Utah school drill law

Which drills does Utah require, and how often?

Secondary schools in school buildings (Group E, the fire code's term for educational buildings) must hold an emergency evacuation drill at least every two months, four in total during the nine-month school year. A State Board of Education rule requires each LEA to hold emergency and fire drills under that fire code section. Under the International Fire Code (2024), which Utah adopts as its State Fire Code in Utah Code 15A-5-103(1), Group E buildings must hold an emergency evacuation drill every month, with all occupants taking part. For secondary schools, Utah's own footnote to the code's drill table sets the four-a-year schedule above instead. Utah's statewide amendment adds footnotes to that drill table; it does not replace the table's monthly frequency for Group E buildings.

What timing and substitution rules apply?

A secondary school's first evacuation drill must be within 10 school days after classes begin. Its third evacuation drill, weather permitting, must be held 10 school days after the start of the next calendar year. If weather causes a secondary school to miss that deadline, it must hold the third drill as soon as practicable. A secondary school may replace its second and fourth evacuation drills with a security or safety drill, such as shelter in place, an earthquake drill or a lockdown. In other school buildings (not secondary schools), the monthly required evacuation drill may be replaced by a security or safety drill if the local fire authority approves. In those buildings, the routine evacuation drill must still be held at least every other drill. In school buildings, teachers may delay evacuation on a fire alarm for up to 60 seconds when the conditions listed in the code are met.

What training must emergency plans include?

The state security chief's rules must require LEA or school emergency plans that include training on drills required by the fire code and by the state security chief. Emergency preparedness and response plans must include developmentally appropriate training for students and adults. Under the State Board rule, plans must give students and adults developmentally appropriate and age-appropriate emergency preparedness training. That training includes Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter protocols. Each school must designate an Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Response, and Emergency Recovery week each year before April 30. The state security chief must oversee a model critical incident response that includes protocols for planning and safety drills, including drills required before the school year begins.

Are bus, reunification or severe weather drills required?

The State Board's training and drill section, R277-400-6, sets no bus evacuation, reunification or severe weather drill. It lists "reunification method" only as a training topic, and requires emergency and fire drills under the fire code section.

What limits apply to realistic drills?

The State Board's training and drill section, R277-400-6, sets no limit on realistic drill features, such as simulated gunfire or role-played attackers, and no student or parent opt-out. The statute on drill and active-threat training rules, 53G-8-803, sets no such limit or opt-out either; it requires developmentally appropriate training.

What must be certified or reported?

By July 1 each year, LEAs must certify to the state Superintendent that their emergency plans have been practiced at the school level. By July 1 each year, local school boards must certify to the state board that their emergency response plan has been practiced at the school level and reviewed with teachers, administrators, students, parents and local law enforcement. Schools must report their CERP compliance each year through the School Health Workload Report.

Do parents get notice?

At the start of each school year, LEAs or schools must give parents and staff written notice of the plan sections that apply to that school.

Do first responders take part?

Each school safety and security specialist must coordinate with local first responder agencies to implement and monitor safety and security drills. Under the State Board rule, an LEA or school must coordinate with local law enforcement and other public safety representatives in appropriate drills for school safety emergencies.

What about cardiac emergency drills?

Schools must hold cardiac emergency response plan (CERP) training and drills at least once a year. CERP drills must include cardiac response protocols for before, during and after school hours. Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, a state statute, 53G-9-216, requires each school within an LEA to develop a CERP.

Who is covered?

The fire code drill rules apply to Group E (educational) buildings. The secondary-school drill rule applies to "secondary schools in Group E occupancies" and makes no distinction between public and private schools. The State Board drill rule binds LEAs, and for that rule an LEA includes the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind.

What changed recently?

Utah's State Fire Code adopts the International Fire Code, 2024 edition, with Utah's statewide amendments. The fire code drill section was amended in the 2026 General Session (Chapter 34). H.B. 45 (2026), Fire Code Amendments, took effect July 1, 2026. H.B. 40 (2025), School Safety Amendments, added cardiac emergency preparedness to the required training. The education code's training section, 53G-8-803, was last amended in the 2025 General Session (Chapter 388, H.B. 40). S.B. 244 (2026), Cardiac Emergency Response Plans in Schools, was signed by the Governor and took effect July 1, 2026. 53G-9-216 was enacted by Chapter 232 of the 2026 General Session.