Which rules decide what a fire NOC drawing must show?
Fire NOC drawing requirements follow from occupancy and height. A 14 m office and a 46 m apartment tower need different systems, tank sizes and pump duties, so the first check is whether the drawing states the occupancy, the height and the number of storeys clearly. Height is measured to the level the sheets caption as the terrace, not the highest number on the drawing.
In Maharashtra, section 3(1) of the Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, as substituted in 2023, requires measures not less than Part 4 of the National Building Code and not less than Schedule I of the Act. Where the two differ, the stricter governs. Schedule I sets, for each occupancy and height band, whether extinguishers, hose reels, wet riser, down-comer, yard hydrants, sprinklers, manual alarm and automatic detection are required, and the underground and terrace tank capacities and pump duties.
The Act prescribes no drawing format. Scale, legend, sheet numbering and schedules are the practice approving offices accept, and the checklist treats them that way.
Clause references are numbers only. NBC means National Building Code of India 2016, Part 4. NBCS means SP 7 : 2026 National Building Construction Standards, Part F. Where both editions use the same number it is given once.
What sheets go into a fire NOC drawing set?
- Site plan: fire vehicle driveway with widths dimensioned, gates, open spaces, yard hydrant ring main, tank and fire brigade inlet positions
- Ground floor, each typical floor, every differing floor, basements and terrace, each with the fire layer
- Sections and elevation showing floor levels and the height to the terrace
- Riser or down-comer schematic, floor by floor, with landing valves, hose reels and hose boxes
- Tank details and pump details blocks stating capacities, dimensions and duties in l/min
- Legend for every symbol, pipe legend by service and size, scale, sheet numbering
- Licensed Agency block with seal and sign area, and a blank area for the approving office's stamp
Exits, travel distance and staircases
| What the drawing must show | Check the fire department applies | Clause | Drawing Checker |
|---|
| Exits on every floor | At least two, as remote from each other as possible | 4.4.2.1 | Reviewer |
| Staircases | At least two, each continuous to the exit discharge level | 4.4.2.4.3.1 | Rule |
| Stair widths | Not below the minimum for the occupancy | 4.4.2.4.3.2(e) | Reviewer |
| Travel distance | From the most remote point to an exit within the table limit; sprinklers change the limit | 4.4.2.2; NBC Table 5; NBCS Table 4 | Reviewer |
| Dead ends | Not over 6 m in educational, institutional and assembly use, 15 m in others | 4.4.2.2(c) | Reviewer |
| Exit doors | At least 1000 mm wide (2000 mm in assembly) and 2000 mm high | 4.4.2.4.1(b) | Reviewer |
| Basement exits | Two independent exits with rated doors; basement flight cut off from the upper stair | 4.2.19; 4.4.2.4.3.2(h)(11) | Reviewer |
Firefighting shaft (fire tower), fire lift and refuge areas
| What the drawing must show | Check the fire department applies | Clause | Drawing Checker |
|---|
| Firefighting shaft | Rated lobby, staircase and fire lift for each tower or compartment, with a landing valve in the lobby | NBC 2.24, Annex E-2; NBCS Annex D-2 | Reviewer |
| Second shaft | At least two where a floor has three or more compartments | NBCS Annex D-2 | Reviewer |
| Fire lift | Rated landing doors, emergency power, fireman switch at entrance level | NBC Annex E-3; NBCS Annex D-3 | Reviewer |
| Lift lobby | Pressurized, or enclosed with rated doors | NBC Table 6; NBCS Table 5 | Reviewer |
| Refuge areas | First at 24 m then every 15 m; at least 15 m2; on the periphery; sprinklered | NBC Annex E-4; NBCS Annex D-4.2 | Rule |
| Refuge exemption | Apartments with balconies below 60 m may not need one; the drawing cannot settle this alone | NBC Annex E-4 | Rule, flagged |
Fire service access and set backs
| What the drawing must show | Check the fire department applies | Clause | Drawing Checker |
|---|
| Fire vehicle driveway | Dimensioned, continuous, with turning space and kept clear | Local building rules | Reviewer |
| Gates | Width and clear height let a fire appliance through | Local building rules | Reviewer |
| Open spaces around the building | Set backs as sanctioned, free of structures that block appliances | Local building rules | Reviewer |
| Tank slab under a driveway | Designed for fire appliance loading | 5.1.2.1 | Reviewer |
| Fire brigade inlet | Collecting head reachable from the appliance hardstanding | 5.1.2.1 | Reviewer |
Hydrants, risers and hose reels
| What the drawing must show | Check the fire department applies | Clause | Drawing Checker |
|---|
| Wet riser, down-comer, yard hydrants | Provided where Schedule I and the code require for this occupancy and height | Schedule I; NBC Table 7; NBCS Tables 7A to 7J | Rule |
| Riser diameter | 100 mm or 150 mm per Table 8; the editions split at different heights | Table 8 | Rule |
| Riser alignment | Riser positions stack floor to floor | Geometric check | Rule |
| Landing valves | In the firefighting lobby, or within 5 m of the stair exit door | 5.1.1(g) | Reviewer |
| Hose reels | At least 19 mm, on every floor where required, fed from the riser | 5.1.1(d); Schedule I | Rule |
| Hose reel reach | Every point on the floor within reach | IS 3844 | Rule |
