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Fire audit 26 min read

Fire audit in Goa: licensed agencies, the January and July certificate and the checks after Arpora

Updated By Flamekite Editorial DeskFacts checked against official sources on

Quick answer

Since 3 July 2025, only an agency licensed by the Director of Fire and Emergency Services may install, certify or audit fire safety systems in any Goa building (notification 1653, clause 1(a)). Its audit paper is the Annexure II(B) certificate, given every January and July with the inspection report attached. Separately, the owner files a yearly Annexure A self-declaration on Rs 100 stamp paper to keep the 5-year fire NOC alive.

After the Arpora nightclub fire of 6 December 2025, DFES told every occupancy to keep maintenance logs, drill registers and electrical audit certificates ready for inspection and to drill every quarter, and licensing authorities now check the fire NOC before any trade licence. Ignoring a section 13 requirement carries a penalty of up to Rs 10,000 under the Goa Jan Vishwas Act 2026.

Who may audit, since 3 July 2025
Licensed agencies only
Clause 1(a) of notification 1653
Licence life cycle
Agency certificate due
January and July
Annexure II(B), with the inspection report
The certificate text
Agency registration fee
Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000
By local authority area, with solvency of Rs 5 to 15 lakh
Classes by area
Penalty for ignoring a section 13 notification
Up to Rs 10,000
Section 21 as substituted by Goa Act 2 of 2026
Penalties

Goa fire audit rules at a glance

The Goa fire audit regime in 14 facts, each with its source. Read from the gazettes and DFES papers on 25 October 2026.
WhatThe ruleSource
The audit instrumentHome Department notification 3/13/2024-HD(G)/1653 of 23 June 2025, Official Gazette Series I No. 14, 3 July 2025Goa Gazette 2025
Parent lawThe Goa, Daman and Diu Fire Force Act, 1986 and the Goa State Fire Force Rules, 1997, named in the Annexure III notice formGoa Gazette 2025
Who may auditOnly a Licensed Agency may install, certify or audit fire prevention and life safety measures in any premises or building (clause 1(a))Goa Gazette 2025
The honesty ruleNo audit certificate unless the systems are genuinely compliant, functional and well-maintained (clause 1(b))Goa Gazette 2025
Buildings coveredLow-risk and high-risk buildings as defined in the Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations; every building is one or the otherGoa Gazette 2019
Licensing authorityThe Director, Fire and Emergency Services, on an Annexure I application filed on the State Single Window SystemGoa Gazette 2025
Audit certificateAnnexure II(B), given in every January and July, signed by the agency with its licence number, the inspection report appendedGoa Gazette 2025
Owner's yearly paperAnnexure A self-declaration on Rs 100 stamp paper that the fire systems are maintained and workGovernment of Goa, Official Gazette Series II No. 14, 3 July 2025
Fire NOC term5 years from the date of issue, renewed only after the systems are inspected and found working (notification 1652)Government of Goa, Official Gazette Series II No. 14, 3 July 2025
DFES inspectionThe designated officer may inspect at any time in the calendar year and revoke the NOC after a hearingGovernment of Goa, Official Gazette Series II No. 14, 3 July 2025
Records to keepMaintenance logs, fire drill registers, electrical audit certificates and equipment service reports (DFES guidelines, December 2025)Goa DIP release
DrillsQuarterly fire and evacuation drills; night drills in hotels, hostels and residential institutionsGoa DIP release
Owner penaltyUp to Rs 10,000 for failing a section 13 requirement, deemed in force from 2 December 2025Goa Act 2 of 2026
Published agency listNone on the DFES site on 25 October 2026; no SOP or public dashboard eitherDFES Goa

Goa's agency certificate, Annexure A and DFES inspection compared

The three recurring checks on a Goa building with a fire NOC, read from notifications 1653 and 1652 and the Annexure A form.
OptionAgency certificate, Annexure II(B)Annexure A self-declarationDFES inspection and renewalSource
InstrumentNotification 1653 of 23 June 2025Notification 1652 of 23 June 2025, clause 2(a)Notification 1652, clauses 2(b) and 3Goa Gazette 2025
Who signsThe licensed agency, with its licence numberThe owner or occupierThe designated DFES officerDFES Goa
How oftenEvery January and JulyEvery yearAny time in the calendar year; full inspection at the 5-year renewalGovernment of Goa, Official Gazette Series II No. 14, 3 July 2025
What it statesThe installations were kept in good repair and efficient condition during a stated periodThe measures are installed, maintained in good repair and can be used in an emergencyWhether the systems work; the NOC may be renewed or revokedGoa Gazette 2025
Paper or feeNo format fee; the agency's price is privateRs 100 stamp paperNo renewal fee publishedGovernment of Goa, Official Gazette Series II No. 14, 3 July 2025
If it failsAgency licence suspended or cancelled for a false certificateThe 5-year term is conditional on itNOC revoked after a reasonable hearingGovernment of Goa, Official Gazette Series II No. 14, 3 July 2025

