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The Building Control Act 1990 (as amended) requires that all developments covered by the Building Regulations (except houses and agricultural buildings) obtain a Fire Safety Certificate. A Fire Safety Certificate is granted after the plans and specifications for a new building are assessed by a Fire Officer for compliance with Part B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations. A Fire Safety Certificate is a certification of your proposed fire safety design, not the fire safety design of your finished building. When you receive a Fire Safety Certificate in relation to a proposed design it means that the building, if built in accordance with the proposed design, complies with the fire requirements of the building regulations.

Applications for Fire Safety Certificates can be submitted online through the Building Control Management System (BCMS). This database is delivered by the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office. You will need to register an account to submit an application through the BCMS at the link HERE .

From the 1st of July 2021, Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (S.I. No. 229 of 2021) will be enacted. The revised Regulations state that “Where a copy of the 7 day notice statutory declaration referred to in Article 20A (2)(a)(ii)(II), has been submitted via the Building Control Management System, the applicant shall retain the original 7 day notice statutory declaration and shall produce the original 7 day notice statutory declaration for inspection where required to do so by the building control authority.”

You can see the full details of the new Statutory Instrument at the following link HERE .

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 2224000 or Email: fire.prevention@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.

All Fire Safety Certificate files are also available for viewing by appointment only. 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.

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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.

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