Delhiites Can Hire Auditors To Get Fire Certificates For Buildings

New Delhi: Like they hire architects or engineers, Delhiites can now hire govt-empanelled private fire safety auditors for a nominal fee to obtain fire clearance certificates for all types of buildings.

Delhi govt has amended the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) Rules and introduced a third-party fire audit system to decentralise the process with the objective of speeding up approvals and strengthening the monitoring of the fire safety compliance.

Under the Delhi Fire Service (Amendment) Rules, 2025, notified on May 26, the authority to issue fire safety certificates (FSCs) has been delegated to empanelled fire safety auditors for all types of buildings which need fire clearance. Till now, the certificates were issued by DFS.

Home minister Ashish Sood said: “Delhi govt has decentralised the process of fire safety certification to speed up the process, reduce delays in inspections, increase compliance and create a professional fire auditing system while the DFS will focus on enforcement and compliance and the core work of firefighting. It is part of the reforms BJP govt has planned in line with minimum govt and maximum governance.”

The notification stated that FSCs issued by empanelled FSAs will be treated as valid certificates issued under the authority of the DFS director. However, DFS can later inspect the building and verify the certification. If violations, false declarations or safety lapses are found, DFS can suspend or cancel the certificate and take action against both the building owner and the auditor after giving them an opportunity to present their case.

To ensure accountability, the rules have mandated random inspection by DFS officers of at least 5% of certificates issued every quarter.

The amended rules have created a three-tier auditor structure from levels 1 to 3, based on the person’s qualifications and experience. Level-3 auditors will be authorised to certify all categories of buildings and occupancies.

The auditors will face penalties for false or faulty certification from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh and repeat violations can lead to blacklisting and permanent deregistration. To prevent conflict of interest, auditors will not be allowed to certify buildings where they or their firms have provided design, consultancy, installation or maintenance services.

The new rules have also introduced internet-based automated continuous monitoring system for high-risk buildings to ensure that firefighting and life safety systems remain functional at all times. The system will digitally monitor key fire safety infrastructure such as hydrant pumps, sprinkler systems, fire water tanks, smoke detectors, manual alarm systems, public address systems, staircase pressurisation fans and basement ventilation systems.

Sensors installed across the building will continuously track whether these systems are operational and send real-time alerts to building owners, occupiers and empanelled FSAs through mobile apps, SMS and email notifications if any fault or malfunction is detected.

The system will be implemented in two phases. In the first phase, alerts and monitoring data will be accessible to the building management and auditors. In the second phase, critical alarms — such as pump failures, low water pressure in hydrants and sprinklers, or faults in fire alarm systems — will also be transmitted directly to Delhi Fire Service for emergency response and enforcement.

The rules mandate that the monitoring system should function round-the-clock through cloud connectivity, maintain event logs, provide battery backup during power failures and ensure at least 99% uptime for reliable monitoring of fire safety systems in high-rise and high-risk occupancies.

In an administrative overhaul, the city’s fire service structure has been divided into five fire zones — central, east, west, north and south — of 13 fire divisions and 39 subdivisions to improve operational management and emergency response coverage across Delhi in alignment with the recent restructuring of districts.