How to keep a Goa building's fire audit in order

  1. Check the building's NOC and its date

    A Goa fire NOC issued since 3 July 2025 runs 5 years from the date of issue. Diary the yearly Annexure A and the renewal a month before expiry.

  2. Engage a licensed agency only

    Ask for the Annexure II(A) licence and read the class and the valid-from and valid-to dates. Since 3 July 2025 no one else may install, certify or audit fire systems in Goa.

  3. Agree the scope and the two visits in writing

    The notification sets no audit price. Fix the January and July inspections, the report format and the price before work starts.

  4. Fix what the inspection finds

    Clause 1(b) bars the agency from certifying systems that are not genuinely compliant, functional and well-maintained, so close the gaps before you ask for the certificate.

  5. Take the Annexure II(B) certificate each January and July

    Check the premises address, the period certified, the agency's signature and licence number, and that the inspection report is appended.

  6. File Annexure A every year

    Sign the self-declaration on Rs 100 stamp paper with the NOC letter number and date, as notification 1652 requires.

  7. Keep the file ready for DFES

    Logs, drill registers, electrical audit certificates and service reports go in the same file; the designated officer may inspect at any time in the year.

Does Goa's licensed-agency audit rule reach your building?

Notification 1653 covers low-risk and high-risk buildings, which between them are every building. 7 common cases and what follows in Goa.

  1. If A house of up to G+2 on a plot of up to 500 m² in an approved sub-division

    Low risk under the 2019 GLDBCR note. No fire NOC class covers it, but any fire system installed or certified there must still come from a licensed agency. Goa Gazette 2019

  2. If A nightclub, bar with a dance floor or event venue

    A public place needing a DFES NOC; a licensed agency audits, and the December 2025 guidelines add occupant-load notices, 2 remote exits per floor and quarterly drills. Fire NOC Goa Goa DIP release

  3. If A hotel, homestay or travel agency registered with Tourism

    A valid DFES NOC is needed for registration and every renewal since 13 January 2026, so the audit trail behind the NOC matters at each renewal. Goa Tourism order

  4. If A restaurant or bakery of any size

    Class (ix) of the 2014 notification: an NOC, the yearly Annexure A, and a licensed agency for any fire system work or audit. DFES Goa charter

  5. If A beach shack or temporary structure of up to 100 m²

    Annexure III extinguishers and a self-declaration on Rs 100 stamp paper; a shack on private land also needs a DFES NOC to register with Tourism. DFES Goa charter

  6. If A factory unit in a Goa IDC industrial estate

    Its own NOC and audit duties stay with the unit; the estate-wide audit reported in March 2026 covers the estates, not each unit's papers. The Goannews report

  7. If A Government building

    Clause 1(a) says any premises or building and prints no exemption, so the licensed-agency rule reads as applying. Goa Gazette 2025

Goa's January and July fire certificate in its own words

Annexure II(B) of notification 1653 is the only audit certificate format Goa has printed. Its text on page 396 of the gazette reads in full:

Word for word

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. CERTIFICATE. Certified that I/We have carried out inspection of the Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures installed in the following building or premises, namely: ... I/We further certify that, these installation in the above mentioned buildings are maintained in good repair and efficient conditions during the period ... as required. The details of the inspection of installation carried out by me/us are mentioned in the report appended herewith. Place: Date: Signature and Address of the Licensed Agency. License No.

Notification 3/13/2024-HD(G)/1653 of 23 June 2025, Annexure II(B), Official Gazette of Goa, Series I No. 14, 3 July 2025, page 396 Goa Gazette 2025

Two readings follow. The title speaks of a certificate given by the owner or occupier, but the only signature on the form is the licensed agency's, with its licence number: in practice the agency certifies and the owner holds and produces it. And no clause in the body of the notification says to whom the certificate goes or what happens if one is missed; the form is the whole of the rule.

