Fire Safety Certificate FAQs

A Fire Safety Certificate is a document 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 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 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 exempt from the requirement to obtain a Fire Safety Certificate:

• Certain single storey agricultural buildings - see Section 11 of the Building Control Regulations for more details.
• 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 recreation, storage purposes or the keeping of plants, birds or animals for domestic purposes; it must not be used for any trade, business or for human habitation.
• Works carried out in compliance with a notice served under Section 20 of the Fire Services Act 1981 and 2003.
• Works in connection with a Garda station, a courthouse, a barracks and certain government buildings - see Section 6 of the Building Control Regulations for more details.

• An application is submitted to the Building Control Authority through the online Building Control Management System.
• Applications are date stamped and an acknowledgement stating the 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 information and/or fee to enable the application to be validated.
• If the application is deemed invalid 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 refusal.

A Fire Safety Certificate application should contain:

• A completed application form.
• Relevant drawings.
• A technical fire safety report.
• The appropriate fee - see below.

An application shall be accompanied by such plans and other particulars as are necessary to identify and describe the works or building. This enables the building control authority to assess whether the said works or building would comply with the requirements of Part B of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations.

Such plans include a site location map, a site or layout plan and draw­ings of floor plans, elevations and sections.

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 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.

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.

Development works by certain organisations are exempt from Fire Safety Certificate application fees, including certain classes of voluntary organisations.  Further information is available in Section 22 of the Building Control Regulations.

Where a Fire Safety Certificate is required in respect of works, then a person shall not carry out the works until a certificate has been issued unless they apply for a 7-day Notice with their Fire Safety Certificate application.

No. It is an offence to do works that require a Fire Safety Certificate before you have applied for one. 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 can take place.

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.

Therefore, if you build in the absence of a Fire Safety Certificate for a building or works which requires one, you may be in breach of the Building Control Regulations.

No. A Fire Safety Certificate can 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 a majority of cases, the “assigned certifier” will perform this role.

A 7 Day Notice allows you to commence works prior to the receipt of a Fire Safety Certificate.

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.

This is required in respect of works that have already been granted a Fire Safety Certificate, but where significant revisions need to be made for reasons other than fire safety. These include conditions attached to planning permission or changes in design.

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.
• Significant revision is made to the design or works of a building, or a material alteration or change of use of a building, in respect of which a fire safety certificate has been granted.

A revised Fire Safety Certificate is only applicable prior to commencement of the works in question.

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. If you are unable to produce one, you may find it difficult to sell.

If you build or extend a public house or 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 Certificate.

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.

The certificate may be granted with or without conditions or refused. The fee for a Regularisation Certificate application is four times the normal Fire Safety Certificate application fee at €500 or €11.60 per square metre of floor area  provided - whichever is the greater.

Within the Dublin City Council administrative area, you can view Fire Safety Certificate documentation by following these five steps:

1. Contact Dublin Fire Brigade at [email protected] to request the relevant files number and an estimate of costs for ordering the files.
2. We will then send you a declaration, which must be signed and returned to us.
3. You must pay the fee for ordering your files. You can pay by credit or debit card by calling (01) 222 6600 and giving the reference 'FBFSC', your file number and the amount payable to our customer service agent. Alternatively, you can make a cheque payable to Dublin City Council.
4. Email a copy of your receipt and the file number you're requesting to Dublin Fire Brigade using the email address below.
5. Your files will then be ordered. Once available, you will be sent a link to the requested files by email. You must download the files using this link within 14 days.

In terms of fees, it will cost €60 to order the first file from storage, but the fee for each subsequent file will be €10.

To order a copy of your fire safety certificate, you can follow these four steps:

1. Contact Dublin Fire Brigade on [email protected] to request the relevant files number and an estimate of costs for ordering your certificate.
2. You must pay the fee before your certificate is copied. Each copy costs €12.50. You can pay by credit or debit card by calling (01) 222 6600 and giving the reference 'FBFSC', your file number and the amount payable to our customer service agent. Alternatively, you can make a cheque payable to Dublin City Council.
3. Email a copy of your receipt and the file numbers related to the fire safety certificates you want copied to [email protected].
4. Once we have received your payment, scanned copies of the requested certificates will be sent to you by email. If you would prefer a hard copy to be held for collection, please state this in your previous email.