Important Fire Safety Regulations for Buildings in NSW

Buildings in NSW are required by law to abide by the NSW Planning and Assessment Regulations Act 2000 regarding fire safety. Non-compliance can result in legal consequences and substantial fines.

The following is a summary of important Fire Safety Regulations in NSW.

• Annual Fire Safety Statement Sydney or NSW areas

An annual check of all buildings and fire equipment must be done by a certified fire risk assessments NSW company. When the initial assessment has been completed you will receive an Annual Fire Safety Certificate NSW.

Buildings must be assessed thereafter each year for which when approved an Annual Fire Safety Statement will be given.  Businesses must meet fire safety standards to be issued a Fire Safety Certificate or Annual Statement.

Each New South Wales council area provides a different form of certification. For example, an annual fire statement Sydney will differ in appearance from an Annual Fire Statement Byron Bay area. It is an offense not to provide the statement, and substantial penalties apply.

• Fire Safety Certificate for New and Altered Buildings

An initial Fire Safety Certificate needs to be obtained for every new or altered essential Fire Safety measure in new or altered buildings.

There is no Council fee applicable for this certificate.

• Fire Safety Schedules

Upon issuing a complying development certificate, development consent construction certificate or a fire safety order for a Class 2 to 9 building the person or firm issuing the certificate is required to issue a Fire Safety Schedule.

A Fire Safety Schedule lists the equipment required to be installed and the standards that the equipment will need to achieve. The schedule can also be issued by an accredited certifier or by the relevant council.

Fire Safety Certificates and Fire Safety Schedules are not mandatory in Sydney and other New South Wales areas if the building was built before 1 July 1988 and has never had a change in classification, addition, or alterations, or a fire safety order issued.