IS 3844:1989: the internal fire hydrant and hose reel code, with its reach, height, pressure and test values
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Quick answer
IS 3844:1989 is the Indian code of practice for installing and maintaining internal fire hydrants and hose reels on premises. It is the first revision, adopted on 20 February 1989 and published in May 1990 by the Fire Fighting Sectional Committee, and BIS reaffirmed it in 2020 without revising the text. It is still the current edition.
The values most searched are a hose reel that leaves no part of a floor more than 6 m from its nozzle (cl. 6.5), a hydrant no more than 30 m from any point it covers (cl. 5.2.2), landing valves with the control line 1 to 1.2 m above the floor (cl. 5.9), 30 m of 63 mm hose per single hydrant (cl. 5.12) and a 700 kPa, 30 minute pressure test (cl. 8.1). No Quality Control Order makes the code compulsory, so it binds only through a rule, NOC condition or contract that names it. Its tank and pump tables are 1989 values, and NBC 2016 and NBCS 2026 now set the requirement for most buildings.
- Hydrant to any point covered, at most
- 30 m
- Landing valve control line 1 to 1.2 m; cl. 5.2.2, 5.9
- Hydrant spacing
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IS 3844:1989 at a glance: 12 facts
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Code of Practice for Installation and Maintenance of Internal Fire Hydrants and Hose Reels on Premises | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Edition | First revision, adopted 20 February 1989, published May 1990; the 1966 edition covered wet and dry risers, this revision generally only wet risers (foreword) | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Status | Current at BIS on 24 October 2026: published 31 May 1990, reaffirmed 2020, valid to 20 June 2030 | BIS standards database |
| Committee | Fire Fighting Sectional Committee, printed BDC 22 in this text and CED 22 in IS 9668:1990 | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Scope | Installation and maintenance of internal hydrants and hose reels, with or without sprinklers, for different building types (cl. 1.1, foreword); external hydrants sit in a separate standard | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Who uses a hydrant | Internal hydrants are for the fire brigade or trained people; hose reels give less water and can be run by untrained people (foreword) | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Parts of an installation | Tank, riser or down-comer mains, pumps with a control panel in a pump house, and the hydrants, hose reels, hoses and branch pipes (cl. 4.0) | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Hydrant reach | No point covered by a hydrant more than 30 m away (cl. 5.2.2) | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Hose reel reach | Nozzle reaches within 6 m of any part of a room; no floor point more than 6 m from the nozzle (cl. 6.2, 6.5) | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Test pressure | 700 kPa for at least 30 minutes, then a flow test (cl. 8.1, 8.2) | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Hose reel yearly flow | At least 0.5 litre a second (30 litres a minute), at the highest reel on each riser at least (cl. 9.7) | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Compulsory BIS mark | No Quality Control Order covers hydrant or hose reel installations; none covered the fire standards on 24 October 2026 except the extinguisher order | BIS standards database |
IS 3844 latest version: a 1989 text reaffirmed in 2020
IS 3844:1989 is the latest version. BIS reaffirmed it in 2020 with no amendment and no new edition, so its text is 37 years old.
- Why 1989 and 1990
- The Bureau adopted it on 20 February 1989 and published it in May 1990. It replaced the first edition of 1966, which also covered dry risers; this revision keeps the dry riser only for cold regions (cl. 5.1) and concentrates on the wet riser. BIS, IS 3844:1989
- Reaffirmed 2020
- BIS reviewed the standard in 2020 and left the text as it was, with validity running to 20 June 2030. It is not a 2020 revision. BIS standards database
- Companion standards have moved on
- The 1989 text names IS 884:1985 for the reel and IS 636:1988 for hose, while BIS now lists IS 884:2025 and IS 636:2018 as current. Ask your fire office which editions it accepts. BIS standards database
- Building codes have moved on
- NBC 2016 and NBCS 2026 now set which buildings need risers, tanks and pumps. Quote this code as IS 3844:1989 (reaffirmed 2020). BIS, SP 7:2026
Hose reel as per IS 3844: siting, length and test values
Clause 6 sets where a hose reel goes and how far it must reach: a reel at each floor, with no part of the floor more than 6 m from the nozzle at full extension.
