Fire Safety Certification (NSW) 

 

In 2017, the NSW Government introduced reforms through the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 (the Regulation) to strengthen fire safety certification for new and existing buildings. 

  

These reforms improve the rigour and checking in the design, approval, construction, and maintenance phases of the building life cycle. Further information can be found in Building System Circular BS 17-002 (197 KB, PDF). 

  

Further legislative changes in July 2020 affected building owners, developers, and certifiers, with the commencement of the Building and Development Certifiers Act 2018. One of these changes is that ‘competent fire safety practitioners’ are now known as ‘accredited practitioners (fire safety)’. Further information about ‘accredited practitioners (fire safety)’ is provided below. 

Fire Safety Certificates 

 

A fire safety certificate is a document issued by or on behalf of the building owner(s) upon the completion of new building work. 

  

The certificate confirms that each of the fire safety measures that apply to a building (as listed in the fire safety schedule) have been installed and checked by a properly qualified person. This helps verify that the required fire safety measures can perform to the minimum standard. 

Fire Safety Statements 

 

A fire safety statement is a document issued by or on behalf of the owner(s) of an existing building. 

  

The statement confirms that an accredited practitioner (fire safety) has assessed, inspected and verified the performance of each fire safety measure that applies to the building. 

  

There are two types of fire safety statements:  

• Annual fire safety statements
  An annual fire safety statement must be issued each year and include all the essential fire safety measures that apply to a building. The statement also verifies that an accredited practitioner (fire safety) has inspected and confirmed that the exit systems in the building are in compliance with the Regulation.
    
• Supplementary fire safety statements
  A supplementary fire safety statement is issued at more regular intervals (as specified in the fire safety schedule) for any critical fire safety measures that apply to a building. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

 

To assist building owners and practitioners apply the requirements of the Regulation relating to fire safety statements, the Department has published a range of frequently asked questions. 

  

The frequently asked questions also provide a high-level overview of some important components of the NSW legislation relating to fire safety in existing buildings. 

• Fire safety statement – Frequently Asked Questions – February 2021 (PDF, 148 KB)