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 Kentucky, landlords are required by law to install and maintain smoke detectors in leased residential premises. The Kentucky Building Code (815 KAR 7:120) mandates that smoke detectors be installed in all dwelling units, and they must be maintained in good working order. The law specifies that smoke detectors should be installed in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms and on each floor of the apartment or home, including basements. Kentucky does not specify the type of smoke detector technology (such as photoelectric or ionization) that must be used. As for carbon monoxide detectors, Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS 211.910) require that they be installed in all dwellings that contain fuel-burning appliances or attached garages, and they must be maintained by the landlord. These regulations are designed to ensure the safety of residents by providing early warning in the event of a fire or carbon monoxide presence.