Is a fire audit mandatory in Maharashtra?

Yes for section 45 buildings: hotels, hospitals, business, mercantile and mixed buildings above 30 m, homes above 70 m, large oil and gas sites and large industry. They need a licensed auditor's Form V every 2 years. Other buildings owe Form B each January and July, which is not an audit.

Who can do a fire audit in Mumbai or Pune?

Only a Fire and Life Safety Auditor licensed by the Director of Maharashtra Fire and Emergency Services under section 45A, whatever the city. Check the licence number and its validity on the MFS list valid up to 31.08.2026, which has 78 rows.

When was the first section 45A audit due?

Within 1 year of the 2023 amendment coming into force. It came into force on 30 May 2023, so the first audit was due by 29 May 2024, before any auditor had been licensed. After the first, the audit repeats every 2 years.

Where do I submit the Maharashtra fire audit certificate?

Form V goes to the Director, the Chief Fire Officer of your municipal corporation or planning authority, or the nominated officer. Rule 31 allows it in person, by registered post, by courier or online.

Does a housing society in Maharashtra need a fire audit?

Only if the building is above 70 m, which makes it a section 45 building. Below that, the society owes Form B from a licensed agency each January and July, and its bye-laws ask for a periodical fire audit.

How much does a fire audit cost in Maharashtra?

No official rate exists: MFS fixes only the auditor's licence fee of Rs 25,000 on Form W. The audit fee is agreed between the owner and the auditor, per building, since each building needs its own Form V.

Are the 2021 hospital fire audit orders still in force?

No. MFS order 1148 of 22 July 2025 cancelled orders 417 and 591 of 2021, which used licensed agencies and retired fire officers. Hospitals above 30 m now owe the section 45A audit.

What is the penalty for not doing a fire audit in Maharashtra?

The Act has no penalty clause just for section 45A. Flamekite reads a missed audit as a contravention under section 36(2): 6 months to 3 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine. Neglected systems fall under section 36(1), with fines of Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000.

Fire audit 25 min read

Fire audit in Maharashtra: the section 45A audit, who must do it and who may sign

Updated October 2026By Flamekite Editorial DeskFacts checked against official sources on 25 October 2026

Quick answer

Maharashtra's section 45A fire audit: section 45 buildings need a licensed auditor's Form V every 2 years, under a law in force since 30 May 2023. Section 45 covers hotels, hospitals, business, mercantile and mixed buildings above 30 m, homes above 70 m, refineries and LPG plants, and large industry.

Only a Fire and Life Safety Auditor licensed by the Director of Maharashtra Fire and Emergency Services may do it; MFS lists 78 rows of them. Every other building owes Form B from a licensed agency each January and July, which is a maintenance certificate, not an audit.

Audit cycle, section 45 buildings: Every 2 years; First audit was due within 1 year of 30 May 2023; The section's text
2023 amendment in force: 30 May 2023; UDD notification FFS-2022/C.R.36/UD-14; Every order, dated
Rows on the newest MFS auditor list: 78; 51 on the list posted in February 2026; The list, counted
Auditor licence fee, Form W: Rs 25,000; Plus a Rs 20 court-fee stamp; licence lasts 2 years; Every official fee

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Maharashtra fire audit at a glance: section 45A in 13 facts

The fire audit regime of Maharashtra, with the source of each fact.
What	The rule	Source
The law	Section 45A of the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, inserted by Mah. Act XXIV of 2023	Amendment Act 2023
In force	30 May 2023, by UDD notification No. FFS-2022/C.R.36/UD-14 of the same date	UDD notification 2023
Who must audit	The owner, or the occupier where the owner is not traceable, of every section 45(1) building	Amendment Act 2023
Section 45 buildings	Above 30 m used as hotel, hospital, business, mercantile or mixed occupancy; homes above 70 m; large oil and gas sites; moderate-hazard industry of 30,000 m² or more; high-hazard industry of 10,000 m² or more	Amendment Act 2023
How often	First within 1 year of commencement, so by 29 May 2024 by Flamekite's count; then once every 2 years	UDD notification 2023
What it is	"The evaluation of fire prevention and life safety measures required as per prevalent Acts or rules or National Building Code of India in force" (Explanation to section 45A(1))	Amendment Act 2023
Who may audit	Only a Fire and Life Safety Auditor licensed by the Director (section 45A(7))	Amendment Act 2023
The certificate	Form V, one for each building, with the Fire, Safety and Audit report appended (rule 31)	Amendment Rules 2025
Filed with	The Director, the Chief Fire Officer or the nominated officer, in person, by registered post, by courier or online	Amendment Rules 2025
Auditor's duties	12, listed in rule 33: from a 360-degree hazard assessment to testing every active system on camera	Amendment Rules 2025
Auditor's licence	Form W application with Rs 25,000; Form X licence for 2 years, not transferable; Form Y show-cause notice	Amendment Rules 2025
Also owed by every section 45 building	A fire officer or fire supervisor (section 45(1)) and an automated continuous monitoring system certified on Forms A-1 and B-1	MFS Act 2006 copy
Every other building with fire systems	Form B from a licensed agency each January and July (section 3(3)); not an audit	Rules 2009

