Fire Safety Certificates FAQs
Who can prepare a fire safety certificate application?
Usually a fire safety certificate application is made by a fire safety consultant, architect or engineer who is familiar with the Building Regulations and the procedure for applying for a Fire Safety Certificate.
The content of the application needs to be comprehensive in nature. A person preparing a fire safety certificate should have a sound knowledge of building construction and fire safety design. If the application submitted is lacking in information or drawings, then the local authority will consider it invalid and will return it to you together with your fee.
What if I require a fire safety certificate but do not have one?
If you build without a fire safety certificate, you will leave yourself open to prosecution under building control legislation.
If you decide at some later date to sell your premises the buyer's solicitor will, in all likelihood, look for a copy of the fire safety certificate for the building. If you are unable to produce a fire safety certificate you may find it difficult to sell.
If you build or extend a public house /licensed premises without a fire safety certificate you may not be able to renew your licence. It is, however, possible to apply for a regularisation fire safety certificate.
Viewing/Copying of Fire Safety Certificate files/documentation
The following information applied to the Dublin City Council Administrative Area only.
To view fire safety certificate application files(s)
- Please contact us at [email protected] or phone (01) 222 4000 to get relevant file number(s) and a costing for ordering file(s) to view.
- Payment must be made prior to files being ordered.
- For credit / debit card payments please phone (01) 222 6600.
- Give reference FBFSC and file number and amount payable to Customer Service Agent (payment line).
- Cheques should be made payable to Dublin City Council.
- Email [email protected] quoting all file number(s) to be viewed and attach copy of receipt.
- Files will be ordered once the above is received and an acknowledgement will be emailed to the customer confirming same (every order will have a unique reference number which should be quoted in all further correspondence).
- When file(s) are available an email will be sent to arrange a viewing at a mutually suitable time.
- If a copy of compliance report(s) and drawing(s) are required they need to be identified when files are being viewed.
To order a copy of Fire Safety Certificate(s)
- Please contact us at [email protected] or phone (01) 222 4000 to get relevant file number(s) and a costing for ordering certificate(s).
- Payment must be made prior to certificate(s) being copied.
- Copy of a Fire Safety Certificate is €12.50 (each).
- For credit / debit card payments please phone (01) 222 6600.
- Give reference FBFSC and file number and amount payable to Customer Service Agent (payment line).
- Cheques should to be made payable to Dublin City Council.
- Receipt number to be emailed to [email protected] and quote all file number(s) of certificate(s) to be copied.
- Please state in email if you wish copies to be hard copy / scanned copy or held for collection.
Item |
Charge |
Files from storage: 1st file Subsequent file (file 2-6) |
€50 – for 1st file (subject to max. 6 files in any one order) €5 – for subsequent files (subject to max. 6 files in any one order) |
Copy of fire safety certificate |
€12.50 |
Copy of compliance report: 1-100 pages Over 100 pages |
€25 75c per page after 100 pages |
All other A4 pages (other than compliance report and A4 drawings) |
75c per page |
Drawings A0 Drawing A1 Drawing A2 Drawing A3 Drawing A4 Drawing |
€50 each €25 each €15 each €10 each €5 each |
A Fire Safety Certificate is a certificate issued by the Building Control Authority which states that the works or building to which the application relates will, if constructed in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted, comply with the requirements of Part B (Fire Safety) of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations 1997 to 2019.
The following developments (other than those listed as exempt below) require a Fire Safety Certificate;
- Works in connection with the design and construction of a new building
- Works in connection with the material alteration of:
- A day centre
- A building containing a flat
- A hotel, hostel or guest building
- An institutional building
- A place of assembly
- A shopping centre
- Works in connection with the material alteration of a shop, office or industrial building where additional floor area is being provided within the existing building or where the building is being sub divided into a number of units for separate occupancy.
- Works in connection with the extension of a building by more than 25 square metres
- A building as regards which a material change of use takes place.
The following buildings are exempted from the requirement to obtain a Fire Safety Certificate:
- Certain single storey agricultural buildings (Refer to Section 11 of the Building Control Regulations.)
- A building used as a dwelling other than a flat.
- A single storey domestic garage.
- A single storey building ancillary to a dwelling which is used exclusively for recreational or storage purposes or the keeping of plants, birds or animals for domestic purposes and is not used for any trade or business or for human habitation.
- Works carried out in compliance with a notice served under Section 20 of the Fire Services Act 1981&2003.
- Works in connection with a Garda station, a courthouse, a barracks and certain government buildings (refer to Section 6 of the Building Control Regulations).
- An application is submitted to the Building Control Authority through the BCMS or in hard copy.
- Applications are date stamped and an acknowledgement stating date of receipt is sent to the applicant. Where an application is incomplete and therefore not valid, the Building Control Authority may request the applicant to submit the necessary further information and/or fee to enable the application to be validated.
- If the application is deemed invalid, the application documentation is returned to the applicant (if hard copy) with reasons for invalidation, and the fee refunded.
- The application is examined technically for compliance with Part B (Fire Safety) of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations.
- Where it is considered that revised information or modifications are required to the application, the officer examining the application may request such revised information from the applicant.
- The Building Control Authority must notify the applicant of the decision on the application within two months of the application receipt date or within such extended period of time as may be agreed between the applicant and the Authority at any time.
- Once a Fire Safety Certificate application is deemed satisfactory by the assessing officer, with or without revised information, a recommendation is then made to grant the Fire Safety Certificate with or without conditions.
- If the Fire Safety Certificate application is not deemed satisfactory the officer may decide to recommend refusal of the Fire Safety Certificate application with the reasons for the decision for refusal.
