Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
The responsible person must assess and manage fire risk, maintain precautions and keep the risk assessment under review.
View official sourceEngland: regulations & guidance
A practical starting point for clients responsible for fire doors, compartmentation and passive fire measures. Follow the official source and obtain competent advice for your building.
Core framework
These sources have different purposes. Legislation creates duties; statutory and government guidance helps dutyholders understand how those duties may be met.
The responsible person must assess and manage fire risk, maintain precautions and keep the risk assessment under review.
View official sourceClarifies that the Fire Safety Order applies to the structure, external walls and flat entrance doors in relevant multi-occupied residential buildings.
View official sourceAdds duties for responsible persons in multi-occupied residential buildings, including fire-door information and checks.
View official sourceIntroduces evacuation-planning duties from 6 April 2026 for specified multi-occupied residential buildings in England.
View official sourceProvides statutory guidance on meeting fire-safety requirements for building work in England. Always check the edition and amendments applicable to the project date.
View official sourceIntroduces a stronger safety regime, duties and oversight - particularly for higher-risk buildings - and reinforces accountable building information.
View official sourceHigher-risk building information must be accurate, current, accessible and capable of supporting safe management throughout the building lifecycle.
View official sourceRegulation 10
For relevant residential buildings in England above 11 metres, responsible persons must check communal fire doors at least every three months. They must use best endeavours to check flat entrance fire doors at least every 12 months and record access attempts. In relevant multi-occupied residential buildings of any height, fire-door safety information must be given to new residents as soon as reasonably practicable and repeated for all residents at least every 12 months.
Maintain a reliable schedule covering communal and flat entrance doors.
Document access attempts as well as completed checks and findings.
Prioritise defects, complete remedials and link evidence back to the door.
Keeping guidance current
The September 2026 amendments to Approved Document B took effect on 30 September 2026, subject to transitional arrangements. They cover second stairs and evacuation lift design provisions. Check the guidance edition and transition criteria applicable to each project, and distinguish these from the fire-resistance classification changes scheduled for September 2029.
FireX records the agreed performance requirement, specification and tested system reference for the work. The client, principal designer and other dutyholders remain responsible for defining the project requirements and discharging their legal duties.
September 2026 Approved Document B update
BS 8214:2026 fire-door guidance
This page covers England and is general information, not legal or fire-engineering advice. Always verify the current official source and obtain competent advice for the specific building.
Talk to FireX
Share the report and asset information. FireX can help validate the passive-fire scope, plan delivery and return clear close-out evidence.