| Clause | What the code says | |
|---|---|---|
| Where reels are required BIS, IS 3844:1989 | 6.1 | On all floors of buildings above 15 m, in addition to the wet riser |
| How the reel is fed BIS, IS 3844:1989 | 6.1 | Straight from the wet riser by a 37 mm socket and pipe, or from the landing valve through an adapter; the reel is Type A of IS 884 |
| Siting BIS, IS 3844:1989 | 6.2 | At each floor, stair, lobby or mid-landing beside the exits, so the nozzle reaches every room and within 6 m of any part of it |
| Reel length BIS, IS 3844:1989 | 6.5 | Long enough that no part of the protected floor is more than 6 m from the nozzle with the reel fully extended |
| Mounting height BIS, IS 3844:1989 | 6.2 | In open areas above head height, with the nozzle retainer and inlet valve about 900 mm above the floor |
| Recess doors BIS, IS 3844:1989 | 6.2 | Must open to about 180 degrees |
| Obstruction BIS, IS 3844:1989 | 6.3, 6.4 | Unobstructed and ready at all times; in open stacking areas such as warehouses, guard rails may keep stock away |
| Yearly test BIS, IS 3844:1989 | 9.7 | Run out fully under working pressure and flow at least 0.5 litre a second (30 litres a minute); test at least the highest reel on each riser |
The 6 m in clauses 6.2 and 6.5 is a distance from the nozzle to the floor, not the length of the jet. The code sets no jet length. The code does not print a hose reel hose length in metres; the reach rule decides it.
Landing valve height and hydrant spacing in IS 3844
Hydrants must not be more than 30 m from any point they cover, and the landing valve control line sits 1 to 1.2 m above the floor.
Clause 5.2.2 puts the wet riser installation so that no point in the covered area is further than 30 m from a hydrant. The same clause mentions a height of 0.75 m to 1 m from the floor, while clause 5.9 puts the control line of the landing valve 1 to 1.2 m above floor level. The two clauses do not agree, so a designer follows the building code or the fire office's reading and records which one was used.
Landing valves go on every floor and on an accessible roof (cl. 5.9). The risers sit in the lobby approach to the staircase or in the staircase enclosure, and neither they nor the valves may obstruct escape or narrow the stair (cl. 5.8). In buildings with basements the hydrants and hose reels run down to cover the basement (cl. 5.10). At least 2 hydrants connected to the system stand in the courtyard, by the road along the compound wall (cl. 5.11).
Hose and boxes: each single-headed hydrant has at least 30 m of 63 mm Type A hose (IS 636) with a branch pipe, or two lengths of up to 15 m (cl. 5.12). A minimum of 10 percent spare hose, landing valves, lugs and wheels is kept in stock (cl. 5.12). Landing valves are housed in hose boxes of 2 mm steel plate with a glass front, sized for 2 or 4 lengths of 15 m hose (cl. 5.14). Boxes may be replaced by niches with a glass facing only in residential apartments (cl. 5.14.1). Buildings with wet risers need access roads within 6 m of the boundary and a riser stack no more than 15 m from it (cl. 5.15).
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Largest distance from a hydrant to a point it covers | 30 m (cl. 5.2.2) | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Landing valve control line above the floor | 1 to 1.2 m (cl. 5.9); cl. 5.2.2 also mentions 0.75 to 1 m | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Hose per single-headed hydrant | At least 30 m of 63 mm, or two lengths of up to 15 m (cl. 5.12) | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Spare stock | At least 10 percent of each item (cl. 5.12) | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Courtyard hydrants | At least 2 (cl. 5.11) | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
| Spacing between rising mains | Not more than 50 m apart horizontally (cl. 5.2.2) | BIS, IS 3844:1989 |
Wet riser and down-comer in IS 3844: the four systems
Clause 5.0 names 4 systems for internal hydrants: dry riser, wet riser, wet-riser-cum-down-comer and down-comer. Which one a building gets is set by Table 1, by occupancy and height.
