Mayo Fire Service

Applications for Fire Safety Certificates

Information on application and requirements for Fire Safety Certificates

• What is a Fire Safety Certificate?

  A Fire Safety Certificate is a certificate issued by the Building Control Authority which states that the works or building to which the application relates will, if constructed in accordance with the plans and specifications submitted, comply with the requirements of Part B of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations.

• Requirement for a Fire Safety Certificate

  The following developments (other than those listed as exempt below) require a Fire Safety Certificate:

  • Works in connection with the design and construction of a new building.
  • Works in connection with the material alteration of: 
    • A day centre
    • A building containing a flat
    • A hotel, hostel or guest building 
    • An institutional building 
    • A place of assembly
    • A shopping centre
  • Works in connection with the material alteration of a shop, office or industrial building where additional floor area is being provided within the existing building or where the building is being sub divided into a number of units for separate occupancy.
  • Works in connection with the extension of a building by more than 25 square metres.
  • A building as regards which a material change of use takes place.

  The following buildings are exempted from the requirement to obtain a Fire Safety Certificate:

  • Certain single storey agricultural buildings.
  • A building used as a dwelling other than a flat.
  • A single storey domestic garage.
  • A single storey building ancillary to a dwelling which is used exclusively for recreational or storage purposes or the keeping of plants, birds or animals for domestic purposes and is not used for any trade or business or for human habitation.
• Types of Fire Safety Certificate
  • Standard Fire Safety Certificate: Required for all new buildings, existing buildings carrying out a material change of use, material alteration, extension or subdivision into multiple tenancies.
  • Revised Fire Safety Certificate: Required for works that have already been granted a Fire Safety Certificate but where significant revisions need to be made prior to completion of works for reasons other than Fire Safety
  • 7 Day Notice:  Required where works are proposed to begin prior to the grant of the relevant Fire Safety Certificate. 7 Day Notices should be submitted not less than 7 days prior to the commencement of works. A 7 Day Notice must be accompanied by a valid Fire Safety Certificate Application and a Statutory Declaration that the works will comply fully with the application made and any conditions attached are adhered to.
  • Regularisation Certificate:  Required where works on non-domestic buildings and apartments blocks were commenced or completed without the necessary Fire Safety Certificate. A Regularisation Certificate application  must be accompanied by a Statutory Declaration that the works will comply fully with the application made and any conditions attached are adhered to within 4 months of the application being granted, or prior to occupation of the building should works take greater than 4 months.
• Application Fee

  	Fire Safety Certificate/ Revised Fire Safety Certificate	7 Day Notice	Regularisation Certificate
  Agricultural buildings	€65, or €0.80 for each square metre in excess of 300 square metres of the greater of – Gross floor area being provided, or Relevant floor area As the case may be, which ever is the greater	€130, or €1.60 for each square metre in excess of 300 square metres of the greater of – Gross floor area being provided, or Relevant floor area As the case may be, which ever is the greater	€260, or €3.20 for each square metre in excess of 300 square metres of the greater of – Gross floor area being provided, or Relevant floor area As the case may be, which ever is the greater
  All other Buildings	€125, or €2.90 for each square metre of floor area being provided, whichever is the greater Maximum fee €12,500.00	€250, or €5.80 for each square metre of floor area being provided, whichever is the greater Maximum fee €25,000.00	€500, or €11.60 for each square metre of floor area being provided, whichever is the greater Maximum fee €50,000.00

• How to pay

  There are a number of different payment options:

  1. Pay by Credit/Debit card via the BCMS online portal while submitting the application.
  2. Pay by Telephone by calling our office on 094 906 4999 and provide the required Credit/Debit card detailss. Public opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm & 2pm to 5pm
  3. To pay by Cheque, a cheque in the required amount can be sent to Mayo Fire Service HQ, Humbert Way, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, F23 V089. An application cannot be validated until cheque payment has cleared.
  4. To make payment in person you can call to Mayo Fire Service HQ, Humbert Way, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, F23 V089. Public opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm & 2pm to 5pm
  5. By Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) – Mayo County Council bank details are as below. BCMS application submission referance number must be included as the payment referance (i.e FSC 30012345). Payment receipt must be uploaded to the BCMS application supporting documents during the application process.