Section 45A audit vs Form B vs Fire Risk Audit in Maharashtra

Four papers Maharashtra owners confuse, side by side. Only the first is called an audit in the Act.
Option	Section 45A audit	Form B	Fire Risk Audit (2015 circular)	Self-certification (order 1763)	Source
Source	Act section 45A (2023), rules 31 to 37 (2025)	Act section 3(3), rule 4(2) (2009)	MFS circular MFS/2015/10/1462, 16 September 2015	MFS office order MFS-2025/1763, 10 December 2025	Amendment Act 2023
Buildings	Section 45 buildings only	Every building with Schedule-I fire measures	Advised for high-rise, hospital, assembly, industrial, commercial and hotel buildings	Low-hazard buildings up to 2,000 m² and below 18 m	MFS circular 2015
How often	Every 2 years	January and July, every year	At least once a year (advice)	Once, at approval; then Form B each January and July	MFS office order 2025
Who signs	A licensed Fire and Life Safety Auditor	A licensed agency's qualified signatory	A qualified person; no licence then existed	The owner, with the licensed agency's Form A where systems are fitted	Amendment Rules 2025
What it checks	The whole building against the Acts, rules and NBC: 12 duties	That installed systems were kept in good repair for 6 months	What Form B leaves out: basements, lifts, exits, wiring, ventilation, fire load, venting	Plans, Form A, geo-tagged photos, joint inspection	MFS circular 2015
Compulsory?	Yes, section 45A(1)	Yes, section 3(3)	No: "there is no obligation" (para 11)	Yes for the eligible class; at least 10% of cases are picked for inspection	MFS circular 2015

How a section 45A fire audit is done in Maharashtra

Confirm the building is a section 45 building
Check the height and use against section 45(1): above 30 m for a hotel, hospital, business, mercantile or mixed building, above 70 m for homes, or the oil, gas and industrial sizes. If it is not, the audit is not owed; Form B is.
Pick a licensed auditor from the newest MFS list
Open the list titled valid up to 31.08.2026, posted in September 2026, and match the auditor's Form X licence number and its validity date. Nobody else may do the audit.
Prepare the building and the papers
Put every pump, panel and detector in a testable state, gather the Fire Safety Approval, Form A, recent Form B or B-1 and storage lists, and name a representative to countersign the photographs.
Host the site visit
Rule 33 has the auditor assess the whole building, test every active measure, check electrical hazards, storage, the fire control room and staff readiness, and photograph each test with a date and time stamp.
Receive the report and Form V
The auditor gives a Fire Audit Report and a Form V certificate signed by the person who holds the qualification. Each building needs its own Form V.
File Form V
Give it to the Director, the Chief Fire Officer of your municipal or planning authority, or the nominated officer, in person, by registered post, by courier or online.
Fix the findings and diary the next audit
Close the deficiencies the report lists, keep filing Form B each January and July, and book the next audit before 2 years run out.

Does your Maharashtra building need the section 45A fire audit?

Height and use decide it. Find your building below; only the first 3 branches owe the 2-yearly audit.

