Building Surveyor Blog

Making a Fire Safety Certificate Application

Every property from multi unit residential developments to commercial storage units requires a Fire Safety Certificate (FSC). Only residential dwellings (e.g. semi detached 2 story houses) do not need an FSC.

From the first of October 2009 there has been a change in statutory legislation which has allowed the procedure for getting a fire certificate to become more flexible. Previously to this, work could not commence until the FSC was granted and for 14 days after a commencement notice was served. This left a grey area where work had already commenced without an FSC, or where significant changes had been made to the design. In order to rectify this, the following was enacted:

 A Revised Fire Safety Certificate Application 

This allows for the revision of a previously granted FSC, if the design has changed significantly or due to a planning requirement.

The fee for both a standard and a revised application is €2.90/m2 up to a maximum of €12,500.

A 7 day notice

This procedure allows the applicant to submit to the local authority their intention to start work within 7 days, therefore reducing the lead in time of a project. This requires a statutory declaration confirming that any works carried out will comply with the building regulations, and any works required by the grant will be undertaken.

The fee for this application is €5.80/m2 up to a maximum of €25,000.

A Regularisation Fire Safety Certificate Application

This allows an applicant to apply for an FSC when the work has already started, or is complete, this is a large change in the legislation as it had been a grey area where an FSC had not been applied for initially.

This requires a statutory declaration confirming that any works carried out comply with the building regulations, and any works or conditions required by the grant will be undertaken within 4 months.

The fee for this application is €11.60/m2 up to a maximum of €50,000. 

As can be seen from the fee scales, there is a large incentive to encourage people to apply for an FSC early in the process, and to focus people’s minds in relation to the FSC. If you are undertaking a basic single story extension to a commercial property, or constructing a 12 story multi unit development, a building surveyor can provide you with the professional service you need to stay compliant and limit any possible future liability.

Figures quoted are correct at time of publishing May 2010