As MArk pointed out the NFPA is the National Fire Prevention Association. Way back in 1968, model rocketry for the very 1st time came under the NFPA codes as NFPA 41-L. This was the forerunner of NFPA 1122-Code for Model Rocketry....
G.Harry Stine( one of the "fathers" of model rocketry) decided it was in the best interests, at that time, to goto the NFPA and get a model rocketry code established and recognized, as he realized that the NFPA codes are usually adopted in whole or part by the majority of the states.
He did not want to go to 50 different state legislatures and end up with 50 different state model rocket codes. Most if not all states follow NFPA 1122, although their are some states that use only parts and some states even have additional restrictions on model rockets...for example NJ,RI and CA.....
With the advent of HPR, the NAR/TRA decided that it was best to follow the model rocketry NFPA route, and NFPA 1127-Code for High Power Rocketry was born.
the applicable NFPA codes 1122/1125/1127 can be adopted by a state if they adopt NFPA 1, the Uniform Fire Code in whole, as NFPA 1 references NFPA1122/1125/1127 ( NFPA 1125 is the Code for the manufacture of model and high power rocket motors).. Or they can be adopted if a state has adopted the IFC, the International Fire Code, which also references the 3 NFPA codes...
I might add that a mjority of states have adopted either NFPA 1 or the IFC so the NFPA codes are laws in most states.
The NFPA has as MArk pointed out, NO Enforcement provisions or authority, ie No NFPA officiers are going to come and take you away if you violate the NFPA codes.....(although if you are a NAR/TRA members you are obligated to follow their Safety codes which are derived in part from the NFPA codes).The State Fire Marshall has the responsibility for enforcement in their individual states per the NFPA codes....and MOST SFM do not even know that their states have even adopted the NFPA rocketry codes anyway!.....
let me give you an example.....
I live in the state of Kentucky where I was under the mistaken impression that none of the NFPA codes 1122/1125/1127 had been adopted. SO I emailed my SFM and asked him if these NFPA codes had been adopted or if the IFC had been adopted. He emailed me back and said NO to all my questions: ie, the NFPA codes and the IFC had not been adopted in the State of Kentucky and as far as he was concerned, never would be........as long as he was SFM. We are not real big on regulation here in KY...
Well it turns out that in 10/2002 that the state of Kentucky did adopt NFPA 1 in full and therefore adopted NFPA 1122/1125/1127 codes by included reference......and this code was adopted while the SFM of KY that I asked was and still is the SFM..... so he was not even aware what the State had obligated itself too...
But the fact that he doesn't know which if any NFPA codes are state law, does not relieve me of my duty to know my states laws.
In other words, ignorance of the law is no defense.
This is why I have taken it upon myself to throughly examine what is state law in kentucky regarding rocketry. I beleive that if I am local and state compliant, the feds will more than likely leave me alone.
The Feds(ATF) say before you come to us and become federal compliant, you must first be local and state compliant...... It's everybodies personal responsibility to know their own state and local laws regarding rocketry before even worrying about the feds..... Unless you are doing something so outrageous and intentionally drawing unneeded attention to yourself in your rocketry activities, then the odds are the local and state and fed authorities will leave you alone.
I personally do not beleive that APCP is an explosive...and until the NAR/TRA lawsuit is lost, I will continue to operate under those personal assumptions. This does not mean that I am correct!.. It means I am willing to take the personal risk to purchase APCP motors without a LEUP. Everybody has to make their own minds on what comfort level they can handle.
I also personally beleive that I can legally purchase APCP motors > 62.5g in weight......and until NPRM 968 becomes law, I will continue to think and behave accordingly.