Goa licensed agency classes by local authority area

Clause 4(b) sets 3 classes by the class of local or planning authority. Amounts in the gazette are in Rs lakh except the fee; read from page 391.

Municipal CorporationsOther MunicipalitiesOutside both
Minimum solvency certificate Goa Gazette 2025Rs 15 lakhRs 10 lakhRs 5 lakh
Limit on the works it may execute, by estimated cost Goa Gazette 2025UnlimitedRs 1,000 lakh (Rs 10 crore)Rs 500 lakh (Rs 5 crore)
Fire fighting works a year, minimum, last 3 years (hydrants, sprinklers, pumps) Goa Gazette 2025Rs 500 lakhRs 300 lakhRs 200 lakh
Detection and fire separation works a year, minimum Goa Gazette 2025Rs 200 lakhRs 100 lakhRs 75 lakh
Passive protection works a year, minimum (cable protection, fire doors) Goa Gazette 2025Rs 200 lakhRs 100 lakhRs 75 lakh
Registration fee Goa Gazette 2025Rs 25,000Rs 15,000Printed "100.00"; not confirmed

The table does not say whether the area is where the agency sits or where the building is, and the works thresholds are written for installers, not for audit-only firms. The licence form, Annexure II(A), has a blank for the class. Every state's agency classes are on the fire license agency page.

Six checks on a Goa building's fire safety, and who makes each

Goa spreads the audit across 6 hands. Only the first is called an audit in the notifications.

  • Audits

    The licensed agency

    Inspects the installations, appends a report and signs Annexure II(B) every January and July; it alone may audit or certify since 3 July 2025. Goa Gazette 2025

  • Declares

    The owner or occupier

    Signs the Annexure A self-declaration every year, quoting the NOC letter number and the date it runs to. DFES Goa

  • Inspects

    The DFES designated officer

    May inspect at any time in the calendar year, tests the systems at renewal after 5 years, and may revoke the NOC after a hearing. Government of Goa, Official Gazette Series II No. 14, 3 July 2025

  • Verifies

    The licensing authorities

    Panchayats, municipalities and Tourism must check a valid fire NOC before issuing or renewing a trade, occupancy or operational licence. Goa DIP release

  • Tests wiring

    A licensed electrical professional

    An annual electrical safety inspection is mandatory for fire-prone occupancies under the December 2025 guidelines. Goa DIP release

  • Proposed

    Safe Goa 24x7 monitoring

    An IoT link from alarm panels and fire pumps to DFES control rooms, meant to replace physical inspection at renewal; tried at 18 sites, its draft notification is still with Government. DFES Goa

A Goa licensed agency, from Annexure I to the show-cause notice

Notification 1653 sets the licence's life in 8 stages. The clause numbers below were read from the gazette page images.

  1. 1. Apply on Annexure I

    Online on the State Single Window System, 17 items: owners or partners, class applied for, staff, past fire work with cost, workshop tools, blacklisting history, solvency and the fee (clauses 2(b) and 4(a)). Goa Gazette 2025

  2. 2. Meet the eligibility tests

    A fire engineering qualification with 3 years at Station Fire Officer rank or in fire protection work, or an engineering degree with a qualified officer employed; solvency, projects in the last 3 years, tools, no blacklisting (clause 3). Goa Gazette 2025

  3. 3. Inquiry by the Director

    The Director may grant, or refuse for reasons recorded in writing (clause 2(c)). Goa Gazette 2025

  4. 4. Licence on Annexure II(A)

    Licence number, class and a valid-from and valid-to period; non-transferable. Clause 2(c) says an initial 3 years, clause 7(a) says 1 year. Goa Gazette 2025

  5. 5. Register on the single window

    For online assignment of inspections, upload of reports and compliance data, and status tracking (clause 5). Goa Gazette 2025

  6. 6. Audit and certify

    Inspections and Annexure II(B) certificates each January and July; all work stays open to random inspection by DFES (clause 7(c)). Goa Gazette 2025

  7. 7. Renew a month early

    Before expiry, with the original registration fee and the documents of clause 4(c) (clauses 7(a)(iv) and 8). Goa Gazette 2025

  8. 8. Show cause on Annexure III

    For non-compliance, misconduct, false certificates, negligence or malpractice, the Director serves the notice and hears the agency before suspending or cancelling (clauses 2(d) and 9). Goa Gazette 2025

DFES Goa audit checklist: 13 points beyond the NOC basics

The DFES Fire Safety Audit and Inspection Checklist has 49 points and is signed by the inspecting officer. These 13 are the ones owners most often leave unprepared.

