Fire Safety Compliance for Strata

The Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS)

Every NSW strata building with a Fire Safety Schedule must lodge an Annual Fire Safety Statement with their local council and Fire and Rescue NSW every 12 months. The AFSS certifies that all essential fire safety measures listed on the building's Fire Safety Schedule have been assessed by a competent practitioner and found to be performing to the required standard.

Essential fire safety measures typically include fire detection and alarm systems, sprinklers, fire hydrants and hose reels, emergency lighting, exit signs, fire doors and fire-rated construction, mechanical ventilation and smoke management, and portable fire extinguishers.

Who is responsible?

The Owners Corporation — not individual lot owners, and not your strata manager — is the legal entity responsible for fire safety compliance. This means the committee must ensure inspections are arranged, defects are rectified, records are kept, and the AFSS is lodged on time.

A strata manager can coordinate this process, but if something falls through the cracks, the OC bears the liability. For self-managed buildings without a strata manager, the committee carries the full administrative burden as well.

The February 2026 reforms

From 13 February 2026, major reforms to NSW fire safety laws significantly raised the bar for strata buildings. These changes affect how essential fire safety measures are inspected, documented, and certified.

AS 1851-2012 is now mandatory

All buildings required to lodge an AFSS must now maintain their fire safety systems in accordance with AS 1851-2012 (the Australian Standard for routine service of fire protection systems). This means inspections must follow the specific testing frequencies, methods, and pass/fail criteria set out in the standard — not just a general visual check.

There is no requirement to upgrade existing systems, provided they are properly maintained under your Fire Safety Schedule. The obligation is about maintenance standards, not retrofitting new equipment.

Stricter documentation and logbooks

The reforms introduce mandatory on-site logbooks and documented servicing procedures. Fire safety schedules, inspection reports, and certification records must be accurate, current, and properly maintained. This means your building should have a clear paper trail showing when each measure was last inspected, what was found, and what action was taken.

Higher practitioner standards

Fire safety professionals inspecting and certifying your building's systems must now meet higher competency and accreditation requirements. The reforms introduce clearer responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of fire safety documentation — practitioners are accountable for what they sign off on.

Escalating penalties

Penalty infringement notices now escalate quickly: from $500 in the first week to $3,000–$4,000 per week beyond week four. These penalties apply to the Owners Corporation, making timely compliance a financial imperative as well as a safety one.

Access to private lots

Section 123 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 grants the Owners Corporation the power to access private lots to carry out mandatory fire safety inspections. If a lot owner refuses access, the OC can apply to NCAT for an order. This is important because some fire safety measures — such as smoke alarms, fire doors, and sprinkler heads — may be located within individual units.

What your committee should do

Fire safety compliance isn't a once-a-year task. To stay on top of the post-reform requirements, committees should maintain a clear schedule of when each fire safety measure is due for inspection, engage qualified fire safety practitioners who understand the AS 1851-2012 requirements, keep an up-to-date on-site logbook and digital records of all inspections and certifications, address defects promptly rather than deferring them to the next inspection cycle, and lodge the AFSS on time every year — late lodgement triggers the escalating penalty regime.

The most common compliance failures aren't dramatic — they're administrative. A missed renewal date, an incomplete logbook, or an unqualified contractor can all result in penalties and personal liability for committee members.

How this connects to building maintenance

Fire safety isn't separate from general building maintenance — it's embedded in it. A well-maintained building with regular common property inspections will naturally stay ahead of most fire safety obligations. The buildings that get caught out are typically the ones that treat fire safety as a standalone annual task rather than part of an ongoing maintenance programme.

Disclaimer: This guide provides general information about NSW fire safety obligations for strata buildings. It is not legal advice. For specific compliance questions, consult a fire safety professional or strata lawyer.