Cold regions
Dry riser (cl. 5.1)
Only for Group A buildings between 15 m and 24 m where water is at once available from a tank or town main. Two-way inlet at ground level without a non-return valve, air release valve at the top, drain at the bottom. It does not include hose reels, hose cabinets, hose or branch pipes. BIS, IS 3844:1989
Standard
Wet riser (cl. 5.2)
A pipe permanently charged under pressure, with landing valves, hose and branch pipes at every floor. A pressure switch starts the pump when a valve opens, and a standby pump takes over on power failure. Fire service inlet with 2 x 63 mm inlets on a 100 mm main, 4 x 63 mm on a 150 mm main (cl. 5.2.3). BIS, IS 3844:1989
Tall or large
Wet-riser-cum-down-comer (cl. 5.3)
A wet riser fed from the static tank plus a down-comer fed by a terrace tank, with two pumps of different capacity. A wet riser can be provided instead with the changes of cl. 4.2.6. Positions and spacing follow the wet riser (cl. 5.3.2). BIS, IS 3844:1989
Terrace fed
Down-comer (cl. 5.4)
A 100 mm pipe from the terrace pump delivery, with a single-headed landing valve and an IS 884 hose reel tapped from it on each floor or landing. BIS, IS 3844:1989
IS 3844 pressures and test values: 5 numbers to know
Five pressures and flows recur in IS 3844. The static pressure limit and the test pressure are both 700 kPa.
700 kPa
highest static pressure allowed in any hose line when the nozzle is shut (cl. 7.7) BIS, IS 3844:1989
700 kPa
initial test pressure, held at least 30 minutes with a drop of at most 50 kPa (cl. 8.1) BIS, IS 3844:1989
400 kPa
pressure above which an orifice flange or similar limiter is fitted at lower floors (cl. 7.8) BIS, IS 3844:1989
30 litres a minute
least flow at the highest hose reel on each riser, tested yearly (cl. 9.7) BIS, IS 3844:1989
15 m
building height above which hose reels are required on all floors (cl. 6.1) BIS, IS 3844:1989
Fire pump house and pumps as per IS 3844
Clause 4.2 asks for a duty pump and a standby pump on different power sources, a ventilated pump house and a manual stop only, and sets clearances of 0.75 to 1 m around the pumps.
- Pump house preferably outside the building and 6 m from adjoining buildings; if inside, only on floor one or in the basement, behind a 2 hour wall and a 1 hour fire door, with forced ventilation in a basement (cl. 4.2.1). BIS, IS 3844:1989
- Sloped floor to drain gland leakage, natural ventilation, normal and emergency lighting, and a diesel exhaust taken outside (cl. 4.2.1). BIS, IS 3844:1989
- Clearances of 1 m front and back and 0.75 m at the sides for pumps above 2,280 litres a minute; 0.75 m and 0.60 m for smaller ones; headroom at least 2.75 m (cl. 4.2.2). BIS, IS 3844:1989
- Wet riser: two automatic pumps, one the standby, on different power sources, interlocked so only one runs; the duty pump starts when a hydrant or reel opens and pressure falls (cl. 4.2.6, 7.3). BIS, IS 3844:1989
- Main pump stopped only by a manual push button on the pump panel; the diesel pump has its own panel, battery and charger, interlocked with the electric pump (cl. 4.2.2). BIS, IS 3844:1989
- Priming preferably by flooded suction; a priming tank, if used, holds 8 times the volume of the suction pipe (cl. 4.2.4). BIS, IS 3844:1989
- Alternative power from a diesel generator or a separate sub-station, with automatic changeover (cl. 4.2.7); a jockey pump of 200 to 300 litres a minute is desirable in bigger buildings (cl. 7.11). BIS, IS 3844:1989
- Underground tank at most 3.5 m deep with a 1 m deep sump, compartments joined by valves, 2 manholes, and an access road at least 6 m wide built for 18 tonne appliances (cl. 4.1.1). Tank and pump capacities by occupancy are in Table 1 and are not restated here. BIS, IS 3844:1989
Fire hydrant system maintenance as per IS 3844
Clause 9 asks for periodic checks, with only two fixed intervals: 6 months for inlets, landing valves and boxes, and once a year for the hose reel run-out test.
