What is a fire license agency?

A firm or person licensed or empanelled by a state fire service to install, maintain, audit or certify fire systems. In Maharashtra only such a Licensed Agency may do the work, and it signs the Form A at installation and the Form B every January and July that the owner files.

Where can I find the fire license agency list?

Only two states publish one. Maharashtra's list, on the MFS license services page, prints 861 rows under 847 serial numbers, valid to 03.07.2028, with a separate suspended or blacklisted list. Puducherry lists 6 licensed third-party audit agencies. Elsewhere, ask the fire office to confirm an agency's licence number.

How do I get a fire agency licence in Maharashtra?

Apply to the Director, MFS on Form M with a Rs 20 court-fee stamp, a separate form for each system type. Your class (A to D) depends on turnover in one of the last 3 years; pay Rs 25,000 to Rs 2,500 by NEFT within 10 days and show a solvency certificate of Rs 15 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh.

How long is a fire agency licence valid?

It depends on the state: 1 year in Ladakh and Tripura, 2 years in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Chandigarh, 3 years in West Bengal and Puducherry, and 3 years for Delhi's auditors from 2027. Goa's notification says both 3 years and 1 year.

What is the difference between a fire NOC and a fire license?

A fire NOC is the fire service's certificate for a building. A "fire licence" can mean two other things: a premises licence for hazardous trades, as under West Bengal's Fire Licence Rules, 2004 or Tamil Nadu's 1985 Act, or the licence a fire agency holds to install and certify systems.

Can a fire agency licensed in one state work in another?

Usually not without a second licence: each state licenses its own agencies. Lakshadweep is the exception, treating an agency empanelled in any state or UT as empanelled there, and Puducherry has licensed firms based in Telangana and Tamil Nadu.

How do I check whether a fire agency is blacklisted?

In Maharashtra, read the List of License Suspended or Blacklisted on the MFS license services page; it held 1 agency in October 2026. In Puducherry, check the notice board for suspension orders. Other states publish no blacklist, so ask the fire office in writing.

Who can become a fire safety auditor in Delhi?

From 20 May 2027, an individual or firm empanelled on Form U: Level L-1 needs a B.E. (Fire) with 1 year, or a graduate with the NFSC Sub-Officer course or IFE Graduateship. Fees are Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000 for 3 years, with Rs 10 lakh to Rs 30 lakh indemnity cover.

Fire license agency 28 min read

Fire license agency: how states license and empanel fire agencies and auditors

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

Quick answer

A fire license agency is a firm or person that a state fire service licenses or empanels to install, maintain, audit or certify a building's fire systems. Where the fire law reserves that work, the owner must use one, and the agency's certificate is what the owner files: Form B every January and July in Maharashtra, an auditor's certificate each January and July in Chhattisgarh.

14 of 36 states and UTs run a published licensing or empanelment scheme today. Fees run from Rs 2,500 for a Class D licence in Maharashtra, Odisha and Ladakh to Rs 50,000 for a Class A licence in West Bengal. Only Maharashtra (861 rows) and Puducherry (6) publish their lists, and Delhi's auditor panel starts on 20 May 2027.

Rows on Maharashtra's list: 861; Serials to 847; MFS list valid up to 03.07.2028; The numbers
Agency licence fees: Rs 2,500 to Rs 50,000; Class D in three states to Class A in West Bengal; Every fee
States and UTs licensing agencies now: 14 of 36; Flamekite count; 14 more have it in law only; State count
Delhi fire safety auditors start: 20 May 2027; Seventh Schedule deferred by the gazette of 16 October 2026; Timeline

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Licensed fire agencies in India at a glance

