There is often confusion over which colors are allowed when choosing an Exit sign for your building. Exit sign requirements vary by state and municipality, which is why it's important to check with your Fire Marshall to see whether Green Exit Signs
or Red Exit Signs are required in your building. The information below is for general guidance, only. For many, however, it is also important to get a “sense” of any color preference – so that your building is as consistent as possible with others in your area. Even though the European Union generally uses Green
Exit Signs (Red is used to specify prohibited actions), our UL 924 standards allow either Green Exit signs or Red Exit signs. Yet, localized codes often specify one or the
other.
State Summary
Alabama recommends red Exit signs, although both green and red Exit signs are acceptable. The Alabama Fire Marshal is more than happy to answer your questions about fire code and safety, and Alabama abides by UL 924 standards for all Exit sign protocol. Alabama abides by all NFPA 100 Life Safety Code Standards, including lettering size, spacing and illumination. After a great deal of back-and-forth between red and green Exit signs throughout history, Alabama is one of the many states that will accept either sign, but prefers the color red, like many other states did in the past. However, there is a movement toward using green Exit signs, due to its universal meaning of "go," suggesting that you will go toward an Exit Sign during an emergency.
