NFPA 96: What It Covers and Where to Look

Pick a topic to see the NFPA 96 chapter title it sits in, a plain-words description and a list of questions to take to your authority having jurisdiction.

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This topic finder shows where nfpa 96 covers hoods, grease ducts, fire suppression and other topics. You choose one of 12 topics, and the page shows the NFPA 96 chapter title or titles where that topic sits, a one-sentence plain-words description, and a related page on this site. NFPA 96 is titled “Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations.” The tool runs in your browser, is free, needs no sign-up, and uploads nothing. The chapter titles are the only text taken from the standard, and its wording is not reproduced here. Use the page to find where to look, then read the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.

How to use the NFPA 96 topic finder

Open the “Topic” list and choose one of the 12 topics. It starts on “Hoods”.
Read “Where to look (chapter titles)”. This is the main output and lists the NFPA 96 chapter titles for your topic.
Read “In plain words” for a one-sentence description of the topic.
Open “Related pages on this site” to find the matching calculator, checklist or guide.
Keep “Questions about this topic” checked to see the three topic questions. Each has a blank Answer cell for your notes.
Keep “General questions (edition, amendments, inspector)” checked to see five general questions about the edition, local amendments, inspection, documents and whom to call.
Under “More options”, uncheck either box to hide that set of questions. If both are off, a warning appears.
Read “Standard”, “Who decides” and “Please note” before you rely on anything you see.

The page lists no intervals, sizes or other numbers from the standard. It only points you to chapter titles and gives you questions, so it cannot say what your kitchen needs. Six presets (Hoods, Grease ducts, Inspection and cleaning, Fire suppression, Food truck, Ventless systems) jump straight to common topics. Select “Download as CSV” to save the question table and the chapter table to your computer.

What is NFPA 96?

NFPA 96 is a standard titled “Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations.” It covers ventilation and fire protection for commercial cooking. The 2024 edition’s table of contents has 17 chapters and 2 annexes, including chapters on hoods, grease removal devices, exhaust duct systems, air movement, fire-extinguishing equipment, inspection and maintenance, and mobile or temporary cooking.

A retail listing describes the standard as covering requirements for cooking equipment in public and private kitchens, and as addressing grease removal devices, cooking exhaust systems and fire-suppression systems. The page itself does not quote or summarise any requirement. The standard’s own scope clause could not be read on the free viewer used for this page, so that description is not checked against the standard.

Which edition of NFPA 96 applies to my kitchen?

The edition adopted by your local fire or mechanical code, or by your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), is the one that counts. This page does not say which edition applies to any address. A free online viewer and a retail listing show the 2024 edition. A second retail listing says the 2024 edition was superseded on 2026-05-30 by NFPA 96:2027, and a web search shows a store listing for 2027. We could not confirm that on nfpa.org, so check the edition your jurisdiction uses. The chapter table on the page is labelled 2024 edition for that reason, and the titles may change in a newer edition.

Sources also differ on scope and wording. Retail descriptions say the standard covers cooking equipment in public and private kitchens. A fire-protection company blog says the standard applies to new and existing kitchens and advises contacting the AHJ for interpretations, but it does not state its edition.

Chapter numbers move between editions. A New York village information sheet summarising the 2017 edition places inspection rules in Chapter 11. In the 2024 table of contents, procedures for inspection, testing and maintenance are in Chapter 12. Always confirm the chapter in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.

The official NFPA page for the standard is https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-96-standard-development/96. The tool could only read its heading, so none of its content is taken from that page.

This page is an estimate and teaching worksheet for commercial-kitchen ventilation. It is not a stamped engineering document. It does not replace a licensed engineer, the hood maker’s instructions, or the AHJ.

Worked examples

Input	Result
Topic: Hoods	Chapter 5: Hoods
Topic: Grease ducts	Chapter 7: Exhaust Duct Systems
Topic: Inspection and cleaning	Chapter 12: Procedures for the Use, Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Equipment
Topic: Food trucks and temporary cooking	Chapter 17: Mobile and Temporary Cooking Operations · Chapter 11: Fire-Extinguishing Equipment for Mobile and Temporary Cooking Operations

Calculated by the tool above; open it with the same values to see each step.

Frequently asked questions

Does nfpa 96 apply to my kitchen?

It applies where your local fire or mechanical code, or your AHJ, adopts it. Sources differ on scope, so ask your AHJ which edition and amendments apply to your building.

Does this tool tell me what NFPA 96 requires?

No. It shows where topics sit in the chapter list and points to related pages. It makes no statement about what the standard requires, and it is not a stamped engineering document.

What does “Clearance to combustible material” point to?

It points to Chapters 4 and 7, the chapter titles for general requirements and exhaust duct systems. This is our own pointer, not a section number, so confirm the exact section in your edition.

How often does inspection happen?

A village information sheet says the frequency depends on the kind of cooking operation and on who decides it. It also says a certificate with the servicing company, the person and the date is kept on the premises. This page does not give intervals, so check with your AHJ.

Who should I contact about NFPA 96 questions?

Contact your authority having jurisdiction. The general questions on the page cover the edition adopted, local amendments, who inspects, documents to submit and whom to call. Write the answers in the Answer cells so you have them in one place.

Where can I read the standard?

Use the official NFPA page at https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-96-standard-development/96. Read the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, because the 2024 and 2027 editions may differ.

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Codes, Cleaning and Checklists: use it to see all the code, cleaning and checklist pages together.
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Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Fan Calculator: use it to estimate fan horsepower and kW.