If A hotel, hospital, office, shop or mixed-use building above 30 m
Yes: the section 45A audit every 2 years, plus a fire officer or fire supervisor and a monitoring system certified on Forms A-1 and B-1. MFS Act 2006 copy
If A residential tower above 70 m
Yes: section 45(1)(b)(1), added in 2023. The society or the developer, as owner, books the audit. Fire Audit for Housing Society Amendment Act 2023
If A refinery, LPG bottling plant, moderate-hazard industry of 30,000 m² or high-hazard industry of 10,000 m²
Yes: section 45(1)(b)(2) and (3) bring large oil, gas and industrial sites under the audit. Amendment Act 2023
If A housing society of 70 m or less
No section 45A audit. Form B from a licensed agency each January and July, and the bye-law 75(c) audit duty. Form B Fire NOC Maharashtra Rules 2009
If A hospital or hotel of 30 m or less
No section 45A audit. Form B each January and July; the 2021 MFS orders for hospital fire-risk inspections were cancelled on 22 July 2025. MFS order 1148
If A low-hazard unit up to 2,000 m² and below 18 m
Self-certified approval under order 1763, then Form B each January and July. At least 10% of cases are picked for inspection. MFS office order 2025
If A new residential building up to 32 m in Mumbai
Not an audit duty: in 2021 MCGM began giving such NOCs through its own empanelled Fire and Life Safety Auditors. MCGM auditor 2021

The 9 kinds of section 45 building that Maharashtra audits

Section 45(1) has 2 clauses. Clause (a) dates from 2006 and needs a height above 30 m; clause (b) was added in 2023.

	Clause	Threshold	Owes besides the audit
Hotel MFS Act 2006 copy	45(1)(a)(1)	Height above 30 m	Fire officer or supervisor; monitoring system
Hospital MFS Act 2006 copy	45(1)(a)(2)	Height above 30 m	Fire officer or supervisor; monitoring system
Business MFS Act 2006 copy	45(1)(a)(3)	Height above 30 m	Fire officer or supervisor; monitoring system
Mercantile MFS Act 2006 copy	45(1)(a)(4)	Height above 30 m	Fire officer or supervisor; monitoring system
Mixed occupancy MFS Act 2006 copy	45(1)(a)(5)	Height above 30 m, "of whatever kind or purposes"	Fire officer or supervisor; monitoring system
Residential Amendment Act 2023	45(1)(b)(1)	Height above 70 m	Fire officer or supervisor; monitoring system
Large oil and natural gas installation Amendment Act 2023	45(1)(b)(2)	Refineries, LPG bottling plants and similar; no size given	Fire officer or supervisor; monitoring system
Industry, moderate hazard Amendment Act 2023	45(1)(b)(3)	Built-up area 30,000 m² or more	Fire officer or supervisor; monitoring system
Industry, high hazard Amendment Act 2023	45(1)(b)(3)	Built-up area 10,000 m² or more	Fire officer or supervisor; monitoring system

Section 45(1) itself requires every such owner or occupier to appoint a fire officer or fire supervisor, with qualifications the Director sets by a gazette order; Flamekite has not found that order. The monitoring system (section 3(3A) and the 2025 Appendix) reports pump, tank, sprinkler and detection status to the owner and the agency.

Section 45A in its own words: audit within a year, then every 2 years

The duty sits in one sentence of section 45A(1)(a), inserted by section 22 of the 2023 Amendment Act.

Word for word

Fire and Life Safety Audit shall be carried out by the owner, or where the owner is not traceable, the occupier of a building, for all the occupancies mentioned in sub-section (1) of section 45 by licensed Fire and Life Safety Auditor and such Fire and Life Safety Audit shall be carried out within a period of one year from the date of commencement of Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures (Amendment) Act, 2023 and thereafter, once in every two years.

Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006, section 45A(1)(a), as inserted in 2023 Amendment Act 2023

The Act came into force on 30 May 2023, so the first audit fell due by 29 May 2024. Section 45A(8) adds that no auditor shall certify measures as in good and efficient condition "without there being actual such fire prevention and life safety measures".

Maharashtra fire audit orders, dated: 2008 to 2026

From the 2012 circulars that called Form B a fire audit to a licensed auditor in 2025.

