THE PRODUCT:
An illuminated exit sign is designed to be permanently fixed in place to identify an exit.
THE STANDARD:
Current standards for illuminated exit signs were adopted by Congress in in EPAct 2005 and went into effect in 2006. The standards require maximum energy use of 5 Watts (W) per face (e.g. 5 W for a one direction sign, 10 W for a sign that faces two different directions).
California first adopted state standards for exit signs in 2002, effective in 2003. Eight additional states (AZ, CT, MD, NJ, NY, OR, RI, WA) adopted the CA standards, though all standards but those in Maryland were preempted by the national standards before taking effect.
KEY FACTS:
Illuminated exit signs are required by safety codes in commercial buildings. There are millions of these signs in place in buildings across the US in continuous operation. Manufacturers can utilize light-emitting diode technology (LED) to meet the standard.
Timeline
| Federal | Date | States |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | AZ Standard Effective * | |
| 2007 | WA Standard Effective * | |
| 2007 | NJ Standard Effective * | |
| 2007 | RI Standard Effective * | |
| 2007 | OR Standard Effective * | |
| 2006 | CT Standard Effective * | |
| 1st Federal Standard Effective | 2006 | |
| 2005 | MD Standard Effective | |
| EPACT Initial Federal Legislation Enacted | 2005 | |
| 2005 | WA Standard Adopted | |
| 2005 | NJ Standard Adopted | |
| 2005 | AZ Standard Adopted | |
| 2005 | RI Standard Adopted | |
| 2005 | OR Standard Adopted | |
| 2005 | NY Standard Adopted | |
| 1st Federal Standard Adopted (Congress) | 2005 | |
| 2004 | CT Standard Adopted | |
| 2004 | MD Standard Adopted | |
| 2003 | CA Standard Effective | |
| 2002 | CA Standard Adopted |
* State standard never went into effect due to preemption by federal standard.
States not showing an effective date have an ongoing rulemaking process to determine standards.
Timeline reflects state standards from 2001 to present; federal standards from inception to present.