Periodically (no interval given)
Walk the area round every hydrant for obstruction and check indicator plates are in place (cl. 9.1); check that isolating valves are locked open and that flow and pressure have not deteriorated (cl. 9.2). BIS, IS 3844:1989
Every 6 months
Inspect inlets, landing valves, drain valves, door hinges and locks of the inlet and valve boxes, with attention to spindles, glands and washers (cl. 9.3). BIS, IS 3844:1989
Periodically, with the 6 month check
Cleanliness of the tanks and the jockey pumps with their mechanical and electrical parts (cl. 9.3, 9.6). BIS, IS 3844:1989
Regularly
Hose reels: inlet valve, automatic valve if any, glands, tubing and shut-off nozzle sound and free of leaks, and the nozzle not choked (cl. 9.5). BIS, IS 3844:1989
Once a year
Run each hose reel fully out under working pressure and confirm at least 0.5 litre a second (30 litres a minute); if not every reel, at least the highest on each riser (cl. 9.7). BIS, IS 3844:1989
On a defect
Remove a defective outlet valve assembly and fit a blank plate so the system stays live (cl. 9.4); rectify as fast as possible (cl. 9.8). BIS, IS 3844:1989
If out of service
Tell the fire service at once and put up a notice that the installation is unavailable (cl. 9.9). BIS, IS 3844:1989
IS 9668:1990 water supply values next to IS 3844
IS 9668:1990 covers where the water comes from and how much to store. It gives industry storage by hazard class and a 1 km limit to the source.
1. Source distance (cl. 3.1)
Source ready at all times, reachable by fire appliances and in no case more than 1 km from the risk. BIS, IS 9668:1990
2. Storage by industry hazard (cl. 4.2.2)
Light hazard: 1 hour at 2 jets of 600 litres a minute each, floor area up to 1,000 m2. Moderate: 2 hours at 4 jets. High: 3 hours at 6 jets. Above 1,000 m2 add 50 percent, with floors of 2, 2 and 4 hours. BIS, IS 9668:1990
3. Tank layout (cl. 4.2.4, 5.1)
A single tank is two equal interconnected compartments; at least 50 percent of the supply is static tanks for industries and civil defence towns. BIS, IS 9668:1990
4. Tank depth, distance, refill (cl. 5.2, 5.5, 5.10)
Normally not deeper than 2.5 m, within 100 m of the risk, with a filling main giving at least 1,000 litres a minute. BIS, IS 9668:1990
5. Sign (cl. 5.11)
A yellow plate marked SWT with the capacity in litres beside each static tank. BIS, IS 9668:1990
6. Checks (cl. 6.2, 6.3)
Reservoir level checked daily; static tanks inspected at least monthly in towns and weekly in industry; open tanks cleaned every 6 months, covered tanks at least every 2 years. BIS, IS 9668:1990
7. Towns and high-risk areas
For towns, 1,800 litres a minute for every 50,000 people up to 3 lakh, plus 1,800 for every further lakh, for 2 hours, and doubled for towns of 1 lakh or less (cl. 4.1.2). High-risk areas add at least one 2,20,000 litre static tank per km² (cl. 4.1.3, which names IS 3884 for high rise, a misprint for IS 3844). Tank sizes inside a building follow IS 3844 Table 1. BIS, IS 9668:1990
Where IS 3844 stops and NBC or NBCS takes over
IS 3844 is not law by itself. NBC 2016 and NBCS 2026 decide whether a building needs a riser at all, and the fire office's conditions decide which edition applies.
