We work to promote fire safety and help to keep people and property safe.
Fire safety rules apply to all types of buildings, including residential, commercial, retail and industrial property. This covers:
- New buildings: new development needs to be designed and built to meet fire safety standards.
- Existing buildings: fire safety measures must be regularly checked and kept in good order.
The building owner is responsible for maintaining fire safety measures. In strata properties, the owners’ corporation or body corporate carries this responsibility.
More fire safety information
Smoke alarms are a simple and effective way to detect smoke and provide a warning when there is a fire. Smoke alarms can potentially save lives and help reduce property damage in the event of a fire.
By law, working smoke alarms are compulsory in every residential dwelling or unit. This includes private homes, as well as other places people sleep like hotels and boarding houses.
For more information about smoke alarms, see:
We have a proactive inspection program to make sure buildings in our city meet fire safety requirements. Building owners may be charged a fee for inspections.
Our inspection program gives priority to buildings that pose the greatest risk to safety, like boarding houses, nightclubs and buildings that are not currently on Council’s fire safety register. We also inspect buildings if we get a complaint about them, or if they’re being looked at for development approval or change of use.
If an inspection uncovers problems, Council will work with the building owner to address the problems and may ask for an independent expert’s report to identify what changes are needed to meet acceptable fire safety standards.
A Fire Safety Certificate is a document that certifies that the fire safety measures in a building meet the required standards before the building is occupied.
A Fire Safety Certificate must be submitted by the building owner for:
- a new building, before it is used
- changed use of a building, before the building is used, or
- fire safety upgrade works required by Council.
Use the form below to submit a Fire Safety Certificate and return it to Council and NSW Fire and Rescue with a copy of the Fire Safety Schedule.
Fire Safety Certificate template
After the Fire Safety Certificate has been issued, you will need to submit an Annual Fire Safety Statement every 12 months.
New laws for buildings with combustible cladding were introduced after the tragic fires at Melbourne's Lacrosse building in 2014, and London's Grenfell Tower in 2017.
For more information visit the NSW Department of Planning website.
We try to work with building owners and help them meet their legal obligations for fire safety. However, building owners can face penalties and enforcement action for:
- not maintaining the required fire safety measures
- not submitting Annual Fire Safety Statement on time
- not following Fire Safety Orders issued by Council or Fire and Rescue NSW.
| Parent HierarchyArea | Fee NameFee Name | GSTGST | Current Fee (incl. GST)Current Fee (incl. GST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent HierarchyDevelopment Assessment | Fire Safety | Fee NameAdministration Fee - Annual Fire Safety Statement late (>7 days from due date) | GSTY | Fee incl. GST$217.00 |
| Parent HierarchyDevelopment Assessment | Fire Safety | Fee NameAdministration Fee - Follow-up processing each incorrect Annual Fire Safety Statement submission | GSTY | Descriptive Fee Narrative Relevant renewal administration service fee. |
| Parent HierarchyDevelopment Assessment | Fire Safety | Fee NameAnnual Fire Safety Statement - Renewal administration fee (1-5 fire safety measures servicing the building) | GSTY | Fee incl. GST$139.00 |
| Parent HierarchyDevelopment Assessment | Fire Safety | Fee NameAnnual Fire Safety Statement - Renewal administration fee (11 plus fire safety measures serving the building) | GSTY | Fee incl. GST$271.00 |
| Parent HierarchyDevelopment Assessment | Fire Safety | Fee NameAnnual Fire Safety Statement - Renewal administration fee (6-10 fire safety measures serving the building) | GSTY | Fee incl. GST$190.00 |
| Parent HierarchyDevelopment Assessment | Fire Safety | Fee NameBoarding House and Fire Safety Non-compliance Inspections – first inspection | GSTY | Fee incl. GST$369.00 |
| Parent HierarchyDevelopment Assessment | Fire Safety | Fee NameBoarding House and Fire Safety – Follow-up Inspections | GSTY | Fee incl. GST$273.00 |
| Parent HierarchyDevelopment Assessment | Fire Safety | Fee NameCompliance Cost Notice - In respect of any costs or expenses relating to an investigation that leads to the giving of an order pursuant to the EP&A Act 1979 issued under Schedule 5 Development Control Orders - Part 2 Fire Safety Orders and a | GSTN | Fee incl. GST$750.00 |
| Parent HierarchyDevelopment Assessment | Fire Safety | Fee NameCompliance Cost Notice - In respect of any costs or expenses relating to the preparation or serving of the notice of intention to give an order pursuant to the EP&A Act 1979 issued under Schedule 5 Development Control Orders - Part 2 Fire Safety | GSTN | Fee incl. GST$750.00 |
| Parent HierarchyDevelopment Assessment | Fire Safety | Fee NameRegistration of Final Fire Safety Certificate Submitted with Occupation Certificate (New Building) | GSTY | Fee incl. GST$139.00 |
| Parent HierarchyDevelopment Assessment | Fire Safety | Fee NameRenewal administration service fee for second and subsequent licences associated with the same property | GSTY | Descriptive Fee Narrative 50% of corresponding fee above. |
| Parent HierarchyDevelopment Assessment | Fire Safety | Fee NameRequest for additional time to submit Annual Fire Safety Statement | GSTN | Fee incl. GST$467.00 |
Upgrading your building’s fire safety equipment is a proactive step that goes beyond meeting minimum standards, it's about protecting lives, property, and giving everyone peace of mind.
Some older buildings may not meet today’s fire safety requirements. Choosing to voluntarily upgrade shows your commitment to the safety and wellbeing of everyone who uses the building and helps ensure you're on track with current fire safety regulations.
What’s involved?
- Seek expert advice: Talk to a qualified building practitioner—such as a BCA Consultant, registered Building Surveyor (unrestricted), or Fire Engineer. They’ll assess whether your current fire safety measures are enough to:
- Protect people in the event of a fire,
- Allow safe evacuation,
- Prevent fire from spreading to nearby buildings.
- Get quotes: Obtain several independent quotes for the proposed upgrade work.
- Reach agreement: Make sure all property owners agree to proceed and set a reasonable timeframe for the work to be completed.
- Check in with Council: Before starting any work, contact Council or a Planning Consultant to discuss the approval process. You may need to lodge a development application or a complying development application.
Based on your building’s age and use, they’ll advise whether a full or partial upgrade to meet the Building Code of Australia is recommended.
If Council identifies a fire risk due to inadequate safety measures, a fire safety order may be issued. In this case, the building owner must ensure the order is followed.
Please send us a copy of your expert’s recommendations, including details of existing and proposed fire safety measures and the relevant minimum performance standards.
After the upgrade
Once the work is complete, a fire safety statement must be submitted to Council every 12 months. This confirms that your fire safety measures have been inspected and continue to meet the required standards.
You can also read our Fire Safety Policy PDF, 131.95 KB for information about how we act to promote fire safety and help people meet their obligations in this area.