6 December 2008
The 2006 Act comes into force, as MFS circular 1462 records. MFS circular 2015
22 June 2012
After the Mantralaya fire of 21 June, UDD orders a fire safety audit of government and municipal public buildings within 1 month. UDD circular 129
25 June 2012
UDD orders private buildings in public use, from cinemas to malls, to get licensed agencies' audits and report by 30 September 2012. UDD circular 130
16 September 2015
MFS circular 1462 separates Form B from a yearly Fire Risk Audit, which it advises but says is not obligatory. MFS circular 2015
12 April 2021
Order 417, after the Bhandara hospital fire, lets licensed agencies and retired fire officers audit vulnerable buildings. MFS order 417
25 August 2021
MCGM invites Fire and Life Safety Auditors to clear NOCs for residential buildings up to 32 m. MCGM auditor 2021
11 May 2023
Mah. Act XXIV of 2023 is published, inserting section 45A and widening section 45. Amendment Act 2023
30 May 2023
The Amendment Act comes into force; the 1-year clock for the first audit starts. UDD notification 2023
29 May 2024
The last day for the first section 45A audit, by Flamekite's count. No auditor licence yet exists. UDD notification 2023
12 June 2025
The Amendment Rules add rules 31 to 37 and Forms V, W, X and Y. Amendment Rules 2025
15 July 2025
MFS posts Form W and its checklist for auditors. MFS Form W
22 July 2025
Order 1148 cancels orders 417 and 591 of 2021: from now the Directorate licenses the auditors. MFS order 1148
10 December 2025
Order 1763 lets low-hazard buildings up to 2,000 m² self-certify, with at least 10% inspected. MFS office order 2025
2 February 2026
MFS posts a 51-row auditor list titled valid up to 31.12.2027. MFS auditor list
21 September 2026
MFS posts a 78-row auditor list titled valid up to 31.08.2026. MFS auditor list

Hospital fire audits in Maharashtra after Bhandara: the official trail

The 2021 hospital orders, in the order they came. Each one is on the MFS circulars page; none is in force now.

28 November 2020: the MHA letter
The Union Home Ministry's Fire Adviser writes to every state on fire incidents in hospitals and nursing homes, with 6 action points, from NOC status to inquiries into 5 years of hospital fires. MFS hospital letter
18 December 2020: the Supreme Court
In suo motu case No. 7 of 2020, after the Rajkot fire, the Court directs a fire audit of each COVID hospital once a month. MFS order 417
9 January 2021: all hospitals inspected
On the day of the Bhandara District Hospital fire, MFS letter MFS-2021/37 asks every municipal body to inspect the fire systems of all hospitals and nursing homes. MFS hospital letter
12 April 2021: order 417
Citing Bhandara (11 newborns), Dreams Mall in Mumbai (10 patients) and Wadi in Nagpur (4 patients), MFS uses licensed agencies and retired fire officers as "extended arms" for audits. MFS order 417
28 April 2021: the corrigendum
After hospital fires in Nashik and Vasai, Class B and C licensed agencies may also inspect vulnerable buildings, as a stop-gap. MFS
11 May 2021: work through lockdown
Circular MFS-2021/61 lets licensed agencies and fire auditors keep installing, maintaining and auditing hospitals during the COVID-19 lockdown. MFS circular 2021
8 June 2021: the report call
MFS asks every municipal body for its action-taken report in the MHA proforma of 31 May 2021, at once. MFS hospital letter
22 July 2025: cancelled
Order 1148 cancels orders 417 and 591. A hospital above 30 m now owes the section 45A audit; a smaller one owes Form B. MFS order 1148

Maharashtra's licensed fire auditor list in numbers

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

Flamekite counted the 7-page MFS list titled valid up to 31.08.2026 row by row on 25 October 2026. Places are grouped by the PIN code printed in each address.

78
Numbered rows on the list posted on 21 September 2026 MFS auditor list
51
Rows carried over from the list posted on 2 February 2026, numbered MF & LSA-0001 to 0050 MFS auditor list
27
New licences issued from 17 February 2026, numbered MF&ES/F&LSA MFS auditor list
49
Rows whose licence runs out in 2027; 25 run to 2028 MFS auditor list
23
Rows with a Mumbai address; 14 Pune district, 10 Thane district, 9 Nagpur, 8 Navi Mumbai and Panvel MFS auditor list
2
Rows with an address in Surat, Gujarat MFS auditor list
3
Rows whose printed validity date looks wrong: 26.11.2007, 19.02.2026 and 14.08.2026 MFS auditor list
2 years
Term of each Form X licence; the earliest rows run to 07.08.2027, so the first licences date from August 2025 MFS auditor list

Four kinds of Maharashtra fire auditor, and which one your paper needs

Four different people have been called a fire auditor in Maharashtra since 2012. Only one can sign Form V.