| Pressure design | At least 3.5 bar at the remotest, highest outlet, not over 7.0 bar anywhere | 5.1.1(f) | Reviewer |
| Terrace ring | Risers joined at terrace level with isolation valves | 5.1.1(e) | Reviewer |
| Hose cabinets | Locations shown on the floor plan | 5.1.1(g) | Reviewer |
Sprinklers, detection, alarm and extinguishers
| What the drawing must show | Check the fire department applies | Clause | Drawing Checker |
|---|
| Sprinkler coverage | Throughout the building where required, common and livable areas both | 5.1.3; Schedule I Note 15(b) | Rule |
| Sprinkler spacing and area per head | Within the IS 15105 limits for the hazard | IS 15105 | Rule |
| Heads on the pipe network | Every head connected to a sprinkler pipe | IS 15105 | Rule |
| Car parking heads | Standard response, K-80, not over 9 m2 per head | NBC Annex H-4(b); NBCS Annex G-4(b) | Rule |
| Ceiling voids | Voids deeper than 800 mm sprinklered | 5.1.3 | Reviewer |
| Installation control valves | One per 4500 m2 of floor, with flow switch to the panel | 5.1.3 | Reviewer |
| Automatic detection | In every habitable and common space where required | Schedule I; 4.9; IS 2189 | Rule |
| Detector placement | Clear of walls and partitions per IS 2189 | IS 2189 | Rule |
| Manual call points | On every floor where the manual alarm is required | Schedule I; 4.9 | Rule |
| Extinguishers | On every floor, no point beyond the IS 2190 travel distance | Schedule I; IS 2190 | Rule |
Tanks and pump room
| What the drawing must show | Check the fire department applies | Clause | Drawing Checker |
|---|
| Underground and terrace tank capacity | Not below the Schedule I and code values for the building, stated on the sheet | Schedule I; 5.1.2.1 | Rule |
| Pump duties | Stated in l/min and not below Schedule I; electric, diesel standby and jockey | Schedule I; NBC 5.1.2.2; NBCS Table 7K | Rule |
| Tank arrangement | Two interconnected compartments, not over 7 m deep below the draw-out, draw-out within 5 m of the tank wall | 5.1.2.1 | Reviewer |
| Pump room | Not below the second basement, rated enclosure, positive suction, control valves inside | 5.1.2.2; 5.1.3 | Reviewer |
Compartmentation and signage
| What the drawing must show | Check the fire department applies | Clause | Drawing Checker |
|---|
| Compartment lines | Areas within the limit for the use and sprinkler status | NBC 4.5; NBCS 4.5, Table 6 | Reviewer |
| Openings in fire walls | Limited in size and protected by rated fire doors | NBC 3.4.5; NBCS 3.5.4 | Reviewer |
| Shafts and refuse chutes | Rated, fire-stopped; chute kept clear of exits (6 m NBC, 3 m NBCS) | NBC 3.4.5; NBCS 3.5.4 | Reviewer |
| Escalator openings | Smoke barrier and sprinklers around the opening | NBC 3.4.5; NBCS 3.5.4 | Reviewer |
| Exit signage and escape lighting | Signs visible within 30 m; lit routes | NBC 3.4.7; NBCS 3.5.6 | Reviewer |
| Fire command centre | Entrance floor, rated enclosure | NBC 3.4.12; NBCS 3.5.11 | Reviewer |
Submission completeness
| What the drawing must show | Check the fire department applies | Clause | Drawing Checker |
|---|
| Legend | Defines every symbol; every symbol placed is in the legend | Prevailing practice | Rule |
| Tank and pump schedules | Capacities and duties traceable to Schedule I | Prevailing practice | Rule |
| Scale and sheet numbering | Plotted scale stated; sheets numbered | Prevailing practice | Rule |
| Licensed Agency block | Identity, licence number, seal and sign area | Act sections 9 and 10 | Rule |
| Stamp area | Space reserved for the approving office | Act section 3(1) | Rule |
Why are fire NOC drawings sent back?
- The height or occupancy on the drawing does not match the sanctioned plans, so the wrong Schedule I row was used.
- Tank capacities or pump duties are missing or below the schedule.
- Sprinklers cover only common areas where the code needs the whole building.
- Refuge areas, firefighting shafts or a second staircase are missing above the threshold height.
- The riser is undersized for the height, or riser positions do not stack.
- Symbols appear that the legend does not define, or the consultant block is incomplete.
How does the Drawing Checker handle a set?
It reads the sheets, works out occupancy, height and storeys with no input, finds the binding rules from the state schedule and the national code, and checks each one with its citation. Each rule ends as followed, not followed, not required, or not determinable, and a not determinable result always says what would settle it. It then drafts an indicative fire layer onto the architect's own PDF and adds a down-comer schematic and an editable DXF. Items marked Reviewer above are left to the licensed consultant, who reviews and signs.
Sources
- Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, sections 3(1) and 10(1): Section 3(1) as substituted by Mah. XXIV of 2023, Maharashtra Government Gazette Extraordinary Part VIII, 11 May 2023
- Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, Schedule I: Substituted by Mah. XXIV of 2023, section 24; Maharashtra Government Gazette Extraordinary Part VIII, 11 May 2023
- 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 15105:2021, IS 2189:2026, IS 2190:2024, IS 3844:1989: Bureau of Indian Standards; sprinklers, detection, extinguishers, internal hydrants and hose reels
- Drawing Checker rule set: Siya Habitats, siyahabitats.com/drawing-checker/
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.
