With　the　rapid　development　of　traffic　systems　for　dense　urban　areas,　many　tunnels　were　constructed.　There　are　deep　concerns　on　fire　safety　in　such　vehicular　and　railway　tunnels.　Smoke　control　systems　are　identified　to　be　an　essential　fire　service　installation　for　providing　life　safety.　However,　regulations　and　associated　codes　implemented　are　not　yet　demonstrated　by　in-depth　research　studies.　To　understand　better　on　designing　smoke　control　systems　for　tunnels,　the　current　regulations　and　codes　of　practices　have　to　be　reviewed.　A　review　study　on　fire　codes　and　design　guides　for　tunnels　were　carried　out　and　will　be　reported　in　this　paper.　Practices　in　USA,　France,　Germany,　Switzerland,　Norway,　UK,　Netherlands　and　Hong　Kong　were　surveyed.　As　recommended　in　the　international　road　tunnel　design　guidelines,　the　provision　of　smoke　control　systems　for　road　tunnels　should　be　based　on　the　traffic　condition　(bidirectional　or　unidirectional　traffic),　traffic　intensities,　tunnel　length　and　the　site　location　(urban　or　non-urban　area).　Natural　ventilation　is　generally　accepted　to　be　adopted　in　road　tunnels　with　length　approximately　less　than　250　m　for　urban　areas　with　unidirectional　traffic.　For　longitudinal　ventilation,　it　is　recommended　that　the　maximum　tunnel　length　can　be　up　to　900　m.　However,　for　tunnels　in　urban　areas　with　congested　conditions,　longitudinal　ventilation　should　be　allowed　only　if　risk　analysis　is　acceptable　and　the　maximum　tunnel　length　should　be　within　the　range　of　500　to　600　m.　When　the　tunnel　is　over　1000　m,　smoke　extraction　over　a　specified　distance　must　be　achieved.　A　distance　of　400　m　in　an　urban　tunnel　and　600　m　in　a　non-urban　tunnel　are　recommended.　©　2009　by　ASME.