A fire safety audit checks that a building's fire prevention and life safety measures are in working order. In India, fire services are a State subject.1 So the fire safety law, and any audit duty in it, can differ from one state to the next.
If you own or manage a building, the first question is whether yours falls under a mandate. The second is whether an audit is worth booking if it does not.
Is a Fire Safety Audit Mandatory in India?
Yes, for the buildings that a state's fire law names.
In Maharashtra, for example, the duty sits in Section 45A of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention & Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 (Amendment 2023).2 It makes the audit mandatory for the buildings in Section 45(1), such as hotels and hospitals above 30 metres.3
Which Buildings Require a Fire Safety Audit in India?
Each state's fire law decides which buildings, if any, need the audit. In Maharashtra, it is the list in Section 45(1) of the Act, which the 2023 amendment widened.23 Below are the buildings it covers:
- Hotels and hospitals above 30 m
- Business and mercantile buildings above 30 m (such as offices and malls)
- Mixed-occupancy buildings above 30 m
- Residential buildings above 70 m
- Large oil and natural gas installations, such as refineries and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottling plants
- Industrial buildings with a built-up area of 30,000 m² or more (moderate-hazard activities) or 10,000 m² or more (high-hazard activities)
A purely residential society tower of up to 70 metres is outside this list. Still, an audit makes sense. To learn more about societies, please read our article: Fire Safety Rules for Housing Societies: Laws, Common Mistakes, Checklist.
Is a Fire Safety Audit Mandatory in Every State of India?
Not under one national rule. Each state's own fire law decides whether the audit is mandatory, and for which buildings.1 In other states, periodic fire safety assessment is generally provided for in the local codes and rules.
The national reference is NBCS 2026, the National Building Construction Standards 2026 (SP 7:2026) from the Bureau of Indian Standards. Under its Part F, any building 24 metres or taller counts as high-rise.1
That said, NBCS 2026 is voluntary. A building has to follow it only where an authority or a contract says so.1
If your building is outside Maharashtra, check your state's fire law to see whether an audit applies. To learn more about the state laws, please read our article: Fire Safety Rules and Regulations in India: Laws, Standards, Fire NOC, Penalties, and More.
Fire Safety Audit Requirements in Maharashtra
Below is how the Maharashtra Fire Act handles the audit:
- Who is responsible: The owner, or the occupier where the owner is not traceable.2
- What document needs to be submitted: The auditor's Form V certificate, also called the Certificate of Compliance. The owner or occupier sends it to the Director, the Chief Fire Officer or the nominated officer.24
- Other duties for Section 45(1) buildings: An appointed fire officer or fire supervisor, and an automated continuous monitoring system (ACMS) on the fire fighting systems that a Licensed Agency certifies.23
- Everyone else: Outside Section 45(1), there is no Section 45A duty. Other duties, such as Form B, may still apply.
Note that amendments keep changing these duties, so check the current text of the Act before relying on any summary.
Is a Fire Safety Audit the Same as a Fire NOC? (Fire Audit Certificate vs. Form B vs. Fire NOC)
No. Under the Maharashtra Fire Act, each is a separate document with its own issuer.
The fire audit certificate is Form V. A Licensed Fire & Life Safety Auditor issues it after the two-yearly audit under Section 45A.24
Form B comes from a Licensed Agency under Section 3(3).5 It certifies that the building's fire prevention and life safety measures are maintained in good repair and efficient condition. The owner or occupier furnishes it every January and July.3
The fire NOC (No Objection Certificate) is the Fire Safety Approval under Section 3(1). The local Chief Fire Officer grants it, or the Director where no Chief Fire Officer is in post. It comes at the plan stage as a provisional approval and at completion or occupation as a final one.2
Below is a quick comparison of the three documents:
| Document | Who Issues It | When It Is Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Fire audit certificate (Form V) | Licensed Fire & Life Safety Auditor | Once every two years, for Section 45(1) buildings |
| Form B | Licensed Agency | Every January and July |
| Fire NOC (Fire Safety Approval) | Chief Fire Officer or Director | Plan stage, then completion or occupation |
As such, none of them stands in for another.
Is a Fire Risk Assessment the Same as a Fire Safety Audit?
No, the two differ in scope. A fire risk assessment looks closely at the fire risk in one process or area, or in one department or application. A fire safety audit is a general inspection of the whole facility.
This means a fire risk assessment cannot replace the Section 45A audit where the Act mandates one. It does not lead to the Form V certificate either.
How Often Should a Fire Safety Audit Be Conducted?
In Maharashtra, the buildings in Section 45(1) need the audit once every two years.2 The first round was due within one year from 30 May 2023, when the 2023 Amendment Act came into force.6 Form B runs on its own half-yearly cycle.
For other buildings in Maharashtra, the timing is the owner's call. Book one after a fit-out, a change of use or a fire incident. It also makes sense when an insurer or a tender asks for it.
Who Can Conduct a Fire Safety Audit in India?
