Kilkenny County Council
Fire Safety Certificates - Frequently Asked Questions
Fire Safety Certificates- Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a fire safety certificate?
- When is a Fire Safety Certificate required?
- Which developments are exempted from the requirement of a Fire Safety Certificate?
- Can I do the work first then apply for a Fire Safety Certificate?
- What can I do with my site while I await the granting of my fire safety certificate?
- Who can prepare a Fire Safety Certificate application?
- Can Kilkenny County Council recommend someone to make a Fire Safety Certificate Application on my behalf?
- Is there a fee for a Fire Safety Certificate?
- How does the Fire Safety Certificate process work?
- What do I do about changes in the design after a Fire Safety Certificate has been granted?
- Will Kilkenny County Council inspect and certify my building when it is finished?
- Do I have to wait for my planning permission to come through before I can apply for my fire safety certificate?
- What if I don’t bother with applying for a fire safety certificate and build anyway?
- I want to build three separate buildings on my site. Will the one fire safety application cover the three buildings?
- Where can I get an application form for a Fire Safety Certificate?
What is a fire safety certificate?
When is a Fire Safety Certificate required?
- Works in connection with the design and construction of a new building
- Works in connection with the material alteration of
1. a day centre
2. a building containing a flat
3. a hotel, hostel or guest building
4. an institutional building
5. a place of assembly
6. 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.
Which developments are exempted from the requirement of a Fire Safety Certificate?
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
Note:If one dwelling lies above or below another, it is no longer considered a private dwelling but an apartment, and therefore is subject to a fire safety certificate application. - 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.
- Works by a Building Control Authority in its functional area
- Works in connection with a Garda station, a courthouse, a barracks and certain government buildings.
Can I do the work first then apply for a Fire Safety Certificate?
What can I do with my site while I await the granting of my fire safety certificate?
Who can prepare a Fire Safety Certificate application?
Is there a fee for a Fire Safety Certificate?
How does the Fire Safety Certificate process work?
- Applications are date stamped and an acknowledgement stating date of receipt is sent to the applicant. The application number is issued at this point. The application will then be assessed under Section 13 of the Regulations to ascertain whether or not it is a valid application.
- If the application is found to be valid the applicant shall be sent notification informing them that the application is valid and confirming the date the application was received and the application number.
- The Authority will then have two months from the date the application was validated to complete the assessment of the application and to make a decision whether to grant the application (with our without conditions) or to refuse the application. During this time the Authority may request further information from the applicant regarding the application under Section 16 of the Building Control Regulations.
- A decision on the application will issue to the applicant as soon as possible after all required additional information has been submitted. A Fire Safety Certificate may be granted subject to conditions which must be complied with or may be refused.
- If the application is found to be invalid either
(a) the applicant shall be informed that the application is invalid and the complete application including fee will be returned to the applicant;
or
(b) the applicant shall be informed that the application is invalid. The Authority will, under Section 14(3)(b) of the Building Control Regulation, require the applicant to furnish further information to render the application valid. The Authority will also request the applicant to look for an extension of time of the application to allow this information to be sent to the authority and considered by it. - The decision of the Authority may be appealed to An Bord Pleanala. Details of this procedure are on the Fire Safety Certificate application form.
What do I do about changes in the design after a Fire Safety Certificate has been granted?
Will Kilkenny County Council inspect and certify my building when it is finished?
What if I don’t bother with applying for a fire safety certificate and build anyway?
Where can I get an application form for a Fire Safety Certificate?
A Guidance Document for applicants is also included with the application form.
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