A Fire Safety Certificate Application should contain:
- A completed Application Form
- Relevant drawings
- A technical fire safety report
- The appropriate fee (See FAQ no.10)
An application shall be accompanied by such plans (including a site location map, a site or layout plan and drawings of floor plans, elevations and sections) and such other particulars as are necessary to identify and describe the works or building and to enable the building control authority to assess, whether the said works or building would comply with requirements of Part B of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations.
The application is required to demonstrate that the development complies with Parts B1 to B5 of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations. One way to achieve this is to systematically address each relevant clause of the particular Codes and Guidance documents which are being used in the fire safety design of the building.
Technical Guidance Document B is the principal guidance document for demonstrating compliance, where the works are carried out in accordance with this guidance document this will prima facie indicate compliance with Part B of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations.
Usually a Fire Safety Certificate application is made by a Fire Safety Consultant, Architect or Engineer who is familiar with the Building Regulations and the procedure for applying for a Fire Safety Certificate.
The content of the application needs to be comprehensive in nature. A person preparing a fire safety certificate should have a sound knowledge of building construction and fire safety design. If the application submitted is lacking in information or drawings, then the Building Control Authority will consider it invalid and will return it to you together with your fee.
A Fire Safety Certificate is granted based on the design and information submitted at time of application. Where significant revisions to the granted design are made prior to commencement of works, then a Revised Fire Safety Certificate is required in respect of the proposed changes to the works.
Deviations at construction stage from the submitted design may call into question the validity of the Fire Safety Certificate as it applies to the development. A Regularisation Certificate may be necessary to regularise the unauthorised works.
Fire Safety Certificate |
|
Construction or extension of a building |
€125 or €2.90 per square meter of floor area being provided, whichever is the greater |
Material alteration of a building and material change of use of a building |
€125 or €2.90 per square meter of relevant floor area, whichever is the greater |
Material alteration of the external surfaces of a building |
€125 |
Works or a building, where the building concerned will be used as an agricultural building |
€65 or 80c per square meter of floor area being provided, whichever is the greater. |
Maximum fee |
€12,500 |
Development works by certain organisations are exempt from paying Fire Safety Certificate application fees (e.g. certain classes of voluntary organisations). Further information is provided in in Section 22 of the Building Control Regulations.
Where a Fire Safety Certificate is required in respect of works or a building then a person shall not carry out the works until a Fire Safety Certificate has been issued for the works. Unless they apply for a 7-day Notice accompanying the FSC Application. (See FAQ No. 21 below)
No. It is an offence to do works that require a fire safety certificate until a Fire Safety Certificate has been granted. You cannot lodge your commencement notice to start works until you have received a Fire Safety Certificate.
You are allowed to carry out demolition, clearance and site preparation works, but no actual construction must take place.
A Fire Safety Certificate is granted based on the design and information submitted at time of application. Where significant revisions to the granted design are made prior to commencement of works, then a Revised Fire Safety Certificate is required in respect of the proposed changes to the works.
Deviations at construction stage from the submitted design may call into question the validity of the Fire Safety Certificate as it applies to the development. A Regularisation Certificate may be necessary to regularise the unauthorised works.
It is recommended that you contact the relevant Building Control Authority regarding any changes.
No, you may apply for a Fire Safety Certificate at any time prior to commencement of works.
Article 12 of the Building Control Regulations 1997 to 2021 states that where a fire safety certificate is required in respect of works or a building, a person shall not carry out such works or make a material change of use as regards such a building in the absence of a fire safety certificate in respect of the works or building, or in contravention of any conditions subject to which the certificate is granted. Therefore if you build in the absence of a fire safety certificate, for a building or works which requires a fire safety certificate, you may be breach of the building control regulations.
No. A Fire Safety Certificate may only apply to a single building.
You can appeal a decision of the Building Control Authority to An Bord Pleanála within one month of the decision. Details of the appeal process and fee are sent out with each decision of the Authority.
The Building Control Authority has the power to inspect and your building may be inspected for compliance with the Building Regulations and with the Fire Safety Certificate issued. Where there is non-compliance enforcement action may be initiated.
No. It is the obligation of the building owner to ensure the building complies with building regulations, they may employ a suitably qualified professional to carry out such a task. In majority of cases the “assigned certifier” will perform this role.
A 7 Day Notice Application is a “fast track” way of commencing works prior to the Fire Safety Certificate being granted.
The standard fee minimum for a 7 Day Notice is €250 or €5.80 per square metre of floor, whichever is the greater. The maximum fee is €25,000. This is double the amount for a standard Fire Safety Certificate application. The fee may vary depending on the work proposed and the fees are listed in the Fifth Schedule of the Building Control Regulations.
You should submit a Revised Fire Safety Certificate application when either:
- The original application for a fire safety certificate was submitted prior to the grant of the planning permission and where the subsequent grant of planning permission including any conditions attached to it, has resulted in a revised design necessitated to comply with the requirements of Part B of the Second Schedule of the Building Regulations 1997 to 2019, or
- Significant revision is made to the design or works of a building or an extension of, a material alteration to or a material change of use of a building in respect of which a fire safety certificate has been granted by the Building Control Authority.
A revised Fire Safety Certificate is only applicable prior to commencement of the works in question.
A Regularisation Certificate is granted by a building control authority in respect of works on non-domestic buildings and apartments blocks which were commenced or completed without the necessary Fire Safety Certificate (FSC). The certificate may be granted with or without conditions or refused. The fee for a Regularisation Certificate application is 4 times the normal Fire Safety Certificate application fee i.e. €500 or €11.60 per square meter of floor area being provided, whichever is the greater.