Goa fire audit costs: fees, stamp paper and the agency's price

Goa prices the agency's licence at Rs 15,000 or Rs 25,000 and the owner's declaration at Rs 100 of stamp paper. The audit itself has no official rate.

As published

Flamekite found no published price for a Goa fire audit. A quote from an agency is a private price, not a government fee. The yearly licence fee schedule for the NOC itself is on the Goa fire NOC page.

Goa fire audit rules in numbers

8 figures printed in notification 1653, the DFES guidelines of December 2025, the North Goa order of February 2026 and DFES papers.

Goa clubs, bars and hotels after Arpora: the December 2025 guidelines

DFES issued its Fire and Life Safety Guidelines on 10 December 2025, 4 days after the fire; the Government released the text on 17 December. What they ask of a venue:

Do

  • Keep maintenance logs, fire drill registers, electrical audit certificates and equipment service reports for inspection. Goa DIP release
  • Run fire and evacuation drills every quarter, with night-time drills in hotels, hostels and residential institutions, and keep the records. Goa DIP release
  • Display the maximum occupant load at entry points of assembly and public areas, and enforce it. Goa DIP release
  • Use fire-retardant materials for partitions, furnishings and decor, and limit combustible interior finishes. Goa DIP release
  • Test main, standby and jockey pumps weekly and document the maintenance. Goa DIP release
  • Keep a written Fire and Emergency Response Plan with assembly points, headcount methods and named staff for alarms and evacuation. Goa DIP release

Don’t

  • Make any structural or interior change that affects exits, compartmentation, ventilation or fire systems without DFES approval. Goa DIP release
  • Keep an exit locked or obstructed during operating hours, or store furniture in escape corridors. Goa DIP release
  • Use fireworks, sparklers, flame or smoke effects indoors in a North Goa tourist establishment while the District Magistrate's order runs, without prior written permission. Goa DIP release

Goa fire audit traps in notification 1653 and the DFES papers

7 points where the Goa papers do not line up, read on 25 October 2026, each with the fix.

  • If The certificate's title says the owner gives it

    Annexure II(B)'s only signature is the licensed agency's. Have the agency sign with its licence number, append the report, and keep the original. Goa Gazette 2025

  • If No clause says where the certificate goes

    The body of notification 1653 never mentions Annexure II(B). Keep each certificate on file for inspection and ask DFES in writing whether to upload it on Goa Online. Goa Gazette 2025

  • If A licence of 3 years or 1 year

    Clause 2(c) says 3 years, clause 7(a) says 1 year. Read the valid-to date on the agency's Annexure II(A) licence rather than assume either. Goa Gazette 2025

  • If An old DFES sheet still says the NOC lasts 1 year

    The DFES service information sheet predates notification 1652, which gives 5 years from the date of issue. DFES Goa

  • If No list of licensed agencies

    DFES publishes no list, no SOP and no dashboard, though clauses 2(e) and 6 promise both. Ask the agency for its licence itself. DFES Goa

  • If Annexure III names the "Rule, 1996"

    The Goa State Fire Force Rules are of 1997. It is a drafting slip in the show-cause form; the notice is still valid. Goa Gazette 2025

  • If Treating Annexure A as the audit

    It is the owner's own statement. The agency's certificate is a separate paper, and both are expected. DFES Goa

Five myths about fire audits in Goa

  • You may have read

    A 5-year Goa fire NOC means no checks for 5 years.

    Myth

    What the sources say

    The owner files Annexure A every year, the agency certifies each January and July, and DFES may inspect at any time in the year. Government of Goa, Official Gazette Series II No. 14, 3 July 2025

  • You may have read

    Any extinguisher dealer can certify a Goa premises.

    Myth

    What the sources say

    Since 3 July 2025 only an agency licensed by the DFES Director may install, certify or audit fire safety measures. Goa Gazette 2025

  • You may have read

    Goa owners face jail under section 21 of the Fire Force Act.

    Myth

    What the sources say

    Section 21 was a fine of up to Rs 1,000 as enacted and is now a penalty of up to Rs 10,000. The imprisonment removed in 2025 and 2026 was in section 20, for Fire Force members. Goa Act 2 of 2026

  • You may have read

    DFES itself audits every Goa building.

