Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS) — NSW
An annual declaration signed by the building owner certifying that every essential fire safety measure in a Class 1b–9 building has been inspected by an accredited fire safety practitioner and found to be performing to the required standard.
Issuing authority
Building owner (responsible party) — lodged with local council and Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW)
Official source
planning.nsw.gov.auCost
Varies — council administration fee (set by each council under their annual fees and charges schedule); practitioner inspection and testing fees are additional and set by the market.
Deadline
Annually — within 12 months of the date the previous AFSS was issued (and within 3 months of the date of the practitioner's inspection and assessment).
How to apply
- Confirm your building has a Fire Safety Schedule (FSS) — if so, an AFSS is legally required under the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021.
- Engage an Accredited Practitioner (Fire Safety) from the NSW Government's Fire Safety Assessment Practitioners Register to inspect and test all essential fire safety measures listed on your FSS, in accordance with Australian Standard AS 1851:2012 (mandatory from 13 February 2026).
- Obtain signed assessment reports from the accredited practitioner confirming each measure is operational.
- Complete the AFSS using the NSW Government fire safety statement template (DOCX available at planning.nsw.gov.au) — the building owner or their authorised agent signs the statement.
- Submit the AFSS to your local council within 12 months of the date the previous AFSS was issued — most councils accept lodgement via their online customer portal (e.g. Inner West, Newcastle, City of Sydney each have dedicated AFSS lodgement links).
- Simultaneously submit a copy of the AFSS to Fire and Rescue NSW via the FRNSW online form at fire.nsw.gov.au or email firesafety@fire.nsw.gov.au.
- Pay the council administration fee (amount varies by council; due at time of lodgement).
- Display a copy of the completed AFSS prominently inside the building.
Related topics
Related forms
- Building Permit Application (Multi-state: VIC Form 1 / WA BA1 & BA2 / QLD Building Approval / NSW Development Application)VIC: Form 1 (Application for a Building Permit); NSW: DA form via NSW Planning Portal; QLD: No fixed form number — lodged with private certifier or council; WA: BA1 (certified) / BA2 (uncertified)
- Occupancy Permit / Occupation Certificate (Multi-state: VIC Form 15/16 / NSW OC / QLD Form 11)VIC: Form 15 (Application for Occupancy Permit) + Form 16 (Occupancy Permit); NSW: Occupation Certificate (no fixed form number — lodged via NSW Planning Portal); QLD: Form 11 (Certificate/Interim Certificate of Occupancy, replacing certificate of classification from October 2020)
- Owner-Builder Permit / Licence — QLD, WA, SA, ACT and NTQLD: Owner-Builder Permit Application Form (form-ob-permit-application.pdf); WA: Form 75 (Approval — Owner-builder, updated; old version invalid from 1 June 2026); SA: CBS Online Form (via cbs.sa.gov.au/online-forms); ACT: Application for Construction Occupation Licence — Individual Owner Builder (forms.act.gov.au form code 1166); NT: Owner Builder Application Form (bpb.nt.gov.au)
- Home Building Compensation Fund (HBCF) Certificate of Insurance — NSW / Domestic Building Insurance Certificate — VIC / Home Indemnity Insurance Certificate — WA / QBCC Home Warranty Insurance
- Wet Area Waterproofing Compliance Certificate — VIC (Plumbing Compliance Certificate via VBA360) / NSW (Waterproofing Certificate) / QLD (Form 43 Aspect Certificate)VIC: Plumbing Compliance Certificate (VBA360); QLD: Form 43 Aspect Certificate; NSW: no standardised form number
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