LEGISLATION & STANDARDS
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
A plain-English guide to the Fire Safety Order 2005 by Daniel Storr, Founder & Managing Director · Last reviewed 11 September 2026
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is the main fire safety law for non-domestic premises in England and Wales. Most people call it the Fire Safety Order 2005. It also covers the shared parts of blocks of flats. The Order puts a duty on a “responsible person” to carry out a fire risk assessment, keep it up to date and put general fire precautions in place.
What the Fire Safety Order 2005 covers
The Order has been in force since October 2006 and is the backbone of fire safety law for buildings in use. It applies to almost all non-domestic premises: workplaces, shops, care homes, hotels and the rest. In addition, it covers the common parts of multi-occupied residential buildings, such as corridors, stairways and plant rooms. However, it does not reach inside individual private flats. The local fire and rescue authority enforces it. They can issue enforcement or prohibition notices and, in serious cases, prosecute. You can read the full text on legislation.gov.uk.
The responsible person
The Order puts the duty on a responsible person. In practice, that is usually the employer, owner, landlord or managing agent, or whoever else controls the premises. The responsible person must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and act on what it finds. They must also provide and maintain general fire precautions, appoint competent people to help, and give staff or residents the information they need. Where several people share responsibility for a building, they must co-operate and co-ordinate. Our guide to the responsible person goes into more detail.
What has changed since 2005
Two significant updates now sit on top of the original Order. The Fire Safety Act 2021 (in force 16 May 2022) put beyond doubt that, in buildings with two or more flats, the assessment must cover the structure, the external walls and the flat entrance doors. Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 (in force 1 October 2023) then required every responsible person to record their fire risk assessment in full. They must also record their fire safety arrangements, whatever the building size, and share fire safety information with residents. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 add specific, practical duties on top, including regular fire door checks in blocks over 11 metres.
Fire doors under the Fire Safety Order 2005
Fire doors are a general fire precaution. They are also a key part of the compartmentation a fire risk assessment relies on. As a result, keeping them inspected, maintained and evidenced is how a responsible person shows this part of the duty is being met. A documented fire door inspection, and any remedial works that follow, form part of the fire safety record the Order now expects you to keep.
Fire Safety Order 2005: common questions
Does the Fire Safety Order 2005 apply to my block of flats?
Yes, to the common parts. Corridors, stairways, lobbies, plant rooms and the flat entrance doors that open onto them all fall within the Order. The inside of each private flat does not.
Who enforces the Order?
The local fire and rescue authority. In our area that is Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service or Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service. They can inspect, serve notices and prosecute.
Does the Order tell me how often to inspect fire doors?
Not directly. It requires general fire precautions to be maintained in efficient working order and good repair. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 set fixed intervals for blocks over 11 metres. For everything else, your fire risk assessment sets the frequency. Annual inspection is the usual baseline.