Form X
Licensed Fire and Life Safety Auditor
Licensed by the Director under section 45A for 2 years. Route A: a fire engineering qualification and 20 years' experience, 10 at Station Officer or Fire Safety Manager rank. Route B: an engineering degree or a PG diploma in fire, and 7 years. The only signatory for Form V. Amendment Rules 2025
Form N
Licensed agency
Installs and maintains systems and signs Form A, Form B, A-1 and B-1. It cannot do the section 45A audit, which section 45A(7) reserves to licensed auditors. Amendment Act 2023
MCGM, 2021
Mumbai's empanelled auditor
Empanelled by the Mumbai Fire Brigade to certify NOC compliance of residential buildings up to 32 m. Eligibility includes retired fire officers above Sub-Officer rank with 15 years' service. A municipal NOC route, not section 45A. MCGM auditor 2021
2015 to 2025
Fire Risk Audit expert
The 2015 circular and order 417 named who could do a voluntary Fire Risk Audit, from fire officers with 2 to 5 years' service by city class to Class A agencies and loss prevention advisors of 10 years. The 2021 order that used them was cancelled in 2025. MFS order 417

Preparing a Maharashtra building for the rule 33 auditor visit

Rule 33 sets 12 duties for the auditor. Each one needs something from the owner on the day.

Every hydrant, sprinkler, jockey and diesel pump ready to run: duty (xi) is to test all active measures, not a sample. Amendment Rules 2025
A representative with authority to sign: duty (xii) has each photograph or video of a test countersigned by the owner's or occupier's representative, with a date and time stamp. Amendment Rules 2025
Access to the Building Management System or fire control room and its logs, for duty (vii). Amendment Rules 2025
Staff on duty and the training record, since duty (viii) evaluates staff awareness and readiness. Amendment Rules 2025
A list of stored goods and chemicals by area, for the ignition-source and storage-compatibility duties (iii) and (iv). Amendment Rules 2025
Electrical panels and risers open for inspection, for duty (v) on electrical hazards. Amendment Rules 2025
The Fire Safety Approval and its recommendations, since duty (ii) checks construction against the fire rules. Amendment Act 2023
The licensed agency's Form A or A-1 and the last 4 Form B or B-1 certificates, to show upkeep since the last visit. MFS Form B guidelines
Monitoring system status: section 45 buildings must run one, and the 2025 Appendix lists 20 monitored parameters, from pump runs and tank levels to pressurisation fans. Amendment Rules 2025
One Form V per building: a campus of 3 towers needs 3 certificates. Amendment Rules 2025

Maharashtra fire audit fees: what MFS and MCGM fix, and what they do not

The State fixes what an auditor pays to be licensed. It fixes nothing an owner pays for the audit.

As published

Auditor licence or renewal, Form WRs 25,000Paid by NEFT within 10 days MFS Form W
Court-fee stamp on Form WRs 20 Amendment Rules 2025
Filing Form V with the fire authorityNo fee prescribedRule 31 sets the route, not a charge Amendment Rules 2025
Appeal against an order on an auditor's licence, Form URs 1,000 plus a Rs 20 stampWithin 30 days, sections 32(1)(d) and 33 Amendment Rules 2025
MCGM empanelment of a Fire and Life Safety Auditor (2021)Rs 5,000 MCGM auditor 2021
MCGM yearly renewal of that empanelmentRs 2,500 MCGM auditor 2021
The auditor's fee to the ownerNot publishedNeither MFS nor any municipal body sets a rate MFS

Delhi sets a fee band for its third-party audits and Maharashtra does not: compare the states on the third-party audit page. Ask any auditor for a written quote per building, since each building needs its own Form V.

Penalties for a missed or false fire audit in Maharashtra

The Act has no penalty clause written for section 45A, so the general offences in section 36 apply. The amounts below were proof-read against the gazette.

Offence	Penalty	Law
Fire systems not provided or not kept in good repair	Rigorous imprisonment of 6 months to 3 years and a fine of Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000; up to Rs 3,000 a day if it continues	Section 36(1)(a)(i), with section 3(1) MFS Act 2006 copy
Section 45A audit not done, or Form V not filed (Flamekite's reading)	Rigorous imprisonment of 6 months to 3 years and a fine; at least 1 month and Rs 2,000 without special reasons	Section 36(2)(c) and (iii): a contravention with no specific penalty MFS Act 2006 copy
An auditor certifies measures that do not exist	Show-cause on Form Y, then suspension or cancellation of the licence; section 36(2) may also apply	Sections 45A(6) and (8); rule 37 Amendment Rules 2025
Fire audit work by someone without the licence	A contravention of section 45A(7); Flamekite reads it as punishable under section 36(2)	Sections 45A(7) and 36(2) Amendment Act 2023
The offence is by a company or association	Every person in charge, and any director, manager or secretary by whose consent or neglect it happened, is also liable	Section 38 MFS Act 2006 copy
Imminent danger found on inspection	Occupants removed, power and water cut, building sealed	Section 8 MFS Act 2006 copy

MFS itself wrote in order 417 of 2021 that there were "hardly any cases of prosecution under section 36". The reading of section 36(2) for a missed audit is Flamekite's, not a court's or MFS's.