    Myth

    What the sources say

    DFES inspects and decides NOCs; the audit and certificate come from licensed agencies, and continuous monitoring is still only a proposal. DFES Goa

  • You may have read

    A trade licence stands on its own.

    Myth

    What the sources say

    Since the December 2025 guidelines, trade licences and occupancy certificates stay valid only with a current fire clearance. Goa DIP release

Goa fire audit penalties for owners, agencies and venues

6 outcomes, with the provision behind each. Goa's fire Act now works through penalties, not prosecution.

OffencePenaltyLaw
Owner fails, without reasonable cause, to comply with a section 13 notification or directionPenalty not exceeding Rs 10,000Goa Fire Force Act 1986, section 21, substituted by Goa Act 2 of 2026 from 2 December 2025 Goa Act 2 of 2026
A Fire Force member's breach of dutyPenalty up to 6 months' pay (3 months' imprisonment before)Section 20, as amended by Goa Act 2 of 2026 Goa Act 2 of 2026
Fire systems found non-operational on inspectionNOC revoked after a reasonable hearingNotification 1652, clause 3(b) Government of Goa, Official Gazette Series II No. 14, 3 July 2025
Agency issues a false certificate, is negligent or commits misconductLicence suspended or cancelled after an Annexure III show-cause notice and a hearingNotification 1653, clauses 2(d) and 9 Goa Gazette 2025
Operating without a valid fire NOC or ignoring the fire safety provisionsTrade, occupancy or operational licence liable to suspension or revocationDFES guidelines of 10 December 2025 Goa DIP release
Indoor fireworks in a North Goa tourist establishment during the orderFIR at the police station and a complaint before the Judicial MagistrateDistrict Magistrate, North Goa, order from 8 February 2026, 60 days Goa DIP release

Section 3 of Goa Act 2 of 2026 raises penalties by 10% of the minimum every 3 years, but section 21 sets only a maximum. In June 2026 a senior DFES officer was reported as saying the Directorate cannot itself seal premises; the sealing and de-sealing orders after Arpora were reported as the district administration's.

Goa fire audit rules and the Arpora checks, 2014 to 2026

From a 2014 list of risky premises to a licensed-agency regime in July 2025, then 5 months of orders after the fire of 6 December 2025.

  1. 17 December 2014

    The section 13 notification lists 11 classes of premises and 18 fire measures they must take. DFES Goa charter

  2. 14 June 2019

    A GLDBCR amendment defines low-risk buildings; all others are high risk. Goa Gazette 2019

  3. 3 July 2025

    Notifications 1652 (5-year NOC, yearly Annexure A) and 1653 (licensed agencies) are published. Goa Gazette 2025

  4. 2 December 2025

    The Jan Vishwas Ordinance turns section 21 into a penalty of up to Rs 10,000. Goa Ordinance 4 of 2025

  5. 6 December 2025

    25 people die in the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub fire at Arpora (news reports). PTInews report

  6. 10 December 2025

    DFES issues the Fire and Life Safety Guidelines for all occupancies. DFES Goa circular

  7. 13 January 2026

    Tourism makes a valid DFES NOC part of registration and renewal. Goa Tourism order

  8. 16 January 2026

    The Assembly passes the Goa Jan Vishwas (Laws Amendment) Act; assent follows on 2 February. Goa Act 2 of 2026

  9. 8 February 2026

    North Goa's 60-day ban on indoor fireworks in tourist establishments takes effect. Goa DIP release

  10. 9 February 2026

    Goa Act 2 of 2026 is published, keeping the Ordinance's changes to sections 20 and 21. Goa Act 2 of 2026

Goa fire audit terms, from Annexure I to Annexure A

The 10 terms an owner or agency meets in notifications 1653 and 1652.

