How should you use this fire audit checklist?
Not every checkpoint applies to every building. What applies depends on the occupancy group, the height, the basements, the floor area and whether the building is sprinklered. Mark each item complied, not complied or not applicable, with location, measurement, photograph and corrective action.
Clause references are numbers only. NBC means National Building Code of India 2016, Part 4 Fire and Life Safety. NBCS means SP 7 : 2026 National Building Construction Standards, Part F. Where the number is the same in both editions it is given once.
This page lists 100 of the most useful checkpoints. Fire Audit Pro holds 341 code-cited checkpoints in 23 sections and shows each building only the ones whose conditions it meets; a G-2 factory gets 277.
Documentation and records
| Checkpoint | What the auditor looks for | Clause |
|---|
| Fire NOC and occupancy certificate | Valid, kept on site, matching the present use | NBC 3.1.14; NBCS 3.1.14 |
| Previous fire audit report | Available, with earlier deficiencies tracked to closure | NBC Annex E-7; NBCS Annex D-7 |
| Fire safety plan and building information form | Current, issued to staff, ready for the fire service | NBC Annex D; NBCS 4.11 |
| Drill records and alarm and PA test logs | Kept and up to date | NBC 4.11, Annex D; NBCS 4.11 |
| Commissioning certificates and service contracts | Held for every installed fire system | NBC 5.3; NBCS 5.1, 5.3 |
| Fire officer | Appointed where the height and use require one | 4.10 |
Occupancy, construction and compartmentation
| Checkpoint | What the auditor looks for | Clause |
|---|
| Use of each floor | Matches the approved occupancy on the sanctioned plans | 3.1 |
| Mixed occupancy | Rated separation between uses; the strictest rules govern | NBC 3.1.11; NBCS 3.1.11.1 |
| Hazardous materials | None stored outside approved, protected areas | 3.1, 4.8 |
| Type of construction and fire resistance | Permitted for the use; ratings per Table 1 | NBC 3.3; NBCS 3.4 |
| False ceilings and interior finishes | Non-combustible ceilings; finishes in the permitted flame-spread class | NBC 3.3, 3.4.11; NBCS 3.4, 3.5.10 |
| Glazed facade and cladding | Sprinklers near glazing, openable fire access panels, cladding core acceptable | NBC 3.4.10; NBCS 3.5.9 |
| Compartment size | Within the limit for the use and sprinkler status | NBC 4.5; NBCS 4.5, Table 6 |
| Compartment walls | Continuous slab to slab, no gaps above the false ceiling | 4.5 |
| Service shafts | Enclosed and fire-stopped at every floor | NBC 3.4.5; NBCS 3.5.4 |
| Fire and smoke dampers | Fitted where ducts cross barriers and linked to the alarm panel | NBC 3.4.8; NBCS 3.5.7 |
| Basement separation | Rated doors at every stair, lift and service connection | 4.2.19 |
Means of egress and staircases
| Checkpoint | What the auditor looks for | Clause |
|---|
| Escape routes | Walked from the most remote point to the final exit with nothing stored or parked on them | 4.2.3 |
| Exit door swing | Opens in the direction of escape; no sliding or overhead doors in required exits | 4.2.9 |
| Exit door size | At least 1000 mm clear width (2000 mm in assembly buildings) and 2000 mm high | 4.4.2.4.1(b) |
| Exit door locking | Opens from inside without a key whenever the building is occupied | 4.4.2.4.1(c) |
| Access-controlled doors | Release on fire alarm and on power failure, with a manual release beside the door | 4.4.2.4.1(g) |
| Travel distance | Within the table limit for the occupancy | 4.4.2.2; NBC Table 5; NBCS Table 4 |
| Dead-end corridors | Not over 6 m in educational, institutional and assembly use, 15 m elsewhere | 4.4.2.2(c) |
| Number of exits | At least two per floor, as remote from each other as possible; two for each basement | 4.4.2.1, 4.2.19 |
| Number and width of staircases | At least two; width not below the minimum for the occupancy | 4.4.2.4.3.1, 4.4.2.4.3.2(e) |
| Stair enclosure | Rated enclosure and fire door; no ducts, panels, gas pipes or stores in or opening into it | 4.4.2.4.3.2(a), (d) |
| Stair termination | Ends at the exit discharge level; basement flight separated from the upper flight | 4.4.2.4.3.2(h)(11) |
| Floor indication boards | Inside each staircase on every floor | 4.4.2.4.3.2(h)(9) |
Smoke control, escape lighting and signage
