Exit and emergency light testing requirements
Updated August 2026Reviewed July 2026
Emergency and exit lighting is tested on two clocks under NFPA 101: a short monthly function test and a full-duration annual test. Knowing which is whose keeps the record clean.
The monthly function test (owner side)
Every month, the units get a brief function test — roughly 30 seconds — to confirm they switch on and illuminate when power is cut. This one typically falls to the building’s own staff, because it is quick and frequent, and many buildings log it on a simple sheet by the panel.
The annual full-duration test (service side)
Once a year, the units get a full-duration test: they must stay lit for their full rated runtime, commonly 90 minutes, on battery alone. This is the test that proves the batteries will actually last through an evacuation, and it is the one a service record is built around.
What each test actually involves
The monthly test is a 30-second function check: press the test button (or kill the circuit where the installation allows it), confirm the lamps come on, and log it. The annual test is the one that catches dying batteries — a full 90-minute discharge under load, because a battery that survives 30 seconds and dies at minute 40 passes the monthly check and fails the real thing. Failures at the annual are nearly always the battery pack; replace it and retest rather than swapping the whole fixture. Both tests want a written record — date, fixture, result, initials — because an inspector who can't see records treats the tests as not done.
Self-testing units
Some fixtures self-test and log their own results. Where those are installed, the monthly and annual checks can be read off the unit’s own diagnostics rather than run by hand. Confirm what your authority accepts as evidence.
Keeping the two records straight
The value in separating them is honesty: the annual test is the dated, professional record; the monthly checks stay with the owner. Mixing them up is how a register ends up claiming more than was actually done.
Cadences vary by jurisdiction — verify with your AHJ.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How often must emergency and exit lighting be tested?
- Under NFPA 101, a monthly function test of roughly 30 seconds and an annual full-duration test — commonly 90 minutes on battery alone. The annual test proves the batteries last through an evacuation.
- Who runs the monthly test?
- The monthly 30-second function test typically falls to the building owner or staff, because it is quick and frequent. The annual full-duration test is the professional, dated record.
- Who can test emergency and exit lights?
- The monthly function check can be done in-house by building staff. The annual 90-minute test can too, but many facilities fold it into a fire-protection service visit so the load test and the documentation happen together.
- How long do emergency-light batteries last?
- Plan on 3–5 years for sealed lead-acid packs and up to 7–10 for newer lithium fixtures — but the 90-minute annual test, not the calendar, is what tells you a battery is done.
Cadences vary by jurisdiction — verify with your AHJ.
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