AS 1851-2012 is now mandatory in NSW: what building owners must do before the first yearly service falls due

What changed on 13 February 2026

From 13 February 2026, all class 1b and class 2 to class 9 buildings in NSW, new and existing, must have their essential fire safety measures inspected and tested to AS 1851-2012, unless a performance solution nominates another standard. That takes in apartment buildings, offices, shops, warehouses and more.

The duty sits with the building owner, including owners corporations and strata committees. It comes from the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Development Certification and Fire Safety) Regulation 2021, sections 81 and 81A, and NSW describes it as mandatory. Council is the regulator, and NSW lists fines for individuals and for corporations that do not comply. The amounts are on its owner responsibilities page, linked at the end of this guide.

NSW Government: AS 1851-2012 industry changes

Older buildings do not have to catch up on everything

This is the most common mistake. Service intervals count from 13 February 2026. NSW says a 30-year-old building is not expected to have its 1, 5, 10 and 25 year services done at the start. What it does expect is the first 1-yearly service to be completed in February 2027, however old the building is.

Annual fire safety statement requirements NSW: a different job

People often mix up AS 1851 servicing and the annual fire safety statement (AFSS). They work together but they are not the same thing.

• AS 1851-2012 servicing is the inspecting and testing of each essential fire safety measure, such as hydrants, sprinklers and hose reels.
• The AFSS is the yearly statement owners give to council and Fire and Rescue NSW. It confirms each essential measure on the fire safety schedule was assessed within the past 12 months by an accredited practitioner (fire safety), known as an APFS.

Servicing does not replace the statement, and the statement is not a substitute for servicing. Hydrants, sprinklers and hose reels are usually on the schedule, so good servicing records make the statement easier to get. Which measures your building must keep is set by its fire safety schedule (FSS), and the AFSS must be displayed prominently in the building.

NSW Planning: fire safety certification

Who can sign an annual fire safety statement

Only an APFS issues the AFSS. The FPA Australia scheme, approved in July 2020, is the NSW Government-approved accreditation scheme for these practitioners. NSW notes that for some functions no practitioners are accredited yet, so the owner or certifier has to work out who qualifies.

Doing the AS 1851-2012 servicing itself is different. NSW says you do not need to be an APFS, or FPAS-accredited, to do that work. Plumbing, electrical and air-conditioning work may need a licence depending on how much is involved, so check the licence if one is required.

A defect on your report is not always an emergency

NSW is clear that the new rule does not require non-conformances or non-critical defects to be fixed immediately. Missing baseline data is generally recorded as a non-critical defect or a non-conformance, not a critical defect. A critical defect, where a system is inoperable, has to be addressed as soon as possible, and owners should think about mitigation while it is out of action. When you read a service report, look first at which items are critical.

What to do before February 2027

1. Find your fire safety schedule or latest AFSS. It lists the essential measures for your building. The AFSS should be on display.
2. Book the first 1-yearly service well before February 2027, so there is time to deal with anything found.
3. Keep the hard copy logbook on site. AS 1851-2012 requires one left on site after testing, and an electronic register cannot replace it yet. Hand the existing logbook to any new contractor.
4. Keep your records for at least 7 years in the way AS 1851-2012 prescribes, and have them ready for inspection.
5. Ask for written reports that cite the clause or Standard behind each recommendation. Compare the scope of work between quotes, and get a second opinion if something looks off.
6. Remember what AS 1851-2012 does not cover. Some essential measures, such as emergency exit lighting, are outside it. They must still be maintained to the standard in the FSS or the original design.
7. Strata and workplaces: owners corporations must maintain common property under the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015, and a business operator may owe a work health and safety duty of care, for example to maintain an evacuation plan.

NSW Government: responsibilities of building owners under AS 1851-2012

How we fit in

Country to Coast Plumbing & Fire services hydrants, boosters, sprinklers and hose reels to AS 1851-2012 on commercial and strata buildings. See our fire protection services, including 25 yearly sprinkler testing. Nothing here is a promise that a building will pass an inspection or avoid a fine: it depends on the building and on council.

Checked against the linked NSW Government pages in October 2026. Rules and dates can change, so confirm anything specific to your building with your council or a certifier.