| Checkpoint | What the auditor looks for | Clause |
|---|
| Staircase pressurization | Design pressure achieved with the fans running | NBC 4.4.2.5, Table 6; NBCS 4.4, Table 5 |
| Smoke fan control | Fans start from the alarm panel, with a manual override in the fire command centre | 4.6 |
| Basement smoke venting | Natural vents of at least 2.5 percent of floor area, or mechanical extraction | 4.6 |
| Smoke exhaust fan rating | Rated for high-temperature operation as the code requires | 4.6 |
| Escape lighting | Covers every route, stair and exit, fed from an independent source | NBC 3.4.7.1; NBCS 3.5.6.1 |
| Escape lighting timing | Comes on within 5 seconds and lasts at least 90 minutes | NBC 3.4.7.1(f); NBCS 3.5.6.1(f) |
| Exit signs | Green, lit, on an alternative supply, one visible within 30 m | NBC 3.4.7.4; NBCS 3.5.6.4 |
| Lift landing sign | Tells occupants to use the stairs in a fire | NBC Annex D-4.1 |
Electrical rooms, gas supply and the fire command centre
| Checkpoint | What the auditor looks for | Clause |
|---|
| Emergency power | Automatic changeover serves fire pumps, smoke fans, fire lifts, exit signs and escape lighting | NBC 3.4.6; NBCS 3.5.5 |
| Electrical shaft | Separate and sealed; no water, drainage or gas lines inside | NBC 3.4.6; NBCS 3.5.5 |
| Substation and DG rooms | Ground floor or first basement, rated enclosure, dyked day tank | NBC 3.4.6; NBCS 3.5.5 |
| Large transformers | High-velocity water spray or nitrogen injection where required | NBC 3.4.6; NBCS 3.5.5 |
| Fire command centre | On the entrance floor, rated enclosure, main panel, PA, smoke controls and two sets of floor plans | NBC 3.4.12; NBCS 3.5.11 |
| Gas pipes | Never through staircases, electrical shafts, escape routes or refuge areas | 4.7 |
| LPG in basements | No LPG cooking or cylinder storage at basement level | 4.7, 4.2.19 |
| Kitchen hood interlock | Heat detection trips the exhaust and closes the gas solenoid valve | 4.7; NBC Annex G |
Fire detection and alarm
| Checkpoint | What the auditor looks for | Clause |
|---|
| Main panel | Powered, no faults, isolations or disabled zones | 4.9 |
| Detection coverage | Complete for the occupancy, detector type suited to each area | NBC 4.9, Table 7; NBCS 4.9, Tables 7A to 7J |
| Manual call points | Near every exit on each floor, unobstructed | 4.9 |
| Voice evacuation | Messages in English, Hindi and the local language, audible everywhere | NBC 4.9; NBCS 4.9, 5.2 |
| Panel supervision | Monitors tank levels, system pressures and pump status | NBC 4.9, 5.1.1; NBCS 4.9, 5.1 |
| Detector condition | None painted, covered or removed; tests per IS 2189 recorded | 5.3; IS 2189 |
Hydrants, risers, pumps and water storage
| Checkpoint | What the auditor looks for | Clause |
|---|
| Extinguishers | Right type for the risk, mounted, in date, gauge in the green | NBC 5.1.1; NBCS 5.1; IS 2190 |
| Hose reels | At least 19 mm, on every floor where required, fed from the riser | 5.1.1(d) |
| Landing valves | On every floor in the firefighting lobby, or within 5 m of the stair exit door | 5.1.1(g) |
| Hydrant pressure | At least 3.5 bar at the remotest, highest outlet and not over 7.0 bar at any outlet | 5.1.1(f) |
| Isolation valves | Locked or strapped open and supervised | 5.1.1(c) |
| Static fire tank | Capacity per the table for the building, full, in two interconnected compartments | 5.1.2.1; NBC Table 7; NBCS Tables 7A to 7J |
| Fire reserve | Domestic draw cannot empty the fire quantity | 5.1.2.1 |
| Pump set | Main electric, diesel standby and jockey; selectors in AUTO; auto start on pressure drop | NBC 5.1.2.2; NBCS 5.1, Table 7K |
| Pump room | Rated enclosure, positive suction, ventilated, no unrelated storage | 5.1.2.2 |
| Fire brigade inlet and access | Collecting head reachable from the appliance hardstanding | 5.1.2.1 |
Sprinklers and fixed suppression
| Checkpoint | What the auditor looks for | Clause |
|---|
| Coverage | Throughout the building where required, not selective | 5.1.3; IS 15105 |
| Head condition | Not painted, damaged or obstructed; spare heads and spanner kept | 5.3; IS 15105 |
| Ceiling voids | Voids deeper than 800 mm sprinklered inside | 5.1.3 |
| Installation control valves | Each serves not over 4500 m2 per floor, open, flow switch on the panel | 5.1.3 |