  Name:	Allied Irish Bank, Main Street, Castlebar, Co. Mayo.
  Account No:	19579000
  Sort Code:	937088
  IBAN	IE98 AIBK 9370 8819 5790 00
  SWIFT/BIC	AIBKIE2D

• What must be submitted?

  Article 13 of the Building Control Regulations 1997 states that an application for a Fire Safety Certificate shall be accompanied by the following: ­

  • Site Location Map
  • Layout Plan
  • Floor Plans
  • Elevations and Sections
  • Compliance Document (showing compliance with Technical Guidance Document B – Sections B1-B5 or other equivalent Code of Practice)
  • Application Form
  • Appropriate Fee

  And other particulars that are necessary to:

  • identify and describe the building/works to which the application relates.
  • Illustrate that the building/works will comply with the requirements of Part B (Sections 1-5) of the First Schedule to the Building Regulations or other equivalent Code of Practice.

  The extent to which plans, and compliance document will be required to establish compliance with Building Regulations will vary in individual cases depending on the type, size and complexity of the building concerned, but the information in the following paragraphs can be used as a guideline. Where relevant, all the plans and information listed below should be supplied.

  Maps and Plans

  These should be submitted in duplicate and should, where appropriate, include the following:

  • Site Location Map:
    • Clearly define location to a scale of either one to one thousand (1:1000), one to two thousand five hundred (1:2500).
  • Site Layout Plan:
    • to a scale of not less than one to five hundred (1:500).
    • the boundaries of any land belonging to the building/works
    • all roadways including widths within the boundaries
    • locations and widths of gateways or other restrictions to width of vehicular access at or within the boundaries
    • locations and dimensions of bridges, arches, cables or other overhead restrictions to height of vehicular access
    • all access points to the building
    • location and diameter of any watermain or hydrant adjacent to or within the boundaries
    • Location and type of any other fire fighting water source, where applicable
    • location and diameter of internal rising fire watermains and foam inlet pipes, where applicable
    • location and type of isolation devices for building services, including ESB installations.
    • location and type of control devices for active fire control systems, if applicable
    • distances of buildings to boundaries
  • A dimensioned plan of each floor, a section through each storey/floor and roof of the building, together with drawings of each elevation should show all to an appropriate scale with all dimensions expressed in metric figures:
    • periods of fire resistance of elements of structure and fire resisting doors
    • intended use and floor area of each room /space
    • fire compartmentation
    • protected stairways/protected shafts
    • barriers to passage of fire and smoke in cavities
    • principal service ducts
    • areas of high fire risk
    • location and type of manual firefighting equipment
    • firefighting shafts
    • smoke ventilation provisions
    • internal fire main outlets
  • The north point should be indicated on all plans to which paragraphs (a) and (b) apply.

  Compliance Report

  Calculations and details should be submitted in respect of the following:

  • Section B1
  • Section B2
  • Section B3
  • Section B4
  • Section B5

  Reference should be made as to the Technical Standards/Documents used in compliance.

• Who can prepare a Fire Safety Certificate?

  Fire Safety Certificate application is made by a Fire Safety Consultant, Architect, or Engineer who is familiar with the Building Regulations and the procedure for applying for a Fire Safety Certificate.

  The content of the application needs to be comprehensive in nature. A person preparing a fire safety certificate should have a sound knowledge of building construction and fire safety design. If the application submitted is lacking in information or drawings, the application may be deemed invalid.

• How is a Fire Safety Certificate application submitted?

  An application is submitted to the Building Control Authority via the Building Control Management System (BCMS) Online at https://nbco.localgov.ie/

  The downloadable guidance document below outlines the process for submitting an application via the BCMS

  • Fire Safety Certifcate application - BCMS User Guide - V1 2023

• How long does it take to get a Fire Safety Certificate?

  The statutory period allowed to a building control authority to process a fire safety certificate application is two months. Sufficient information must be made available to the building control authority to allow for assessment of the application. In the event that further or revised information is required which cannot be provided by the applicant within the two-month assessment period, an extension of time may be requested and agreed between the applicant and the building control authority.

  It is the policy of Mayo Fire Authority that extension of time requests may be submitted in one or two month blocks only, with the maximum acceptable total period for extension of time on an application being two months.