It depends on the state. In Maharashtra, the Act reserves this work for a Licensed Fire & Life Safety Auditor, authorised by the Directorate of Maharashtra Fire & Emergency Services.2 The licence is granted in Form X and is valid for two years.27
PowerTech holds licence MF&ES/F&LSA/0029, issued to the firm. Each audit is conducted in person by the qualified auditor named on it, who also signs the certificate.
Ask any firm you shortlist for its licence number. Then check that it is current.
What Does a Fire Safety Audit Include?
Under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures (Amendment) Rules, 2025, Rule 33 lists what the auditor must do.4 Below are the main duties:
- A 360-degree assessment of the building's fire hazards
- A check of the construction and of the electrical and storage hazards
- Tests of the active and passive fire protection
- A review of the fire control room and of staff safety training
- Date- and time-stamped photos or videos of every test, countersigned by the owner's or occupier's representative
At the end, the auditor hands over a signed Fire Audit Report and the Form V certificate.
In Mumbai, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has reported that 70 to 80% of fires start from faulty electrical connections.8
At PowerTech, the auditor who signs our fire audit certificates is also a Chartered Electrical Safety Engineer. That authorisation comes under Regulation 6 of the CEA (MSES) Regulations, 2023.9
What Happens If a Building Fails to Comply With Fire Safety Requirements?
In Maharashtra, an inspecting fire officer records the deviations and serves a notice that sets the time allowed to fix them. The Director or the Chief Fire Officer may prosecute and seal the building if the owner or occupier does not act.3
The penalties sit in Section 36 of the Maharashtra Fire Act. Breaking its main fire safety duties can lead to rigorous imprisonment of six months to three years. The fine runs from ₹20,000 to ₹50,000, plus up to ₹3,000 for each day the offence continues.3
Elsewhere, the state's own fire law sets the penalties.
Fire Safety Audit in India: Key Things to Keep in Mind
Whether the audit is mandatory depends on the state and on the building. In Maharashtra, Section 45A makes it a two-yearly duty for the buildings in Section 45(1). Form B and the fire NOC are separate duties, and neither one replaces it.
Since 2014, PowerTech has conducted 1,200+ energy and safety audits, 100+ of them fire safety audits. Our Section 45A licence, MF&ES/F&LSA/0029, covers fire safety audits across Maharashtra. We also conduct fire risk assessments.
We reply within one working day. Talk to an auditor to check whether your building falls under the mandate and when its next audit is due.
References
1: (2026). National Building Construction Standards, NBCS 2026 (SP 7:2026), Part F: Fire and Life Safety. Bureau of Indian Standards (copy hosted by the Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Goa). https://dfes.goa.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/sp7_2026_nbcs-212-1480.pdf
2: (May 11, 2023). The Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Mah. XXIV of 2023). Directorate of Maharashtra Fire and Emergency Services. https://mahafireservice.gov.in/directorate/fire-act/2023/English.pdf
3: (July 7, 2025). The Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 (Mah. III of 2007), as amended. Directorate of Maharashtra Fire and Emergency Services. https://mahafireservice.gov.in/directorate/fire-act/2006/Maharashtra%20Fire%20Prevention%20and%20Life%20Safety%20Measures%20Act,%202006..pdf
4: (June 12, 2025). The Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures (Amendment) Rules, 2025 (Notification No. MFS-2023/C.R.370/UD-14). Urban Development Department, Government of Maharashtra (copy hosted by the Directorate of Maharashtra Fire and Emergency Services). [https://mahafireservice.gov.in/directorate/fire-act/2025/Act%20to%20Rules%20(Amended)%20English.pdf](https://mahafireservice.gov.in/directorate/fire-act/2025/Act%20to%20Rules%20(Amended)%20English.pdf)
5: (n.d.). Guidelines for Form B (Annexure A). Directorate of Maharashtra Fire and Emergency Services. https://mahafireservice.gov.in/circular/Guidelines%20to%20issue%20Form%20B.pdf
6: (May 30, 2023). Notification No. FFS-2022/C.R.36/UD-14, bringing the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures (Amendment) Act, 2023 into force. Urban Development Department, Government of Maharashtra (copy hosted by the Directorate of Maharashtra Fire and Emergency Services). [https://mahafireservice.gov.in/directorate/notification/Notification%20for%20the%20Fire%20(Amendment)%20Act,%202023.pdf](https://mahafireservice.gov.in/directorate/notification/Notification%20for%20the%20Fire%20(Amendment)%20Act,%202023.pdf)
7: (n.d.). Form W: Application for Licence of Fire and Life Safety Auditor, and Checklist. Directorate of Maharashtra Fire and Emergency Services. https://mahafireservice.gov.in/Application%20for%20Fire%20Auditor/Form%20W%20and%20Checklist..pdf
8: Bhalerao, S. (January 18, 2019). Mumbai: 70 to 80% fires due to faulty electrics, says BMC. The Indian Express. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/mumbai-70-to-80-fires-due-to-faulty-electrics-says-bmc-5543949/
9: (2023). Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, 2023. Central Electricity Authority. https://cea.nic.in/notification/central-electricity-authority-measures-relating-to-safety-and-electric-supply-regulations-2023/?lang=en
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