Six Maharashtra fire audit traps found in the official papers

Problems Flamekite found by reading the Act, the Rules, the auditor list and the MFS orders side by side.

If The first-audit deadline passed before any auditor existed
The deadline fell on 29 May 2024; auditor licences began about August 2025. MFS has published nothing on the gap, so audit now and keep the Form V date as your 2-year anchor. UDD notification 2023
If Trusting the list title
The file titled valid up to 31.08.2026 is the newer one, posted 21 September 2026, and its rows run to August 2028. Read each row's own date. MFS auditor list
If A row's date looks expired
Rows 53 and 75 print 2026 dates against licence numbers dated February 2026, and row 46 prints 2007. Ask for the Form X itself before you engage. MFS auditor list
If Relying on a 2021 hospital order
Orders 417 and 591, and with them the Class B and C stop-gap, were cancelled on 22 July 2025. Cite section 45A, not them. MFS order 1148
If Mismatched rule numbers on the forms
The printed Forms V, W and X cite rules 32, 35 and 36, one higher than the rules that create them (31, 34, 35). Cite the rule, not the form's heading. Amendment Rules 2025
If One Form V for a whole campus
The Form V note says a separate certificate is necessary for each building. Count towers, not addresses. Amendment Rules 2025

Maharashtra fire audit myths checked against the Act

You may have read
Maharashtra makes every commercial building get a fire audit every year.
Myth
What the sources say
No yearly audit is in the Act. Section 45A asks every 2 years, and only of section 45 buildings. The yearly Fire Risk Audit of 2015 was advice, "no obligation". MFS circular 2015
You may have read
Form B is the fire audit.
Myth
What the sources say
Form B certifies upkeep of installed systems for 6 months. MFS's 2015 circular lists what it leaves out, from lifts and exits to fire load. MFS circular 2015
You may have read
Fire audit fines go up to Rs 5 lakh.
Myth
What the sources say
Section 36 fines run from Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000, with 6 months to 3 years of imprisonment and Rs 3,000 a day for a continuing offence. MFS Act 2006 copy
You may have read
A Class A licensed agency can sign the audit.
Myth
What the sources say
Section 45A(7) reserves the audit to licensed auditors, and order 1148 of 2025 ended the 2021 arrangement that used agencies. MFS order 1148
You may have read
The audit renews the fire NOC.
Myth
What the sources say
Maharashtra has no general renewal since the 2023 amendment; the audit is a separate 2-yearly duty for section 45 buildings. MFS circular 64

Hiring a Maharashtra Fire and Life Safety Auditor: dos and don'ts

MFS licenses auditors but does not allot them. The owner chooses, so the checks fall on the owner.

Do

Find the auditor's licence number, not just the firm's name, on the 78-row list, and read that row's validity date. MFS auditor list
Check that the person who signs Form V holds the rule 32 qualification; in a firm, only that member may sign. Amendment Rules 2025
Agree in writing that every active system will be tested and photographed, as rule 33 requires. Amendment Rules 2025
Prefer an auditor with no hand in your installation or upkeep: MFS called agencies auditing their own systems "contradictory in nature" in 2021. MFS order 417

Don’t

Don't accept a licensed agency's Form B as your section 45A audit. Amendment Act 2023
Don't hire on Mumbai's 2021 empanelment alone: that route certifies NOCs for buildings up to 32 m, not section 45A audits. MCGM auditor 2021
Don't wait for MFS to remind you: no allotment or reminder system is published. MFS

Maharashtra fire audit worked cases: 6 buildings from Mumbai to Nagpur

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

Flamekite's reading of section 45, section 45A and order 1763 applied to typical buildings.

