Getting a Fire Safety Certificate

This is required where the applicant proposes a new building, a new building extension, material alterations to an existing building or a change of use of an existing building.

Revised fire safety certificate

This application is required in respect of works that have already been granted a fire safety certificate, but where significant revisions need to be made for reasons other than fire safety, e.g. conditions attached to planning permission, changes in design, etc.

7 day notice

The submission of a fire safety certificate application can be accompanied by a 7 day notice. This is used where a person intends to commence building works before grant of the relevant fire safety certificate (FSC).

Regularisation certificate

This is required where building works requiring a fire certificate were commenced or completed post 1st June 1992 without an associated fire certificate application.

Fire safety certificate guidance

See the Building Control Management System (BCMS) for more information.

7 day notice applications must be made via the BCMS registration/login page at https://www.nbco.localgov.ie/en/user/?destination=bcms/dashboard

To complete the submission process the following documentation should be submitted on the Building Control Management System:

With the enactment of S.I 229 of 2021 Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2021, the signed statutory declaration may be submitted on the BCMS system. The applicant must retain the original statutory declaration and shall produce the original for inspection where required to do so by the Building Control Authority.

Fees

The following application fees apply and should be made payable to Dublin City Council:

Type of FSC application Fee per m2 of area applicable to current FSC application Minimum fee Minimum fee
Fire safety certificate €2.90 €125 €12,500
Revised fire safety certificate €2.90 €125 €12,500
7 day notice fire safety certificate €5.80 €250 €25,000
Regularisation fire safety certificate €11.60 €500 €50,000

Fee exemptions

Development works by certain organisations are exempt from paying fire certificate application fees (e.g. certain classes of voluntary organisations; not for profit accommodation of homeless persons).

Full details are listed in Section 22 of the Building Control Regulations 1997 – 2014

Where a fee exempt application is submitted, the applicant must detail how the proposed building is subject to the conditions of Section 22 of the Building Control Regulations 1997 – 2014.

Partial refund of fee for subsequent applications

In situations of subsequent applications, e.g. where a granted fire cert application is followed within twelve calendar months of the original application, by a revised fire cert application for the same development (i.e. a subsequent application), then there is provision to refund three quarters of the fee for that subsequent application. For any such subsequent application, the applicant pays the full application fee, but three quarters of the fee is later refunded to the applicant.

The subsequent application must be for works which are substantially of the same design and construction and on the same site or part of the site as the works covered by the first application. Full details of qualifying applications are outlined in Section 26 of the Building Control Regulations 1997, as amended by Section 15 of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2009.

Any applicant who considers their application does qualify for a refund of fee, is advised to notify same to us when submitting their application form.

Appeals

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.

To view a order a copy of a fire safety certificate or to view a fire safety certificate application file, please call T. (01) 222 4000 or email fire.prevention@dublincity.ie