46 CFR 113.25-9: Location of general emergency alarm signals

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section says where the general emergency alarm signal must be located and heard. It must reach people in the spaces listed in paragraph (a). It must be audible there with normally closed doors and accesses closed.

What it says

  1. The general emergency alarm signal must be located in passenger and crew quarters areas so it can alert persons who are maintaining, repairing, or operating equipment, stowing or drawing stores or equipment, or transiting.

    46 CFR 113.25-9(a)“Be located in passenger and crew quarters areas where they can alert persons in spaces where those persons may be maintaining, repairing, or operating equipment”

  2. The listed spaces include public spaces, work spaces, machinery spaces, workshops, galleys, and the emergency firepump room.

    46 CFR 113.25-9(a)“such as public spaces, work spaces, machinery spaces, workshops, galleys, emergency firepump room, bow thruster rooms”

  3. The listed spaces also include steering gear rooms, windlass rooms, and holds of roll-on/roll-off vessels.

    46 CFR 113.25-9(a)“steering gear rooms, windlass rooms, holds of roll-on/roll-off vessels”

  4. Duct keels with valve operators are included, except those accessible only through bolted manhole covers.

    46 CFR 113.25-9(a)“except those that are accessible only through bolted manhole covers, duct keels with valve operators”

  5. The alarm signal must be audible in the spaces identified in paragraph (a) with all normally closed doors and accesses closed.

    46 CFR 113.25-9(b)“Be audible in the spaces identified in paragraph (a) of this section with all normally closed doors and accesses closed”

  6. The alarm signal must be installed in cabins without loudspeaker installation.

    46 CFR 113.25-9(c)“Be installed in cabins without loudspeaker installation.”

  7. Other audible devices, such as electronic alarm transducers, are permitted.

    46 CFR 113.25-9(c)“Other audible devices, such as electronic alarm transducers, are permitted.”

Common questions

Must the general emergency alarm be heard with doors closed?

Yes. It must be audible in the spaces identified in paragraph (a) with all normally closed doors and accesses closed.

“Be audible in the spaces identified in paragraph (a) of this section with all normally closed doors and accesses closed”

Can electronic alarm transducers be used for the general emergency alarm?

Yes. The text permits other audible devices, such as electronic alarm transducers.

“Other audible devices, such as electronic alarm transducers, are permitted.”

Does the general emergency alarm have to be in cabins?

Yes, in cabins without loudspeaker installation, the alarm signal must be installed.

“Be installed in cabins without loudspeaker installation.”

The text of 46 CFR 113.25-9

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Location of general emergency alarm signal

General emergency alarm signal must:

(a) Be located in passenger and crew quarters areas where they can alert persons in spaces where those persons may be maintaining, repairing, or operating equipment, stowing or drawing stores or equipment, or transiting, such as public spaces, work spaces, machinery spaces, workshops, galleys, emergency firepump room, bow thruster rooms, storage areas for paint, rope, and other stores, underdeck passageways in cargo areas, steering gear rooms, windlass rooms, holds of roll-on/roll-off vessels, and, except those that are accessible only through bolted manhole covers, duct keels with valve operators; and

(b) Be audible in the spaces identified in paragraph (a) of this section with all normally closed doors and accesses closed; and

(c) Be installed in cabins without loudspeaker installation. Other audible devices, such as electronic alarm transducers, are permitted.

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.