Florida Zone Key Switches for Elevators: Why Regional Compliance Matters

 

In Florida, all buildings that are six stories or taller—including hotels, condominiums, and other public-access facilities—must use Uniform Fire Service Keys (FFSKs) or lockboxes to allow fire department elevator access during emergencies Legal Information Institute+12FLDFS+12Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog+12.

 What Requires an FFSK Key?

• Any elevator that provides public access (e.g., passenger elevators, service elevators, freight elevators) in buildings with six or more stories must be keyed so that fire departments within the same emergency response region can operate them using a single master key Miami-Dade County+2FLDFS+2Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog+2.
• This requirement applies to both new buildings (built after Sept 30, 2006) and existing buildings (required to comply by Oct 1, 2009) ICC Digital Codes+7FLDFS+7ffca.org+7.
• Condominiums and multifamily residential buildings also fall under this rule if they are six stories or taller Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog.

Florida’s 7 Emergency Response Regions & Their FFSK Designations

Florida is divided into seven emergency response regions, and each region uses its own region-specific Master Key. Below are the keys assigned to each region per Florida Administrative Code (Rule 69A-47.015) Sees, Inc.+6Legal Information Institute+6FLDFS+6:

Region	Counties Included	Key Number
Region 1	Escambia, Santa?Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Jackson, Washington, Bay, Gulf, Calhoun	R-80833-2006-1 or FFSK1
Region 2	Gadsden, Liberty, Leon, Franklin, Wakulla, Taylor, Jefferson, Madison, Lafayette, Hamilton, Suwannee, Columbia, Dixie	R-80833-2006-2 or FFSK2
Region 3	Nassau, Duval, Clay, St.?Johns, Flagler, Putnam, Bradford, Union, Baker, Levy, Alachua, Gilchrist	R-80833-2006-3 or FFSK3
Region 4	Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk, Manatee	R-80833-2006-4 or FFSK4
Region 5	Marion, Sumter, Lake, Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Volusia	R-80833-2006-5 or FFSK5
Region 6	Hardee, Sarasota, DeSoto, Charlotte, Glades, Hendry, Highlands, Okeechobee, Lee, Collier	R-80833-2006-6 or FFSK6
Region 7	Monroe, Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River	R-80833-2006-7 or FFSK7

?? Alternative: Uniform Lock Box Option

Instead of rekeying elevator locks, a building may install a uniform lock box that holds keys to all public elevators. That lock box must itself be keyed uniformly within the region, and accessible by the same region’s master key Legal Information Institute+1Facebook+1

Miami-Dade County+4Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog+4Legal Information Institute+4

Assured Fire Safety+2FLDFS+2Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog+2.

Exemptions & Substitutions

If retrofitting a building to comply is technically, financially, or physically impossible, the local fire marshal may grant approval for alternative emergency access arrangements Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog+2Florida Legislature+2Miami-Dade County+2.

Who May Obtain an FFSK?

Eligible individuals include:

• Local fire department personnel (certified firefighters)
• Elevator owners or agents
• Elevator contractors
• Licensed state-certified elevator inspectors
• State agency representatives with elevator maintenance responsibilities Facebook+6Northeast Lock Corp.+6Florida Condo & HOA Law Blog+6

Applicants must complete Form DFS-K3-1660, submit it to an authorized vendor, and must not duplicate the key. The vendor retains documentation and may need to share it with the State Fire Marshal or local fire officials on request Florida Legislature+3Legal Information Institute+3FLDFS+3.

Summary Table

• Which elevators? Public-access elevators (passenger, service, freight) in buildings 6+ stories
• What key? Uniform FFSK master key or uniform lock box
• Compliance deadline: New buildings (after Sept 30, 2006); existing buildings by Oct 1, 2009
• Key per region: Seven regional Yale keys, one per emergency response region
• Alternatives allowed only if approved by local fire marshal

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