What a licensed or empanelled fire agency is, in 10 facts with their sources. Last verified October 2026.
What	The rule	Source
What it is	A firm or person licensed or empanelled by the state fire service to install, maintain, audit or certify fire systems; the Model Fire and Emergency Service Bill, 2019 calls it a qualified agency (section 24)	DGFS, MHA
Why owners need one	The fire law reserves the work: in Maharashtra only a Licensed Agency may do it (section 10), and the owner files its Form A once and its Form B every January and July (section 3(3))	Maharashtra Act 2006
Who licenses	The state fire chief; in Uttar Pradesh the Director General empanels qualified agencies and issues the Form A-6 licence online (rule 51)	UP Rules 2024
Classes	Usually A to D by past work and solvency; a Maharashtra Class A fire-fighting licence needs Rs 500 lakh of work in one of the last 3 years	MFS Form M
Solvency	Rs 15 lakh for Class A down to Rs 2.5 lakh for Class D, from a nationalised, scheduled or co-operative bank, in original	MFS Form M
Fees	Rs 2,500 (Class D in Maharashtra, Odisha and Ladakh) to Rs 50,000 (Class A in West Bengal)	WB Rules 2003
Term	1 to 3 years: 1 year in Ladakh and Tripura, 2 in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Chandigarh, 3 in West Bengal, Puducherry and for Delhi auditors	Gazette notification S.O. 140
Lists	Published by Maharashtra (861 rows under 847 serials, valid to 03.07.2028) and Puducherry (6 agencies); none found in the other 34	MFS agency list
Blacklist	Maharashtra publishes one: 1 agency, three Class D licences, suspended or blacklisted from 18.11.2021	MFS blacklist
Last verified	25 October 2026, against the 35 Flamekite state pages and the orders they cite, with Telangana's G.O.Ms.No.15, Delhi's Seventh Schedule and Goa's notification 1653 re-read	Not stated