Case 1
A 34 m hospital in Pune
Hospital, 34 m, occupied since 2019.
What applies Above 30 m and a hospital: a section 45 building. A licensed audit every 2 years, a fire officer or supervisor, the monitoring system with Forms A-1 and B-1, and Form B in between. MFS Act 2006 copy
Case 2
A 28 m hotel in Nashik
Hotel, 28 m.
What applies Below the 30 m line, so no section 45A audit. Form B each January and July from a licensed agency. MFS Act 2006 copy
Case 3
A 66 m society tower in Thane
Co-operative housing society, 66 m.
What applies Residential reaches section 45 only above 70 m. Form B twice a year and the society's bye-law audit duty. Amendment Act 2023
Case 4
A 32,000 m² engineering plant near Nagpur
Moderate-hazard industry, 32,000 m² built up.
What applies At 30,000 m² or more of moderate-hazard use it is a section 45 site: the 2-yearly audit applies whatever its height. Amendment Act 2023
Case 5
A 1,800 m² packaging unit, 9 m high
Low-hazard industry outside a municipal fire area.
What applies Eligible to self-certify under order 1763; at least 10% of such cases are picked for inspection. No section 45A audit; Form B each January and July. MFS office order 2025
Case 6
A 45 m office and mall in Mumbai
Mixed business and mercantile, 45 m, 2 towers on one plot.
What applies Mixed occupancy above 30 m: section 45. Each tower needs its own Form V every 2 years. Amendment Rules 2025

Maharashtra fire audit terms: Form V, W, X, Y and the rest

The words of the Act, the Rules and the MFS orders, in the order an owner meets them.

Fire and Life Safety Audit: The evaluation of fire prevention and life safety measures required by the Acts, rules or the National Building Code in force (section 45A, Explanation). Amendment Act 2023
Section 45 building: A building or site in section 45(1): above 30 m for 5 uses, homes above 70 m, large oil and gas sites, and large moderate or high-hazard industry. Amendment Act 2023
Form V: The auditor's certificate that the measures were evaluated and found in good repair, with the audit report appended; 1 per building. Amendment Rules 2025
Forms W, X and Y: The auditor's application (Rs 25,000), licence (2 years) and show-cause notice before suspension or cancellation. Amendment Rules 2025
MF & LSA and MF&ES/F&LSA: The 2 licence-number series on the MFS list: 0001 to 0050 first, then numbers carrying the issue date from February 2026. MFS auditor list
Fire Risk Audit: The 2015 circular's yearly audit of what Form B leaves out; advised, not compulsory. MFS circular 2015
Fire officer or fire supervisor: The person every section 45 building must appoint under section 45(1), qualified as the Director specifies by gazette order. MFS Act 2006 copy
ACMS: Automated continuous monitoring system: IoT status of pumps, tanks, sprinklers and detection, compulsory in section 45 buildings, certified on Forms A-1 and B-1. Amendment Rules 2025
Extended arms: Order 417's 2021 name for licensed agencies and retired fire officers used to audit vulnerable buildings; ended 22 July 2025. MFS order 417

Where Maharashtra publishes its fire audit lists, forms and orders

Every document on this page is on the MFS or MCGM sites. There is no online audit-filing portal; rule 31 lets you file Form V online, in person or by post.

Auditors
List Fire Auditor page
Form W as DOC and PDF, and the 2 approved auditor lists with their posting dates. MFS
mahafireservice.gov.in/fire-auditor.php
List
Auditor list titled 31.08.2026
The newest list: 78 rows, licence numbers, addresses and validity. MFS auditor list
mahafireservice.gov.in/Application%20for%20Fire%20Auditor/Approved%20List%20of%20MF%20%26%20LSA%20Valid%20upto%2031.08.2026.pdf
Orders
MFS circulars
The 2012 UDD circulars, circular 1462, orders 417, 1148 and 1763, and the 2021 hospital letters. Maharashtra Fire Services
mahafireservice.gov.in/s-circular.php
Law
Commencement notification, 30 May 2023
The 2-page gazette that starts the section 45A clock. UDD notification 2023
mahafireservice.gov.in/directorate/notification/Notification%20for%20the%20Fire%20(Amendment)%20Act,%202023.pdf
Rules
Amendment Rules 2025
Rules 31 to 37, Forms V to Y and the monitoring-system Appendix. Amendment Rules 2025
mahafireservice.gov.in/directorate/fire-act/2025/Rules%20(Amended)%20English.pdf
Mumbai
MCGM auditor empanelment, 2021
Mumbai's 6-page advertisement, duties, eligibility and Annexure A application. MCGM auditor 2021
portal.mcgm.gov.in/irj/go/km/docs/documents/MCGM%20Department%20List/Public%20Relation%20Officer/Press%20Release/PR7000002793.pdf

Maharashtra fire audit offices: the MFS Directorate and Mumbai Fire Brigade

The Directorate licenses auditors statewide; the Mumbai Fire Brigade ran its own 2021 empanelment. Addresses as published.