| Car parking heads | Standard response, K-80, not over 9 m2 per head | NBC Annex H-4; NBCS Annex G-4 |
| Areas unsuited to water | Server, UPS and battery rooms on clean agent or other suitable systems | NBC 5.1.6; NBCS 5.2; IS 15493 |
High-rise provisions
| Checkpoint | What the auditor looks for | Clause |
|---|
| Firefighting shaft | Rated lobby, stair and fire lift for each tower or compartment, kept clear | NBC Annex E; NBCS Annex D |
| Fire lift | Rated landing doors, emergency power changeover, fireman switch at entrance level | NBC E-3; NBCS D-3 |
| Refuge area levels | First at 24 m, then every 15 m of height (apartment rules differ) | NBC E-4; NBCS D-4.2 |
| Refuge area fit-out | At least 15 m2, signed, lit, with PA and talk-back, sprinklered | NBC E-4; NBCS D-4.2 |
| Refuge area use | Not enclosed, rented, encroached or used for storage | NBC E-4; NBCS D-4.2 |
| Talk-back | Working between firefighting lobbies, refuge areas and the command centre | NBC Annex E; NBCS Annex D |
Hospitals, assembly, industrial and storage buildings
| Checkpoint | What the auditor looks for | Clause |
|---|
| Hospital compartments | Each patient floor split into at least two compartments for horizontal evacuation | 6.3.2 |
| Hospital corridors | At least 2.4 m clear for bed movement | 6.3.2 |
| ICU and OT | Separated by rated construction; critical care within the height limit | NBC 6.3.2; NBCS 6.3 |
| Assembly exits | Number of exits matches seating capacity | 6.4.2 |
| Seating and aisles | Aisle widths and seats per row within limits | 6.4.2 |
| Mall circulation | Kiosks and displays do not block exits, hydrants or call points | 6.4 |
| Industrial hazard class | Declared class matches the actual processes and materials | 3.1, Annex B |
| Separating walls | Rated walls between bays carried above the roof as parapets | NBC 6.7.1; NBCS 6.7 |
| Roof and explosion venting | Provided where the hazard and floor area require | NBC Annex M; NBCS Annex K |
| Storage buildings | Exit distance and high-piled sprinkler protection suit the stored goods | NBC 6.8.1; NBCS 6.8, Table 7H |
Kitchens, car parking and housekeeping
| Checkpoint | What the auditor looks for | Clause |
|---|
| Commercial kitchen separation | Rated walls and self-closing doors | NBC Annex G; IS 18271 |
| Hood suppression | Wet chemical system that cuts fuel on release | NBC Annex G; NBCS 5.2; IS 18271 |
| Duct cleaning | Hood and duct grease cleaning recorded | NBC Annex G; IS 18271 |
| Parking alarm | Manual alarm in car parks above the area threshold and all multi-level car parks | 4.9 |
| Basement parking ventilation | Smoke extraction working as designed | 4.6 |
| EV charging | Location, compartment size, isolation and fireman switch as required | NBCS Annex G-6 |
| Fire doors | Not wedged or tied open; closers and latches work | 4.4.2.4.1 |
| Terrace door | Opens from the stair side without a key | NBC Annex D; NBCS 4.11 |
| Combustible build-up | None in shafts, plant rooms, ceiling voids or terraces | NBC Annex E-7; NBCS Annex D-7 |
| Unauthorised alterations | No changes to the approved layout without approval | NBC Annex E; NBCS 1.2 |
A building audit does not tell you how the work inside a factory is controlled. For factory, storage and hazardous occupancies, Fire Audit Pro adds a Process and Industrial Safety section built on Annex C of IS 14489:2018, the code of practice for occupational safety and health audit, and names the chemical, pressure vessel, boiler and labour laws that apply in the report. Rules not yet held are marked to verify, not guessed.
Process safety checkpoints (IS 14489:2018, Annex C)| Checkpoint | What the auditor looks for | Clause |
|---|
| Work permits | Written permits for hot work, confined space, height and electrical isolation | C-6 |
| Contractor safety | Contractors inducted, trained and supervised | C-7 |
| Statutory register | List of applicable laws with current licences and approvals | C-13 |
| Safety data sheets | Current sheet for every chemical, in the local language | C-20.3 |
| Static and lightning | Vessels and pipes for flammables bonded and earthed | C-21.13 |
| Fire team | Named team on every shift, trained on the plant's risks | C-21.1, C-21.12 |
| Emergency plan | Key people, scenarios, declaration and control room set out | C-24 |
How do you run a fire safety audit, step by step?