Licensed Agency
A person or association licensed by the DFES Director to install, audit and certify fire prevention and protection systems. Goa Gazette 2025
Annexure I
The 17-item application for grant or renewal of an agency licence, filed on the State Single Window System. Goa Gazette 2025
Annexure II(A)
The agency licence: number, class and valid-from and valid-to dates, signed by the Director. Goa Gazette 2025
Annexure II(B)
The six-monthly certificate given in January and July, signed by the agency, with its inspection report. Goa Gazette 2025
Annexure III
The show-cause notice before an agency licence is suspended or cancelled. Goa Gazette 2025
Annexure A
The owner's yearly self-declaration on Rs 100 stamp paper under notification 1652. DFES Goa
Certificate of competency
The DFES certificate for an agency's Fire Safety Officer after mandatory training, valid 3 years and kept on a public register. Goa Gazette 2025
State Single Window System
The online system where agencies apply, register, take inspection assignments and upload reports. Goa Gazette 2025
Low-risk building
A residential building of up to G+2 including stilts, on a plot and built-up area of up to 500 m² in an approved sub-division; all others are high risk. Goa Gazette 2019
Safe Goa 24x7 EMS
DFES's proposed IoT monitoring of fire alarms, pumps and gas detectors from control rooms, with 3 alert stages: on or off, fault, alert. DFES Goa

Goa fire audit papers online: DFES and the gazettes

Every paper on this page sits on one of 6 official pages. None needs a login except Goa Online.

Five Goa premises: their audit papers in a year

Flamekite’s working from the official rules; no government publishes this figure.

Flamekite's reading of notifications 1653 and 1652, the December 2025 guidelines and the Tourism order for 5 typical premises.

  1. Case 1

    A 250-seat club in Vagator

    Assembly venue with a bar and dance floor.

    What applies 2 agency certificates, 1 Annexure A, 4 drills and a written response plan a year; the occupant load posted at the door; no indoor pyrotechnics while a District Magistrate's order runs; its trade licence holds only with a current NOC. Goa DIP release

  2. Case 2

    A 60-room hotel in Calangute

    Starred hotel, about 12 m, registered with Tourism.

    What applies The same yearly papers plus night-time drills; Tourism asks for the valid DFES NOC at every renewal of registration, so a lapsed audit trail shows up at renewal. Goa Tourism order

  3. Case 3

    A 40-seat restaurant in Panaji with 3 LPG cylinders

    Eating house with a commercial kitchen.

    What applies Annexure A each year and agency certificates in January and July; the LPG installation to IS 6044 (Part 1) with regular leak tests, as the guidelines require. DFES Goa circular

  4. Case 4

    A G+2 house on a 400 m² plot in Porvorim

    Residential, approved sub-division, 450 m² built up.

    What applies Low risk under the 2019 GLDBCR note and outside the NOC classes, so no Annexure A or certificate is due; if a fire system is fitted, a licensed agency must install it. Goa Gazette 2019

  5. Case 5

    A pharmaceutical unit at Verna

    Factory in a Goa IDC industrial estate.

    What applies Its own NOC, Annexure A and agency certificates continue; the estate-wide audit reported in March 2026 assesses the estate's hydrants and risks, not the unit's papers. The Goannews report

Goa's audit drive after the Arpora fire, as reported

From news reports, not yet an official source.

Press reports, December 2025 to August 2026. The Government order setting up the district enforcement committees and the magisterial inquiry report were not found online; the figures below are reported, not official.

  • 14 December 2025

    PTI reported a drive by district, fire and police officials with power to seal on the spot: 2 Vagator clubs sealed, one without a fire NOC, and the fire NOC of an Anjuna club revoked after a surprise inspection found its fire arrangements needed upgrading. PTInews report

  • 19 December 2025

    The Goan reported that 6 clubs had been sealed by a joint enforcement and monitoring committee, and that some applied to the Collector to reopen within days, saying they now held a fire NOC. The Goannews report

  • 21 December 2025

    The Goan reported that the Government had ordered a comprehensive fire safety audit of all tourism-related establishments, with joint committees in each district; 7 premises were sealed by then. The Goannews report

  • 17 January 2026

    The Pioneer reported the Chief Minister telling the Assembly that 47 premises were inspected in North Goa and 17 sealed, and 39 in South Goa with 5 sealed; the 22 had no DFES NOC and no pollution board consent. The Pioneernews report

  • 23 March 2026

    The Goan reported that the Goa IDC had invited bids for a fire safety audit and risk assessment of its 24 industrial estates, about 4,450 acres, to be done in 16 weeks. The Goannews report

  • 5 June 2026

    The Goan reported that all 22 sealed establishments had been quietly de-sealed, that about 90 to 100 fire NOCs had been issued in 8 months, and that DFES said it lacked power to seal or penalise. The Goannews report

  • 4 August 2026

    The Goan reported the DFES Director saying no fire NOC had been given to a dormitory at the Panaji KTC bus stand, and that before Arpora several establishments ran without fire clearance. The Goannews report

What Goa's fire audit papers leave unsaid in 2026

8 questions the notifications, DFES pages and reports did not answer by 25 October 2026.

