Register your annual fire safety statement
Every year the owner of a building or premises must provide us and Fire and Rescue NSW with a statement certifying that all fire-safety measures work properly.
Project Status: When you need to do this
For new or altered buildings, the first certificate, called a fire safety certificate, must be submitted for each new or altered essential fire safety measure. No fee applies.
At least once within every 12 months after the fire safety certificate is completed, an annual fire safety statement must be supplied to us, certifying a competent fire safety practitioner has inspected the building and found that all required fire-safety measures are compliant with relevant standards.
For existing buildings, every year, within 12 months of the date of the previous annual fire safety statement, the owner of a building must submit an annual fire safety statement to us certifying that each of the measures listed in the most recent fire safety schedule installed on the premises remain capable of operating to the standards listed in the schedule.
What you need to do
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Complete an annual fire safety statement
The annual fire statement template and supporting guidelines can be found on the Department of Planning and Industry website.
Supplementary fire safety statements
Sometimes a fire safety statement must be supplemented with an additional statement multiple times a year. The frequency will be stated on the premises’ fire-safety schedule.
A supplementary fire safety statement applies to fire-control measures so it’s important that they must be certified more frequently than every 12 months. From 1 October 2017 building owners will need to choose a competent fire safety practitioner.
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Lodge your fire statement
When you complete the annual statement, you need to lodge it with us by email, post or in person at a customer service centre, and to Fire and Rescue NSW.
We charge an administration fee for the handling and management of submitted annual fire safety statements. The fee came into effect on 1 July 2015. An invoice will be provided in accordance with our fees and charges, which will set out the payment conditions.
If you need to delay your statement’s lodgement
Where an annual fire safety statement cannot be lodged due to legitimate unanticipated site events/circumstances, we may consider an application to extend the due date for statement submission.
If this happens, you will need to submit a ‘Request to stay penalty infringement notice’.
Please note: We are unlikely to permit any extension of time in the event of poor compliance behaviour and or where development type work is proposed to be carried out. Applications must be discussed with our essential services staff.
Fire safety practitioners
From 1 October 2017, assessments for fire safety statements are to be undertaken by a competent fire safety practitioner. Building owners who submit yearly or supplementary fire safety statements will need to choose a competent fire safety practitioner.
The Department of Customer Service is currently developing an accreditation framework to recognise industry schemes that will accredit individuals as competent fire safety practitioners.
The department has published a guide for building owners to help owners determine if a person is a competent fire safety practitioner in the interim.
When the accreditation scheme is established a register will then be available for building owners to select a competent fire safety practitioner.
Before you start
Preparing your fire statement
Fire safety inspections
Authorised City of Sydney building officers will inspect premises thought to be at risk. Fire safety inspections do not normally involve domestic single dwellings (class 1a type buildings).
Our officers will conduct the inspection as soon as possible. They have legislative power to enter and inspect premises. They carry photographic identification that can be produced on request.
Subsequent inspections can be organised to suit the requirements of the owners and or occupiers of the building.