- Collect the documents: fire NOC, occupancy certificate, approved plans, previous audit report, commissioning and maintenance records.
- Fix the building profile: occupancy group, height, basements, floor areas, sprinklers. This decides which checks apply.
- Walk every escape route from the most remote point on each floor to the final exit, then each system from tank and pump room to the last outlet.
- Test the active systems rather than only looking at them: start the pumps, check pressures, trigger a detector, release an access-controlled door.
- Record each deficiency with its clause, location, measurement, photograph, risk level and corrective action.
- Write the report, and have it reviewed and signed by the licensed person the state law requires.
What must a fire audit report contain?
A report should follow the order a fire officer reads it in. Fire Audit Pro prints these sections and flags any section not recorded rather than dropping it.
- Auditor's profile, acknowledgement and the areas covered
- Basic data of the premises, objective and methodology
- References: the codes and rule packs actually applied
- Introduction to risk assessment
- Observations and recommendations, each with clause and corrective action
- Legal requirements and compliances for the state
- The completed checklist and a summary of the audit
- Code compliance and an adequacy survey of the installed systems
What does a fire audit checklist for Maharashtra add?
Section 3(1) of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, as substituted in 2023, requires measures not less than both Part 4 of the National Building Code and Schedule I of the Act, maintained in good repair and efficient condition.
Form B: under section 3(3) and rule 4(2) of the 2009 Rules, the owner or occupier furnishes a Licensed Agency's certificate twice a year, in January and July, that the measures are maintained in good repair and efficient condition. The 2025 Amendment Rules added that it covers the preceding six months and the National Building Code and Indian Standards. The printed title reads: "Six monthly certificate to be given in every January and July by the owner or the occupier for compliance of the Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures".
Section 45A biennial audit: for buildings listed in section 45(1), a licensed Fire and Life Safety Auditor must carry out the audit, first within one year of the 2023 Amendment Act coming into force and "thereafter, once in every two years". The auditor issues the certificate in Form V (rule 31), and only a licensed auditor may do the work (section 45A(7)).
Maharashtra audit duties at a glance| Item | Requirement | Source |
|---|
| Buildings under section 45A | Hotel, hospital, business, mercantile or mixed use above 30 m; residential above 70 m; refineries, LPG bottling plants and similar; industrial of moderate hazard 30,000 m2 or more, or high hazard 10,000 m2 or more | Act s.45(1) |
| Audit frequency | First within one year of the 2023 Amendment Act, then once in every two years | Act s.45A(1) |
| Auditor's duties | 360-degree hazard assessment, test all active measures, evaluate the fire control room and staff training, dated photographs signed by the owner's representative | Rule 33 |
| Auditor's certificate | Form V, with the fire audit report, to the owner or occupier | Rules 31 and 33(ix) |
| Form B | Every January and July, by a Licensed Agency | Act s.3(3); rule 4(2) |
| Submission | In person, registered post, courier or online | Rule 4(5); rule 31(b) |
Sources
- Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, sections 3(1), 3(3), 45(1) and 45A as amended: Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Mah. XXIV of 2023), sections 3 and 22, Maharashtra Government Gazette Extraordinary Part VIII, 11 May 2023
- Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Rules, 2009, rule 4 and Form B: Maharashtra Government Gazette Extraordinary Part IV-B, 23 June 2009, Form B at page 18
- Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures (Amendment) Rules, 2025, rules 4, 31, 33 and Form V: Maharashtra Government Gazette Extraordinary Part IV-B, 12 June 2025, Urban Development Department notification No. MFS-2023/C.R.370/UD-14
- National Building Code of India 2016, Part 4 Fire and Life Safety: Bureau of Indian Standards; clause numbers cited, text paraphrased
- SP 7 : 2026 National Building Construction Standards, Part F Fire and Life Safety: Bureau of Indian Standards; clause numbers cited, text paraphrased
- IS 14489:2018, Code of practice on occupational safety and health audit, Annex C: Bureau of Indian Standards; clause numbers as used in Fire Audit Pro
- IS 2189, IS 2190, IS 15105, IS 15493, IS 18271: Bureau of Indian Standards; referenced for detection, extinguishers, sprinklers, gaseous systems and commercial kitchens
- Fire Audit Pro checklist and report model: Siya Habitats, siyahabitats.com/fire-audit-pro/
This guide explains the rules in plain words. It is not legal advice; the gazette text and the fire authority decide. A licensed person reviews and signs any submission.