If You need to know which buildings need a wet riser, a down-comer or a hose reel by height
Read the height tables in the building code, not IS 3844 Table 1 alone. The wet riser and down-comer requirements by height are on the national building code page. National Building Code 2026 BIS, SP 7:2026
If Your approved plan or NOC was issued under NBC 2016
The 2016 code is the basis the plan was approved on. See what NBC 2016 asked of the installation. National Building Code 2016 BIS, IS 3844:1989
If A tender, AMC or state circular names IS 3844:1989
Treat the values on this page as the code's own. Intervals set by a state circular sit on top of the code's 6 month and yearly checks; see how an AMC turns them into visits. Fire AMC BIS, IS 3844:1989
If An auditor is checking your hydrants and hose reels
The audit tests against the standard, the code and the NOC conditions together; see the audit pages. Fire Audit BIS, IS 3844:1989
If You are choosing extinguishers rather than hose reels
Portable extinguishers are IS 2190, not IS 3844; the foreword of IS 3844 itself sends the reader there. IS 2190 BIS, IS 3844:1989
If You are checking a detection or alarm system that would trigger the pumps
That is IS 2189. IS 3844 only recommends an early warning device (foreword). IS 2189 BIS, IS 3844:1989
IS 3844 myths: 4 claims the text does not support
Four claims about IS 3844 repeat on the web and in audit notes. The 1989 text does not say them.
You may have read
IS 3844 requires a weekly hydrant inspection and a quarterly flow test.
Myth
What the sources say
Clause 9 asks for periodic checks without an interval, a 6 month inspection of inlets and valves (cl. 9.3) and a yearly hose reel test (cl. 9.7). Weekly, monthly and quarterly cycles come from state guidelines and AMC practice, not from this code. BIS, IS 3844:1989
You may have read
A hose reel must throw a 6 m jet.
Myth
What the sources say
The 6 m is the greatest distance from the nozzle to any part of the floor (cl. 6.2, 6.5), which sets the reel's length. The yearly test asks for 0.5 litre a second (cl. 9.7), not a jet length. BIS, IS 3844:1989
You may have read
IS 3844 was updated in 2020.
Myth
What the sources say
BIS reaffirmed it in 2020. The text is the 1989 text, and the code still names IS 884:1985 and IS 636:1988. BIS standards database
You may have read
IS 3844 also covers yard (external) hydrants.
Myth
What the sources say
It does not. The scope note sends external hydrants to a separate standard (cl. 1.1, note), although cl. 7.9 gives pipe laying advice for the water main feeding them. BIS, IS 3844:1989
Could not confirm in IS 3844: 4 gaps
Four values a reader may expect are not stated on this page, because the source is unclear or the code is silent.
If Tank and pump capacities by occupancy and height (Table 1) and main sizes (Table 2).
The scanned tables are not proof-read, so Flamekite does not publish their numbers. Read them in the free BIS text or use the NBCS 2026 height tables. BIS, IS 3844:1989
If The pressure a landing valve reducer holds at lower floors (cl. 5.9).
The code prints 5.5 kg/cm² with 0.5 N/mm² beside it, which is about 5.1 kg/cm², so the two units do not agree. Clause 7.8 separately asks for a reducer wherever floor pressure exceeds 400 kPa; take the working figure from the designer's calculation. BIS, IS 3844:1989
If Any amendment to IS 3844:1989.
The BIS database showed none on 24 October 2026; ask BIS or your fire office if a slip is cited in your approval. BIS standards database
IS 3844 in practice: 6 do's and don'ts
Six habits keep a 1989 code workable on a 2026 building.
Do
- Cite the code with its year and clause, for example IS 3844:1989, cl. 6.5, and note the edition of the hose and reel standards used. BIS, IS 3844:1989
- Keep isolating valves locked open and log the 6 month valve and box inspection (cl. 9.2, 9.3). BIS, IS 3844:1989
- Run out the highest hose reel on each riser once a year and record the litres a minute (cl. 9.7). BIS, IS 3844:1989
Don’t
- Do not leave a hose reel behind stock or a locked door; the code requires it ready at all times (cl. 6.3, 6.4). BIS, IS 3844:1989
- Do not leave a system out of service without telling the fire service and posting a notice (cl. 9.9). BIS, IS 3844:1989
- Do not take a Table 1 tank size from a web copy of the code; the 1989 scan is hard to read and NBCS 2026 may ask for more. BIS, IS 3844:1989
Questions about IS 3844:1989
What is IS 3844?
- IS 3844:1989 is the Indian code of practice for installation and maintenance of internal fire hydrants and hose reels on premises, from the Fire Fighting Sectional Committee of BIS.
