NSW Fire Safety Reforms. What's changing, what's not, and what it means for you

From 13 February 2026, NSW fire safety reforms move from transition to enforcement. For many building owners and managers, this has raised understandable questions and, in some cases, unnecessary anxiety.

So let’s be clear from the outset. These reforms don’t radically change what good fire safety looks like. They change who is accountable, how compliance is demonstrated, and what happens when assumptions replace evidence.

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Short on time? Scroll down to the section you need:

1. What’s changing (and what’s not)
2. Who the reforms apply to
3. Who is holding organisations accountable
4. Where buildings are most at risk
5. Why emergency and evacuation plans matter
6. What good compliance looks like in practice
7. How Locatrix helps remove ambiguity
8. Start with the compliance checklist
9. Additional resources

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1. What’s actually changing (and what’s not)

The most important change is accountability.

From February 2026:

• Building owners will be held accountable for fire safety compliance failures
• Maintenance of essential fire safety measures must align with AS 1851-2012
• Fire Safety Schedules and Annual Fire Safety Statements must accurately reflect what is installed, maintained and certified.

What’s not changing is the idea that safety can be outsourced wholesale to a single contractor.

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‍2. Who the reforms apply to

The reforms apply to anyone responsible for fire safety in Class 1b to Class 9 buildings, including:

• Class 1b, 2 and 3: buildings where people sleep (e.g. boarding houses, apartments, hotels)
• Class 4 to 9: buildings where people work, receive care, or are responsible for others (e.g. offices, hospitals, schools, public buildings).

If you own, manage,or certify one of these buildings in NSW, the reforms apply to you. Here are detailed building classification definitions provided by the Australian Building Codes Board.

3. Who is holding organisations accountable

These reforms are administered by the NSW Building Commission, which oversees building fire safety compliance and enforcement under the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation.

In practice, this means increased visibility of:

• what is certified
• what is maintained
• and who is responsible.

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4. Where buildings are most at risk

In our experience,non-compliance rarely stems from neglect. It comes from assumed responsibility.

Common examples include:

• Owners believing their fire contractor covers all listed measures
• Emergency Management Plans that exist, but haven’t been reviewed for years
• Evacuation plans that no longer reflect the building layout
• Critical information being locked in PDFs,folders, or on walls – inaccessible during an emergency.

The reforms don’t introduce new intent; they introduce enforcement.

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5. Why Emergency Management Plans and Evacuation Plans matter

Two measures that often appear on a Fire Safety Certificate:

• Emergency Management Plans (EMP)
• Evacuation Plans‍

They serve different purposes:

• Evacuation Plans guide occupants and responders how to move through the building in an emergency
• Emergency Management Plans define roles, responsibilities, procedures and decision-making during an incident.

‍‍Both are created at construction, must be reviewed, and updated whenever a building is modified, extended, or changes to use.

Most importantly, they only work if they are:

• Accurate
• Current
• Understood
• Accessible when they’re needed most.

‍6. What good compliance looks like in practice

Good compliance isn’t about ticking every box. It’s about being able to clearly demonstrate responsibility, maintenance, and readiness when it matters.

In practice, this means:

• Responsibility is explicit and not assumed
• Documentation reflects the building as it actually operates
• Maintenance can be evidenced calmly and quickly.

Critical information is usable during an emergency, not just compliant on paper.

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7. How Locatrix supports compliance and readiness

Locatrix supports building owners, managers and fire contractors to remove ambiguity and make fire safety information usable, not just compliant.

PlanStudio creates accurate, digital evacuation plans that can be shared freely with emergency services, giving first responders immediate access to critical information.

PlanSafe transforms Emergency Management Plans into a digital, role-specific training experience, enabling:

• Consistent emergency instructions
• Training anytime, anywhere (typically within 30 minutes)
• Confidence that plans and instructions are current.

‍Together, they reduce reliance on paper plans, in-person briefings, and institutional memory.

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8. Start with the compliance checklist

To help building owners, managers and contractors prepare, we’ve created a Master Compliance Checklist focused on:

• Identifying what’s covered – and what isn’t
• Assigning responsibility clearly
• Preparing for enforcement from February 2026.

If you’re unsure where responsibility sits in your building, that’s the right place to start.

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9. Additional resources

1.     Reforms to building fire safety regulation
Overview of staged fire safety reforms in NSW including mandatory AS 1851-2012 from 13 February 2026.

2.    Building fire safety requirements under AS1851-2012
Government explanation of mandatory maintenance standards and owner responsibilities.

3.    Fire Safety Schedule (FSS) template
NSW Government Fire Safety Schedule form and guidance.

4.    Fire safety certification – NSW Planning Portal
Clarifies how Fire Safety Certificates and Annual Fire Safety Statements relate.

5.    Annual Fire Safety Statement – Fire and Rescue NSW
Requirements for lodgement and display of AFSS.

6.    Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021
The regulation that gives effect to the reforms.

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The bottom line

The NSW Fire Safety Reforms aren’t about catching people out; they’re about ensuring that when something goes wrong, buildings – and the people inside them – are genuinely prepared.

Clarity is now a compliance requirement.

Accessibility is now a safety issue.

And assumptions are no longer enough.

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