Directorate of Maharashtra Fire and Emergency Services MFS
Director: auditor licences on Forms W and X, the approved lists, Form Y notices; receives Form V where it is the authority
Address
Maharashtra Fire Services Academy, Hans Bhugra Marg, Kalina, Santacruz (East), Mumbai 400098
Phone
022 69820555
Website
mahafireservice.gov.in/fire-auditor.php
Chief Fire Officer, Mumbai Fire Brigade MCGM auditor 2021
Receives Form V and Form B within MCGM limits; ran the 2021 empanelment for 32 m residential NOCs
Address
Byculla Command Centre, B. J. Marg, Byculla (West), Mumbai 400008
Website
portal.mcgm.gov.in

What Maharashtra has not published on fire audits

Flamekite looked for each of these on 25 October 2026 and did not find it. Where a reader would expect a fact, this is the honest answer.

How MFS treats section 45 buildings that missed the first-audit deadline of 29 May 2024, when no auditor could be licensed until 2025.
MFS order 591 of 20 May 2021 and public notice MFS/62/Audit/2025/1077 of 10 July 2025: both are cited by order 1148 but are not on the MFS site.
The Director's gazette order under section 45(2) on the qualifications of the fire officer or fire supervisor.
Any rate for what an auditor may charge an owner, from MFS or any municipal corporation; only Mumbai's 2021 empanelment fees of Rs 5,000 and Rs 2,500 are published, and those are paid by auditors.
An official audit order from Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Thane or Nagpur: their 2025 and 2026 audit drives are known only from news reports.
The State Public Health Department's January 2021 order on hospital audits after Bhandara, and any official order after the Ahmednagar hospital fire.
Whether Mumbai's 2021 empanelment of auditors for 32 m residential NOCs still runs, and its list.

Questions about Maharashtra

Is a fire audit mandatory in Maharashtra?: Yes for section 45 buildings: hotels, hospitals, business, mercantile and mixed buildings above 30 m, homes above 70 m, large oil and gas sites and large industry. They need a licensed auditor's Form V every 2 years. Other buildings owe Form B each January and July, which is not an audit.
Who can do a fire audit in Mumbai or Pune?: Only a Fire and Life Safety Auditor licensed by the Director of Maharashtra Fire and Emergency Services under section 45A, whatever the city. Check the licence number and its validity on the MFS list valid up to 31.08.2026, which has 78 rows.
When was the first section 45A audit due?: Within 1 year of the 2023 amendment coming into force. It came into force on 30 May 2023, so the first audit was due by 29 May 2024, before any auditor had been licensed. After the first, the audit repeats every 2 years.
Where do I submit the Maharashtra fire audit certificate?: Form V goes to the Director, the Chief Fire Officer of your municipal corporation or planning authority, or the nominated officer. Rule 31 allows it in person, by registered post, by courier or online.
Does a housing society in Maharashtra need a fire audit?: Only if the building is above 70 m, which makes it a section 45 building. Below that, the society owes Form B from a licensed agency each January and July, and its bye-laws ask for a periodical fire audit.
How much does a fire audit cost in Maharashtra?: No official rate exists: MFS fixes only the auditor's licence fee of Rs 25,000 on Form W. The audit fee is agreed between the owner and the auditor, per building, since each building needs its own Form V.
Are the 2021 hospital fire audit orders still in force?: No. MFS order 1148 of 22 July 2025 cancelled orders 417 and 591 of 2021, which used licensed agencies and retired fire officers. Hospitals above 30 m now owe the section 45A audit.
What is the penalty for not doing a fire audit in Maharashtra?: The Act has no penalty clause just for section 45A. Flamekite reads a missed audit as a contravention under section 36(2): 6 months to 3 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine. Neglected systems fall under section 36(1), with fines of Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000.

Keep reading

Fire audit in IndiaEvery state's audit duty, cycle and signatory.
Third-party fire auditMaharashtra's licensed auditors against other states' empanelled ones.
Fire audit report formatForm V and the rule 33 report, field by field.
Fire audit checklistThe checks an auditor runs, each traced to its rule.
Fire audit for a housing societyForm B, bye-law 75(c) and who pays.
Form B fire certificateThe January and July certificate every other building files.
Fire NOC in MaharashtraProvisional and Final approval, and who issues them.
Maharashtra fire license agencyThe agency licence, classes A to D and the list.

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Fire Audit in other states

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Sources

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