A fire safety certificate is granted by the building control authority. It certifies that the building or works, if constructed in accordance with the plans, documents and information submitted to the building control authority, is in compliance with the requirements of Part B of the second schedule to the Building Regulations, 1997 – 2006.

What is contained in a Fire Safety Certificate?

imagesA Fire Safety Certificate Application should contain:

  1. A completed Application Form
  2. Relevant drawings (in duplicate): Showing location map, layout & floor plans, elevations and sections. In addition
  3. A fire safety report showing compliance with Technical Guidance Document B – Sections B1 – B5.
  4. The appropriate fee: The fee is €2.90 per square meter floor area (for the part of the building which the Fire Safety Certificate Application relates to). The minimum fee is €125 and the maximum fee is €12500 regardless of floor area. (Form Request For Exemption Of Fee’s 2020)

 

What should a fire safety report contain?

The application is required to demonstrate that the development complies with Part B 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.

How does the fire safety certificate process work?

  1. An application is submitted to the Building Control Authority
  2. Valid 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 documentation to enable the application to be validated.
  3. The application is examined technically for compliance with the ‘Fire’ part of the Building Regulations.
  4. Where it is considered that additional information or modifications are required to the application, the officer examining the application may request such additional information/modification from the applicant.
  5. A Fire Safety Certificate will issue to the applicant as soon as possible after all required additional information has been submitted.
  6. The Building Control Authority must notify the applicant of the decision on the application within two months of the application date or within such extended period of time as may be agreed between the applicant and the Authority at any time.

 

What are the new types of fire safety certification introduced under SI 351, Building Control Amendment Regs, 2009?

The Building Control Regulations 1997 – 2009 has the effect of creating 3 separate certificates when dealing with fire safety.

  1. Standard Fire Safety Certificate (described above)
  2. Revised Fire Safety Certificate
  3. Regularisation Certificate

 

What is a revised Fire Safety Certificate?

Article 20 B provides for a revised fire certificate (FSC) in respect of works where-

  1. an application for a FSC is made before grant of planning permission, if required by the subsequent permission, or
  2. where significant revision is made to the design or works of a building for which a FSC has already been granted

An application submitted for a revised FSC must be in accordance with the requirements of Article 20B (3) of the Regulations. The application should be considered and a decision made thereon and notified to the applicant in accordance with the requirements of Article 20B (4) to Article 20B (8) of the Regulations.

What is a Regularisation Certificate?

Article 20 C sets out the requirements for a regularisation certificate where a building has been commenced or completed without a FSC where such certificate is required, or the submission of a 7 day notice. An application submitted for a regularisation certificate must be in accordance with the requirements of Article 20C(2) of the Regulations.