Fire Safety Certificate

The Building Control Acts 1990 and 1997 requires that all developments covered by the building regulations, except houses and agricultural buildings, obtain a Fire Safety Certificate.

Applications for Fire Safety Certificates can be made to Dún Laoghaire - Rathdown County Council for properties located within the Councils administrative area.

Applications for Fire Safety Certificates are granted on the advice of the Chief Fire Officer in the Dublin Fire Brigade. A Fire Safety Certificate is granted with or without conditions or refused. Technical questions can be answered by the Dublin Fire Brigade on Tel: 01 6734000 or Email: fire@dublincity.ie

There is provision for an appeal to An Bord Pleanála against the decision of a Building Control Authority in relation to a Fire Safety Certificate application.

Make sure to send in your Commencement Notice or 7 Day Notice before you start work these are lodged through the BCMS website. You may also require a Disability Access Certificate.

All Fire Safety Certificate files are also available for viewing at the Public Planning Counter Monday - Friday 10.00am - 4 pm.
Older Fire Safety Certificate files are stored off site, but can be ordered in for a fee of €30.00. They must be ordered and paid for in advance.

FAQS

What is the fee for a 7 day notice?

The standard fee is €250 or €5.80 per square metre of floor, whichever is the greater. 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

What is a 7 day notice?

It is a fast track notification of commencement of work prior to the granting of a Fire Safety Certificate.

Can you apply for a 7 day notice if you have already applied for a Fire Safety Certificate?

Yes, if you have made a valid application for a Fire Safety Certificate you may submit a 7 day notice provided you submit the reference number of the original application, the revised fee and all the required documentation as listed in Article 20A of the Regulations. You should liaise with your local Building Control Authority.

What is a Regularisation Certificate?

A certificate 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.

Is there a fee for a Regularisation Certificate?

The fee is €500 which is four times the fee for a Fire Safety Certificate or €11.60 per square metre of floor area, whichever is greater. This may vary depending on the works - please see the Fifth Schedule of the Building Control Regulations.

A period of 4 months is set down to comply with conditions which may be inserted by the Building Control Authority in a Regularisation cert. This is not sufficient time and is there a mechanism to extend it?

There is no mechanism to extend. It is an offence to commence work on a building without a Fire Safety Certificate (where required) and the Regularisation Cert is a chance to be in compliance with the fire safety certification regime. If the works are not carried out within the 4- month period, the certificate will not have effect.