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NSW Fire Safety Reforms
A practical guide to the Reforms, including what’s changing, who’s responsible, and what to focus on now.
Key Information
What’s changing?
The three things you need to be clear on.
Accountability sits with the building owner or duty holder.
Read our explainer blog to understand how responsibility works under the NSW Fire Safety Reforms and what can (and can’t) be delegated.
Compliance needs to be provable, not assumed.
Use the compliance checklist to see whether your maintenance, records, and evidence would stand up to scrutiny.
Visibility across buildings and systems is critical.
Read the case studies to see how organisations are using PlanStudio and PlanSafe to comply with regulations.
NSW Fire Safety Reforms explainer
Take a closer look at what’s changing under the NSW Fire Safety Reforms, who’s accountable, and what good compliance looks like in practice.
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. What does this mean for you, your building and your business?
How it works
Timeline for changes
13th February 2023
Councils / certifiers able to correct minor errors in Fire Safety Schedules or to replace a missing schedule.
Builders required to lodge Fire Safety Certificate with Building Compliance Declaration.
Builders required to lodge Fire Safety Certificate with Building Compliance Declaration.
1st August 2023
Building owners, developers and certifiers consulting with Fire and Rescue NSW on performance solutions. Find out more about the FRNSW requirements for consultation.
Councils / certifiers required to use the Fire Safety Schedule.
Councils / certifiers required to use the Fire Safety Schedule.
13th February 2026
Building owners applying mandatory procedures for maintaining fire safety measures in accordance with Australian Standard AS1851-2012 or the relevant performance solution.
This commencement date was deferred from the previous commencement date of 13 February 2025 following an amendment to the regulation. Learn more about building fire safety requirements under AS 1851-2012.
This commencement date was deferred from the previous commencement date of 13 February 2025 following an amendment to the regulation. Learn more about building fire safety requirements under AS 1851-2012.
13th February 2027
All FSS must be issued using the standard template form published by the NSW Government. his requirement commenced 1 August 2023.
This template must be used when issuing a new FSS, as well as when reissuing an existing FSS due to corrections or missing documentation. This applies to certifiers, councils, building owners and practitioners.
This template must be used when issuing a new FSS, as well as when reissuing an existing FSS due to corrections or missing documentation. This applies to certifiers, councils, building owners and practitioners.
Understanding the Standards
AS 3745 and AS 1851, what’s the difference?
AS 3745 is the standard for emergency planning and people and focuses on what people need to do in an emergency. It covers:Evacuation diagramsFire wardens and the Emergency Control Organisation (ECO)Training, drills, and emergency procedures.
AS 1851:2012 is the standard for maintaining fire safety systems and proof and focuses on how you prove it’s being maintained and kept current. It covers:Inspection, testing and maintenance of fire safety systemsEmergency planning as a maintained safety measureRecord keeping and evidence for compliance.
In NSW, both standards matter – but AS 1851:2012 is now the enforcement lens.
What our customers say about us
Don't just take our word for it.
Central Queensland University
“It was a relief to learn that floor plans will be shared so that First Responders to make our buildings safer for students, visitors and faculty.”
Townsville Area Health
"Exceptional applications that have filled a critical gap in our health service regarding fire safety compliance and reporting."
National Storage
"Not only has PlanStudio helped us offer our customers a better move in experience, but it has enhanced their safety inside and outside business hours.”
Dreamworld
“PlanStudio is proving to be a valuable asset. It gives us the ability to make live changes and provide team members and contractors with current information.”
Gold Coast Airport
“What sets PlanSafe apart from other solutions is that it is able to capture role and site specific details and deliver training in an engaging and understandable way.”
Scenic Rim Regional Council
“It is a very intuitive system and method of delivering relevant training as well as emergency risk management compliance.”
Fraser Coast Regional Council
“Locatrix provides us with a visual, easy to use and accessible platform to manage emergency and fire safety induction, annual training and compliance.”
Ozcare
“PlanSafe is just so easy to use... any volunteer or worker can complete training within 20 minutes. Every record is available whenever I need it.”
We’re passionate about keeping people safe
“The NSW Fire Safety Reforms reflect a shift from paper-based compliance to compliance that can be verified, audited, and understood in context. Geospatially accurate floor plans support that shift by treating fire safety as a whole-of-building responsibility, not a collection of disconnected documents. By providing a single, accurate view across sites, buildings, and floors, they help close gaps that often exist in traditional, file-based approaches.”
Cody Ross
PlanStudio Product Manager
Our Products
How our software solutions can help
Our accurate digital floor plans are freely provided to first responders, and our tailored training means your people know exactly what to do in case of an emergency.
AS 1851-2012 Maintenance
PlanStudio turns AS 1851 into a live, spatially accurate building record, linking every fire safety measure to a real asset, in a real location, with a complete maintenance history. Your compliance data stays current through staff changes, renovations, and regulatory updates, not trapped in outdated spreadsheets or PDFs.
Fire Safety Schedules
PlanStudio removes ambiguity from Fire Safety Schedules by connecting every schedule item to visible, countable assets and their exact locations. Annual Fire Safety Statements are issued against what actually exists on site, reducing errors, rework, and time wasted searching for assets.
Accredited Practitioner Certification
PlanStudio helps accredited practitioners certify with confidence by enabling sign-off at the asset or system level. Every certification is backed by a permanent spatial audit trail showing what was installed, where, and who last verified it.
FRNSW Consultation & Performance Solutions
Geospatial plans make performance solutions easier to understand, explain, and assess. FRNSW can visually review egress, compartmentation, and coverage. Supporting clearer consultation as referrals increase under the new reforms.
What trusted fire safety looks like
Australia’s leading organisations choose PlanSafe to deliver consistent training and compliance to meet rising fire expectations.
PlanSafe
Why is PlanSafe Trusted by Australia’s leading brands?
Trusted for over 15 years, PlanSafe helps organisations meet fire safety and training obligations with confidence. This article explains why Australia’s leading brands rely on PlanSafe to deliver role and site-specific training, streamline compliance, and keep people safe across complex environments.
Our awards and accolades
Gartner® Competitive Landscape: Indoor Mapping Report
Locatrix recognised by Gartner analyst(s) Annette Zimmermann and Tim Zimmerman in a report that identifies automated map updates as a market gap.
Australian Technologies Competition Winner
Locatrix selected as a winner the 2025 Australian Technologies Competition in the Built Environment category.
Geospatial Excellence Awards Regional Winner
Locatrix awarded the Innovation Award for Small Business, in recognition for its collaborative initiative, the Emergency Services Platform (ESP).
Are you ready for the upcoming reforms?
Talk to our team about how our solutions can support your compliance.