Fire Safety Certificate Applications
How to apply for a Fire Safety Certificate
The online Fire Safety Certificate (FSC), Disability Access Certificate (DAC) and Dispensation/Relaxation Application submission process is now available through the Building Control Management System (BCMS)
Kildare County Council are no longer accepting hard copy applications.
If you have not used the BCMS previously for the submission of Commencement Notices/7 Day Notices or Certificates of Compliance on Completion, it will be necessary for you to sign-up for a BCMS account in order to access the online submission facility. Please be advised that all nominated roles (i.e. applicant, owner etc.) must also create a BCMS account in order to accept their role for a fire safety certificate application.
Please go to https://www.localgov.ie/en/bcms and use the Sign Up option to register an account. This will allow you to become familiar with how the system looks and behaves.
You can also visit the NBCO YouTube Channel to see how the Commencement Notice system works as the Application submission process will be very similar. All instructional videos will be posted on the NBCO YouTube Channel.
Please contact firesafety@kildarecoco.ie if further guidance is required.
Fees
In accordance with the Fifth Schedule of the Building Control Regulations, fees are due for all applications being made through BCMS. All fees are to be paid in line with Kildare County Council's 'Fee & Payment Policy'
Payment Policy
Fee Exemptions
In accordance with Article 22 of the Building Control Regulations, certain applicants may be exempt from the payment of fees. Please complete the form below and upload it to BCMS as a 'Supporting Document' in support of your claim for a fee exemption.
Fee Exemption Application Form
When to apply for a Fire Safety Certificate
There is a requirement to apply for and obtain a Fire Safety Certificate before commencing any works to which Part B of the Second Schedule of the Building Regulations, 1997 apply.
This primarily affects all works to non-domestic buildings and includes extensions (greater than 25 square metres) and material alterations to existing buildings and the construction of new buildings.
The types of buildings to which the requirement applies include:-
- health care uses including hospitals, nursing homes,
- guest accommodation including hotels, hostels
- guest houses
- B & B's
- apartments
- shops & shopping centres
- offices
- assembly & recreation buildings, including;
- schools
- restaurants
- pubs
- theatres
- places of worship
- sports pavilion, grandstands, stadiums
- gyms
- industrial including factories
- warehouse/storage
- car parks (multi-storey or basement)
Types of Fire Safety Certificates
The Building Control Regulations specify four types of Fire Safety Certificate which can be issued:
Fire Safety Certificate
This is the general certificate which is issued when an application is made in accordance with Building Control Regulations 1997.
Regularisation Fire Safety Certificate
This pertains to buildings which have commenced works, without a 7 Day Notice or have completed construction without a Fire Safety Certificate. The applicant must apply to the Building Control Authority for a Regularisation Fire Safety Certificate to satisfy them that the works carried out comply with Part B of the Building Regulations.
A statutory declaration must accompany all such applications, compelling the applicant to address all items of additional information requested and all conditions attached to the Fire Safety Certificate by the Fire Authority within 4 months of the decision date.
In the case of Regularisation Fire Safety Certificate applications where the building is already constructed, the drawings accompanying the application must be as constructed/as installed drawings.
Revised Fire Safety Certificate
A Revised Fire Safety Certificate may be applied for in the following cases:
- Where conditions pertaining to a planning permission necessitate an amendment to an existing Fire Safety Certificate.
- Where significant design changes have occurred to the design of a new building, or an extension, material alteration or change of use of a building.
If significant changes are required to a substantial portion of the works then the applicant will be required to cease construction work while awaiting a decision on the application.
7 Day Notice
This provides for the commencement of construction before the valid Fire Safety Certificate application has been assessed and a decision made by the Fire Officer. The 7 day notice application must be a valid application and it must be submitted to the Building Control Authority via BCMS a minimum of 7 days prior to the commencement of construction.
A statutory declaration must accompany all such applications, compelling the applicant to address all items of additional information requested and all conditions attached to the Fire Safety Certificate by the Fire Authority within a specified timeframe by the Fire Authority.