smokemitigation.org· Smoke Mitigation Technical Library · Methods: TO-15A / TO-17 / NIOSH NMAM · Standards: ANSI/IICRC S700-2025
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Smoke Damage Testing and Clearance by State

Smoke testing and clearance guides by state: samplers, standards, insurer acceptance, licensing.

Reviewed September 2026 · 3 min read
Smoke test or restoration crewMatched to your state and address · nothing to pay to ask
What do you need?

No cost, no obligation. Requests are matched to local providers; by submitting you agree to be contacted about smoke testing, inspection and restoration services. Your information is not sold.

The technical guide for each state: who is qualified to sample, what they sample, the S700 and S590 framework, what the state’s insurers accept and how the state regulates restoration and hazardous-material work.

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State guides

  • California — testing and clearance in California: qualified samplers, S700/S590, what the insurer accepts, licensing
  • Colorado — testing and clearance in Colorado: qualified samplers, S700/S590, what the insurer accepts, licensing
  • Washington — testing and clearance in Washington: qualified samplers, S700/S590, what the insurer accepts, licensing
  • Oklahoma — testing and clearance in Oklahoma: qualified samplers, S700/S590, what the insurer accepts, licensing
  • Utah — testing and clearance in Utah: qualified samplers, S700/S590, what the insurer accepts, licensing
  • Montana — testing and clearance in Montana: qualified samplers, S700/S590, what the insurer accepts, licensing
  • Hawaii — testing and clearance in Hawaii: qualified samplers, S700/S590, what the insurer accepts, licensing
  • Wyoming — testing and clearance in Wyoming: qualified samplers, S700/S590, what the insurer accepts, licensing

How the state pages are built

Every guide is written to ANSI/IICRC S700 [2] and S590, cites the state’s licensing board and lookup, its insurance regulator’s claims rules and its air-quality or fire agency, and explains what a defensible sampling design looks like for that state’s typical event.

Pick your state, or ask now

The form on every page reaches the same two trades; the state page adds the local rules.

Get a hygienist’s smoke test for your claimGet a restoration crew out

Frequently asked questions

Does any state license smoke testers?

No. The qualification everywhere is a Certified Industrial Hygienist or environmental-consultant credential plus accredited laboratory analysis; what varies by state is the licensing of restoration contractors and of asbestos and lead work.

Which standards do the guides use?

ANSI/IICRC S700 for fire and smoke damage restoration and S590 for HVAC inspection after a fire. They are consensus standards, not statutes, and they are what an insurer’s reviewer recognises.

Why is background sampling emphasised?

After a regional smoke event every building downwind carries residue. Outdoor and unaffected-reference samples make an interior result specific to one property rather than a comment on the season.

Can I request a test from these pages?

Yes. Every state guide carries the form; the first option is a hygienist’s test, matched to a local CIH or environmental consultant.

Sources

  1. United Policyholders — Smoke and Ash Damage from a Wildfire — https://uphelp.org/claim-guidance-publications/smoke-and-ash-damage-from-a-wildfire/
  2. ANSI/IICRC S700 Standard for Professional Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration — https://iicrc.org/s700/
  3. AirNow — AQI basics — https://www.airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basics/
  4. U.S. EPA — Wildfires and Indoor Air Quality — https://www.epa.gov/emergencies-iaq/wildfires-and-indoor-air-quality-iaq