All states have laws (statutes) that require landlords to install and maintain smoke detectors in leased residential premises (apartments, homes).

Some states such as Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Vermont require photoelectric or ionization sensors—at least in new construction. And Oregon requires smoke detectors with a HUSH mechanism that allows the alarm to be silenced or temporarily desensitized for 7 minutes while a known condition such as cooking is causing the alarm to activate.

Most states also require landlords to install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors in leased residential premises. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are widely available in the same device.

In Georgia, state statutes require landlords to install and maintain smoke detectors in all leased residential premises. According to O.C.G.A. § 25-2-40, every dwelling must have an approved, functioning smoke detector installed in the vicinity of each sleeping area and on each story of the dwelling unit, including basements and excluding crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics. The law applies to both new construction and existing dwellings. Additionally, Georgia law mandates the installation and maintenance of carbon monoxide detectors in certain residential units. Under O.C.G.A. § 25-2-40.1, carbon monoxide detectors are required in any dwelling that contains a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace, or an attached garage. Landlords are responsible for ensuring that these devices are in good working order at the beginning of a tenancy, and it is typically the tenant's responsibility to maintain the detectors during their occupancy, unless the lease specifies otherwise.