Who holds a licence. DFES publishes no list of licensed agencies, so Flamekite names and counts none. The public dashboard of clause 6 and the register of certified Fire Safety Officers of clause 10 were not found online.

Whether the SOP exists. Clause 2(e) tells DFES to publish a manual with inspection protocols, reporting formats and compliance checklists; none is on the DFES site.

Where the January and July certificate is filed, and the penalty for a missed one. Annexure II(B) is a form only; no clause of notification 1653 deals with it.

How long an agency licence runs: 3 years in clause 2(c), 1 year in clause 7(a).

The registration fee outside municipal areas, printed as "100.00", and whether the area classes follow the agency's office or the building.

The exact low-risk wording in the 2022 GLDBCR amendment that notification 1653 cites. Flamekite read the 2019 definition; the 2022 text was not read.

Whether the Safe Goa 24x7 monitoring notification was ever approved. The DFES project paper says its draft was sent to Government.

What the Arpora magisterial inquiry found about fire audits. The Chief Minister told the Assembly it would be made public after a chargesheet; only press accounts were found.

Who answers Goa fire audit questions

One Directorate licenses agencies and inspects buildings. Its 2 published lines for audit questions, from the Citizen's Charter of December 2024:

Questions about fire audit in Goa

Is a fire audit mandatory in Goa?

In effect, yes. No Goa clause names an audit interval, but notification 1653 of 23 June 2025 prints a licensed agency's certificate for every January and July, and notification 1652 makes the 5-year fire NOC conditional on a yearly Annexure A self-declaration. DFES may also inspect at any time in the year.

Who can do a fire audit in Goa?

Only an agency licensed by the Director of Fire and Emergency Services under notification 1653. Since 3 July 2025 no other person or entity may install, certify or audit fire prevention and life safety measures in any Goa premises.

What is the Goa fire audit certificate?

Annexure II(B) of notification 1653: a six-monthly certificate, given in January and July, in which the licensed agency certifies that the installations were maintained in good repair and efficient condition during a stated period, with its inspection report appended and its licence number.

What is Annexure A in Goa?

The owner's or occupier's yearly self-declaration, on Rs 100 stamp paper, that the fire prevention, life safety and fire protection measures are maintained in good repair and can be used in an emergency. It is required by notification 1652 for the 5-year NOC.

How do I become a licensed fire agency in Goa?

Apply to the DFES Director on Annexure I through the State Single Window System, with a fire engineering qualification and 3 years' experience, or an engineering degree and a qualified officer on staff, plus a solvency certificate of Rs 5 to 15 lakh and a registration fee of Rs 15,000 or Rs 25,000 by area.

How much does a fire audit cost in Goa?

No rate is published. The agency's price is agreed privately; the official costs are the agency's licence fee and the owner's Rs 100 stamp paper for Annexure A.

What changed for Goa nightclubs after the Arpora fire?

DFES guidelines of 10 December 2025 ask for maintenance and drill records, quarterly drills, posted occupant loads and unlocked exits, and make trade licences depend on a current fire clearance. North Goa banned indoor fireworks in tourist establishments for 60 days from 8 February 2026. Reported sealings of 22 premises were all reversed by June 2026, according to the press.

What is the penalty for ignoring fire safety rules in Goa?

Up to Rs 10,000 under section 21 of the Goa Fire Force Act as substituted by Goa Act 2 of 2026, deemed in force from 2 December 2025. DFES may also revoke the NOC after a hearing, and licensing authorities may suspend or revoke a trade licence.

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Sources

Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Flamekite checks its sources

