 2022
NFPA 10
8.3 (6-year internal examination)
Edition 2022
NFPA 10
8.4 (12-year hydrostatic test)
Edition 2022
Code references are for general orientation. The applicable standard and edition at your property is determined by your Authority Having Jurisdiction and your local fire code.
Timeline guidance
Typical AHJ correction timeline
Missing or expired tags are typically 30-day corrections. The actual service is usually a 1-2 week scheduling window with the extinguisher service company, during which the inspector will want a follow-up service report filed with the AHJ.
Common questions
Can I do my own monthly visual inspection of fire extinguishers?＋
Yes — NFPA 10 requires a monthly visual inspection by someone with basic training (in-house facilities staff is fine), with a log signed each month. This is separate from the annual maintenance, which requires a licensed service company.
What happens at a 6-year internal examination?＋
The extinguisher is depressurized, opened, internally inspected, and refilled. The service company confirms the dry chemical agent is still in good condition (not caked or lumpy) and all internal components are intact. The tag gets a 6-year service mark.
What happens at a 12-year hydrostatic test?＋
The extinguisher shell is pressure-tested to verify it can safely contain its rated working pressure. Testing is done by specially equipped facilities — most service companies ship the units out. Shells that fail are destroyed; shells that pass are refilled and returned with a 12-year service mark. Many building operators replace at 12 years instead of testing because new units are often similar in cost.
How much does annual extinguisher service cost?＋
Typical annual service is $8-$15 per extinguisher. 6-year internal examination adds $20-$40. 12-year hydrostatic test is usually $40-$80 per unit, or replacement with a new unit at $50-$120. For a commercial facility with 15 extinguishers, annual budget is usually $120-$225.
Need help correcting this?
Fire Solutions NW corrects missing ext. tag deficiencies across the Pacific Northwest.
Licensed commercial fire protection contractor. WA · OR · ID · CA · AZ · NM. Same-week deficiency correction, AHJ-ready reporting, 24/7 emergency response.
This page is informational. The Fire Code Authority is an independent reference brand, not affiliated with NFPA, OSHA, or any government agency. Compliance decisions about your specific property require consultation with your Authority Having Jurisdiction and a licensed fire protection contractor. We do not reproduce copyrighted standards text; the referenced NFPA and IFC documents must be consulted directly for the exact language.