What is the latest version of IS 3844?
- IS 3844:1989, the first revision. BIS reaffirmed it in 2020 and lists it as valid to 20 June 2030; the text has not been revised since 1989.
What does a hose reel need as per IS 3844?
- A reel on every floor of a building above 15 m, fed from the wet riser, placed so no part of the floor is more than 6 m from the nozzle at full extension, and tested yearly for at least 30 litres a minute (cl. 6.1, 6.2, 6.5, 9.7).
What is the hose reel length as per IS 3844?
- The code gives a reach rule rather than a number of metres: the reel must be long enough that no part of the protected floor is more than 6 m from the nozzle when fully extended (cl. 6.5).
What is the internal hydrant spacing as per IS 3844?
- No point covered by a hydrant may be more than 30 m away (cl. 5.2.2). Each single-headed hydrant carries at least 30 m of 63 mm hose (cl. 5.12).
At what height is the landing valve fixed under IS 3844?
- Clause 5.9 puts the landing valve control line 1 to 1.2 m above the floor; clause 5.2.2 also mentions 0.75 to 1 m. The clauses differ, so follow the fire office's reading.
What is the difference between a wet riser and a down-comer in IS 3844?
- A wet riser is a main charged under pressure from the pump on the static tank. A down-comer is fed from the terrace pump downward, with a landing valve and a reel on each floor (cl. 5.2, 5.4). A building may have both (cl. 5.3).
How often is a fire hydrant system maintained as per IS 3844?
- Inlets, landing valves and boxes are inspected every 6 months and hose reels are run out once a year; other checks are periodic with no stated interval (cl. 9).
Is IS 3844 mandatory?
- Not by itself. No Quality Control Order covers hydrant installations. It binds when a rule, NOC condition, tender or contract names it.
What is IS 9668 and how does it relate to IS 3844?
- IS 9668:1990 covers the water supply for fire fighting: source distance, storage by hazard class, static tanks and inspections. IS 3844 covers the installation inside the building.
Keep reading
- Fire hydrant system MCQ43 practice questions on IS 3844 and IS 9668, each cited.
- IS codes for fire safetyEvery core fire standard with its current edition and QCO status.
- IS 2190: fire extinguishersThe portable extinguisher code that IS 3844 hands over to.
- IS 2189: detection and alarmThe early warning code that goes with hydrants and reels.
- National Building Construction Standards 2026Wet riser and down-comer requirements by building height.
- Fire auditHow an auditor checks hydrants and hose reels.
- Fire AMCHow these test intervals become a maintenance contract.
- Fire NOC for warehousesLarge open floors where reel access matters.
Keep exploring
More in Fire Safety IS Codes
Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Flamekite checks its sources
- Bureau of Indian Standards: IS 3844:1989, Code of Practice for Installation and Maintenance of Internal Fire Hydrants and Hose Reels on Premises (first revision, reaffirmed 2020); free download after registration; clause numbers cited on the page (opens in a new tab)
- Bureau of Indian Standards: IS 9668:1990, Provision and Maintenance of Water Supplies for Fire Fighting, Code of Practice (first revision, reaffirmed 2020); free download after registration; clause numbers cited on the page (opens in a new tab)
- Bureau of Indian Standards, Know Your Standards database: Status, publication and withdrawal dates of the fire standards named on /is-codes (IS 2190, 15683, 16018, 2189, 15105, 9972, 3844, 13039, 9668, 15301, 15908, 636, 884, 903, 5290, 9457, 3614, 11360, 2175 and others), read 24 October 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Bureau of Indian Standards, Know Your Standards database: Status records read 25 October 2026 for IS 2189, IS 2190, IS 15683, IS 16018, IS 3844, IS 13039, IS 15105, IS 15301, IS 9668, IS 12349, IS 3614, IS 2175 and IS 11360 (current or withdrawn, with dates) (opens in a new tab)
- Bureau of Indian Standards (copy hosted by Goa Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services): SP 7:2026 National Building Construction Standards 2026, Part F: Fire and Life Safety (opens in a new tab)