What is the smoke and CO alarm test record form template?
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms only help if they work. Landlords often test them at the start of each tenancy and at regular visits, and many ask tenants to test them monthly too. Either way, a written record matters: it shows the checks happened, it catches alarms that are past their replace-by date, and it means a failed alarm isn't forgotten once the tester has left.
This one-page template starts with the property, unit, date, who tested and whether they're the landlord, manager, tenant or a contractor, plus the reason — a routine check, the start of a tenancy, a reported fault or a new alarm. A short paragraph explains how to test. Then each alarm gets its own small section: "Location", "Type", "Test result", "Battery changed?" and "Replace-by date on the alarm".
Three alarm sections are shown, and answering yes to "Are there more alarms to record?" adds three more. The questions for an alarm only appear once its location is filled in, so empty sections don't get in the way. Marking an alarm "Failed" asks "What did you do about it?". The record finishes with whether the alarms are interlinked, whether the tenant was shown how to test them, notes, photos and a signature, and is filed as a PDF in your FileIt vault.
- Best for
- Landlords, property managers, housing providers and safety-conscious tenants
- Filled in by
- Whoever tests the alarms — landlord, manager, contractor or tenant
- Time to complete
- About 5 minutes
- Includes
- Up to six alarms, type, result, battery and replace-by date, failure actions, interlink check, photos, signature
Who uses a smoke and CO alarm test record form?
- Checking alarms on the first day of a new tenancy
- Routine safety visits across a rental portfolio
- Tenants recording their own monthly tests
- Following up a tenant's report of a chirping or faulty alarm
- Recording newly installed alarms and their replace-by dates
- Holiday lets testing alarms between guests
Questions on this smoke and CO alarm test record form
48 questions · includes signature, file upload, conditional questions.
1 Alarm test
- Property address*
- Unit
- Date tested*
- Tested by*
- You are the* Landlord · Property manager · Tenant · Contractor
- Reason for the test* Routine check · Start of a tenancy · After a report of a fault · New alarm installed
- Location*
- Type* asked only when it applies Smoke alarm · Carbon monoxide (CO) alarm · Combined smoke and CO · Heat alarm
- Test result* asked only when it applies Passed — sounded when tested · Failed
- Battery changed? asked only when it applies
- Replace-by date on the alarm asked only when it applies
- What did you do about it?* asked only when it applies
- Location
- Type* asked only when it applies Smoke alarm · Carbon monoxide (CO) alarm · Combined smoke and CO · Heat alarm
- Test result* asked only when it applies Passed — sounded when tested · Failed
- Battery changed? asked only when it applies
- Replace-by date on the alarm asked only when it applies
- What did you do about it?* asked only when it applies
- Location
- Type* asked only when it applies Smoke alarm · Carbon monoxide (CO) alarm · Combined smoke and CO · Heat alarm
- Test result* asked only when it applies Passed — sounded when tested · Failed
- Battery changed? asked only when it applies
- Replace-by date on the alarm asked only when it applies
- What did you do about it?* asked only when it applies
- Are there more alarms to record?
- Location asked only when it applies
- Type* asked only when it applies Smoke alarm · Carbon monoxide (CO) alarm · Combined smoke and CO · Heat alarm
- Test result* asked only when it applies Passed — sounded when tested · Failed
- Battery changed? asked only when it applies
- Replace-by date on the alarm asked only when it applies
- What did you do about it?* asked only when it applies
- Location asked only when it applies
- Type* asked only when it applies Smoke alarm · Carbon monoxide (CO) alarm · Combined smoke and CO · Heat alarm
- Test result* asked only when it applies Passed — sounded when tested · Failed
- Battery changed? asked only when it applies
- Replace-by date on the alarm asked only when it applies
- What did you do about it?* asked only when it applies
- Location asked only when it applies
- Type* asked only when it applies Smoke alarm · Carbon monoxide (CO) alarm · Combined smoke and CO · Heat alarm
- Test result* asked only when it applies Passed — sounded when tested · Failed
- Battery changed? asked only when it applies
- Replace-by date on the alarm asked only when it applies
- What did you do about it?* asked only when it applies
- Are the alarms interlinked? Yes — testing one set off the others · No, they work separately · Not sure
- Has the tenant been shown how to test the alarms? asked only when it applies
- Other notes
- Photos
- Signature*
The smoke and CO alarm test record form, page by page
1 Alarm test
The property address, "Date tested", "Tested by", "You are the" and "Reason for the test" are required; the unit is optional. Alarm 1's location is required; alarms 2 and 3 are optional, and each one's "Type", "Test result", battery and replace-by questions appear once a location is entered. The type list covers smoke, carbon monoxide, combined and heat alarms. A failed test requires a note of the action taken. "Are there more alarms to record?" opens alarms 4 to 6. "Are the alarms interlinked?", a question about showing the tenant how to test (hidden when a tenant is testing), notes, up to six photos and a signature complete the record.
Make the template yours
- Edit the testing paragraph to match the alarms in your properties
- Change "Reason for the test" to fit your inspection schedule
- Add a dropdown of your properties instead of typing the address
- File records into a vault folder per property so each one has a history
- Add your maintenance contractor to the notification emails to hear about failures
- Remove the tenant option if only your staff carry out tests
Tips for a better smoke and CO alarm test record form
- Note the replace-by date every time — alarms wear out even when they still beep
- Fix or replace a failed alarm before leaving if you can, and record it
- Test interlinked alarms by pressing one and checking the others sound
- Show new tenants how to test, and ask them to report faults straight away
- Check the rules where your property is about which alarms are required and where
Every response becomes a PDF in your vault
Each record is filed as a signed PDF in the vault folder you choose, with photos attached, and you're emailed. A tenant who submits it can get a copy too.
The Responses table builds a history of tests for each property. Export it to CSV to see which alarms failed or are approaching their replace-by dates.
- Start from this template. It opens in the FileIt Forms designer — change any question, add pages, set the rules for when questions appear.
- Share it. Turn on a public link, or send it to people by email, each with their own link. They don’t need a FileIt account.
- Get the answers as PDFs. Each response is saved as a PDF in the vault folder you choose, with uploaded files attached — and listed in a Responses table you can export to CSV.
Smoke and CO alarm test record form: frequently asked questions
Is this alarm test record template free?
Yes. It's a starter template in FileIt's Forms app, available on every plan.
How many alarms can I record?
Up to six per record: three are shown, and answering yes to the "more alarms" question adds three more. Add more sections in the designer if you need them.
Does it remind me when an alarm needs replacing?
No. The replace-by date is recorded on the PDF and in the CSV export, so you can plan replacements yourself.
Can tenants use it?
Yes. Share the link with tenants and they can log their own tests; they don't need a FileIt account.
What happens when an alarm fails?
The form asks what was done about it, and that answer is required before the record can be submitted.
Does this record meet legal requirements?
It's a record-keeping template. Alarm rules vary by place, so check what applies to your property.