  1. Government of Goa, Official Gazette Series I No. 14, 3 July 2025: Home Department notification 3/13/2024-HD(G)/1653, 23 June 2025: guidelines for licensed agencies that install, audit and certify fire protection and life safety installations (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  2. Government of Goa, Official Gazette Series II No. 14, 3 July 2025: Home Department notification 3/14/2024-HD(G)/1652, 23 June 2025: 5-year fire NOC validity (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  3. Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Goa: Annexure A: self-declaration form under notification 3/14/2024-HD(G)/1652 (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  4. Government of Goa, Official Gazette Series I No. 45 (Extraordinary No. 3), 9 February 2026 (copy hosted on goa.gov.in): The Goa Jan Vishwas (Laws Amendment) Act, 2026 (Goa Act 2 of 2026): passed 16 January 2026, assented 2 February 2026, deemed in force 2 December 2025; Schedule I item 3 amends sections 20 and 21 of the Goa Fire Force Act, 1986 (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  5. Department of Information and Publicity, Government of Goa: Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services issues fire, life safety guidelines for all occupancies, release DIP/NB/AXP/CR/SM/2025/1041 (17 December 2025) (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  6. Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Goa: Circular DFES/FP/CIRCULAR/25-26/268, 10 December 2025: Fire and Life Safety Guidelines for all Occupancies (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
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  1. Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Goa: BRAP 2024 item 284: fire NOC fees and timeline (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  2. Government of Goa, Official Gazette Series I No. 11 (Extraordinary), 14 June 2019 (copy hosted by the Town and Country Planning Department): Goa Land Development and Building Construction (Amendment) Regulations, 2019, notification 21/1/TCP/2019/Steering Committee/1006: regulation 2(90) note defining low-risk and high-risk buildings (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  3. Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Goa: Public disclosures: notifications and orders, circulars and memos pages (no licensed-agency list, SOP or dashboard on 25 October 2026) (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  4. Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Goa: Safe Goa 24x7 Emergency Monitoring Systems: IoT monitoring of fire alarm and protection systems, trial at 18 sites, draft notification sent to Government (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  5. Department of Information and Publicity, Government of Goa: DM North bans fireworks inside tourist establishments for 60 days from 8 February 2026, release DI/NB/AXP/CR/SP/2026/1223 (7 February 2026) (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  6. Government of Goa, Official Gazette Series I No. 42 (Extraordinary), 16 January 2026 (copy hosted by the Department of Tourism): Department of Tourism order N5/3(865)/2025-26/DT/339, 13 January 2026: documents for registration and renewal of hotels, homestays, shacks, water sports and other tourist trades, with the corrigendum of 29 January 2026 (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  7. Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Goa: Citizen's Charter, December 2024: 17 fire stations, 3 zones, 1,106 posts, the section 13 notification 3/5/97-HD(G) Part/3934 of 17 December 2014 with Annexures I and II, the 2018 Annexure III on shacks and guest houses, and the 2009 fee rules (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  8. Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Goa: Service information sheet: Initial, Final and Renewal Fire NOC (still states a validity of 1 year) (opens in a new tab)checked 25 October 2026
  9. Government of Goa, Official Gazette Series I No. 36 (Extraordinary), 9 December 2025 (PRS Legislative Research copy): The Goa Jan Vishwas (Laws Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 (Ordinance No. 4 of 2025), promulgated 2 December 2025: Schedule I item 3 amends sections 20 and 21 of the Goa Fire Force Act, 1986 (opens in a new tab)checked 24 October 2026
  10. The Goan: GIDC rolls out fire safety audit across industrial estates (23 March 2026) (opens in a new tab)News report · checked 25 October 2026
  11. DT Next (Press Trust of India): 25 killed in Goa nightclub blaze; 4 arrested, 3 officials suspended; failure to enforce rules under scanner (8 December 2025) (opens in a new tab)News report · checked 24 October 2026
  12. Deccan Chronicle (Press Trust of India): Goa launches intensive drive to inspect and seal establishments flouting norms; Diaz club's fire NOC revoked (14 December 2025) (opens in a new tab)News report · checked 25 October 2026
  13. The Goan: Sealed nightclubs get fire NOCs in a flash, move to restart ops (19 December 2025) (opens in a new tab)News report · checked 25 October 2026
  14. The Goan: Spotlight: fire tragedy triggers safety clampdown; fire safety audit of tourism establishments and district committees (21 December 2025) (opens in a new tab)News report · checked 25 October 2026
  15. The Pioneer: Goa CM orders probe into fire-hit nightclub's violations since 1999: 86 premises inspected, 22 sealed (17 January 2026) (opens in a new tab)News report · checked 25 October 2026
  16. The Goan: As smoke clears in Delhi, Goa's Birch blaze leaves trail of broken promises (5 June 2026) (opens in a new tab)News report · checked 25 October 2026
  17. The Goan: FES denies issuing NOC to KTC dormitory; Director orders probe (4 August 2026) (opens in a new tab)News report · checked 25 October 2026
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