Fire Marshal Capacity
The maximum legal occupancy of a venue as determined by fire safety regulations.
Definition
Fire marshal capacity is the maximum number of people legally allowed in a venue space, determined by fire safety regulations considering exits, aisle widths, and other safety factors. Exceeding capacity violates fire codes and can result in event shutdown.
Capacity varies by room configuration—theater seating allows more people than rounds with dance floor. Fire marshal numbers are absolute limits.
Why It Matters
Exceeding fire marshal capacity creates legal liability and risks event shutdown. Understanding capacity limits is essential for venue selection and ticket sales.
Event insurance may be voided if capacity violations occur.
Examples in Practice
A venue with 500 fire marshal capacity hosting 450 guests with appropriate safety margins.
Different capacity ratings for the same room in theater versus banquet configurations.
Fire marshals conducting surprise inspections and shutting down over-capacity events.