Fire license agency rules in all 36 states and UTs

Each row gives the instrument, who is licensed or empanelled and by whom, the classes, fee and term, and whether a list is published, as read on 25 October 2026. 14 of 36 run a published scheme; 14 have one in law only; 8 have none we found.
Option	Instrument	Who is licensed, by whom	Classes, fee and term	List published	Source
Maharashtra	Act 2006 sections 9 and 10; Rules 2009 as amended 12 June 2025; Form M (11.07.26)	Licensed Agency, by the Director; separate Fire and Life Safety Auditor on Form W	A to D per system type; Rs 25,000 to Rs 2,500; 2 years	Yes: 861 rows (847 serials) valid to 03.07.2028, auditor lists and a blacklist	MFS Form M
Goa	Notification 3/13/2024-HD(G)/1653, 23 June 2025	Licensed Agency, by the Director, Fire and Emergency Services	By area: Rs 25,000 in Corporations, Rs 15,000 in other municipalities; 3 years or 1 year (the text says both)	No; a public dashboard is promised	Goa Gazette 2025
Gujarat	Act 2013 sections 28 and 29; Form A1 substituted 14 December 2023	Licensed Agency, by the Director; plus enrolled Fire Safety Officers	Licence 2 years; officer enrolment 3 years at General, Advance or Specialist grade	Officers on GujFireSafety CoP; no agency list found	Gujarat Gazette
Chhattisgarh	Amendment Rules of 24 November 2025, rules 37A and 37B	Third Party Auditor, by the Director General	Grades A to D; Rs 25,000 to Rs 5,000; 2 years	No	CG Home Dept
Odisha	Second Amendment Rules, 4 November 2025, rule 9(16)(c)	Licensed Agency on Form XVIII, and empanelled auditors, by the Director	A to E; Rs 25,000 to Rs 2,500; Class E audits only	No	Odisha Home Dept
Uttar Pradesh	Rules 2024, rules 49 to 54	Qualified Agency, empanelled by the Director General	Form A-5 with Rs 10,000; licence on Form A-6	No	UP Rules 2024
West Bengal	Act 1950 section 11F; Rules 2003; notification 1669 of 19 December 2025	Licensed agency, by the Director General; third-party agencies by tender	A to C; Rs 50,000, Rs 40,000, Rs 25,000; 3 years	Provisional: 16 of 35 bidders shortlisted	WB Rules 2003
Telangana	G.O.Ms.No.15, 20 January 2026, superseding G.O.Ms.No.44 of 2023	Third-party fire and life safety auditors and system integrators, empanelled	In Annexures I to V, which the published copy omits	Behind the Fire Audit login	G.O.Ms.No.15
Andhra Pradesh	DG letters Rc.No.5862/Genl/2023 of 27 November 2025 and 29 June 2026	Third-party Fire Audit Agency for renewals; certified installers	Rs 5,000 audit application; Rs 1,000 installer application; interview and training	No	AP audit empanelment
Puducherry	G.O.Ms.No.61, 10 September 2025	Licensed agency, by a departmental committee	3 years; solvency left to the department	Yes: 6 agencies	Puducherry G.O. 61
Tripura	Act section 26(B); notification of 23 October 2025	Empanelled inspection agency, by the Director	Rs 2,000 application, Rs 20,000 licence fee, Rs 5 lakh deposit; 1 year	No	Tripura Home (F&ES)
Sikkim	Rules 2025, rule 37	Qualified Third Party Agency, applying to the In-charge Fire District	Rs 5,000 on Form A3	No	Sikkim F&ES Rules 2025
Ladakh	Rules 2025, rules 6 to 13; Notice 01 of 2026	Licensed Agency, by the Fire and Rescue Service	A to D; Rs 25,000 to Rs 2,500; Form II, 1 year	No	Gazette notification S.O. 140
Bihar	Rules 2021, rules 21 and 22(k)	Fire Advisers registered under section 32; registered Fire Consultants for audits	Schedule G (fee not read)	No	Bihar Rules 2021
Chandigarh	Haryana Act 2022 section 55A, extended by S.O. 2264(E), 6 May 2026	Licensed agency, by the MC Commissioner	2 years; fee "as may be prescribed"	No form or list yet	Gazette of India
Haryana	Fire Safety Certificate guidelines notified 9 December 2025 (reported)	Empanelled agency, allotted at random by the system	Lead member B.E. (Fire) with 4 years; fee not published	Text and list not published	The Weeknews report
Delhi	DFS (Amendment) Rules 2025, Seventh Schedule, from 20 May 2027	Fire Safety Auditor, Levels L-1 to L-3, on Form U	Rs 10,000, Rs 20,000, Rs 30,000; 3 years	Not yet: the panel starts in 2027	DFS
Lakshadweep	Rules 2026, rules 13 and 14	Qualified agency; one empanelled in any state or UT is deemed empanelled	No fee set	No	Lakshadweep Gazette Extraordinary Vol. LXII No. 42, 3 September 2026
Nagaland	Act 2023, section 24(6)	Licensed agency; Form C1 and C2 certificates	Licence rules not found	No	Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Nagaland
Manipur	Act 2026, sections 2(w) and 24(6)	Qualified agency by qualification only	No licence, fee or term	No	Government of Manipur
Assam	Amendment Rules 2025, rules 2(xa) and 18A	Third Party Fire Safety Auditor	Fees "as notified"; not notified	No	Assam Rules 2025
Tamil Nadu	Act 37 of 2025, section 32 (not commenced)	Fire Safety Audit Agency, empanelled by Government	Not set	No call for empanelment	Government of Tamil Nadu, Gazette Extraordinary No. 263, 6 June 2025
Punjab	Act 12 of 2024, section 27	Qualified Agency, licensed by Government; cannot issue the certificate	Rules not made	No	Punjab Gazette
Madhya Pradesh	Act 16 of 2026, section 15 (no start date)	Qualified agency, licensed by the Director	Not set	No	Government of Madhya Pradesh
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	Regulation 6 of 2026, section 29	Qualified agency	Form still to be prescribed	No	Gazette of India Extraordinary
Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Regulation 2026, sections 26 and 66	Qualified Agency	Rules under section 66 not made	No	Gazette of India Extraordinary, Part II Section 1, No. 19, 25 May 2026
Arunachal Pradesh	Act 2026, section 32(2)	Third-party agency for low-risk buildings, by notification	None notified	No	Government of Arunachal Pradesh
Mizoram	Amendment Rules 2026, rule 57(5)	Third-party certification for renewals	To be notified	No	Mizoram Home Dept
Karnataka	None found	No KSFES empanelment found	Not found	No	Not stated
Kerala	None found	Not found	Not found	No	Not stated
Rajasthan	None found	Not found	Not found	No	Not stated
Jammu and Kashmir	None found	Not found	Not found	No	Not stated
Himachal Pradesh	None found	Not found	Not found	No	Not stated
Jharkhand	None found	Not found	Not found	No	Not stated
Meghalaya	None found	Not found	Not found	No	Not stated
Uttarakhand	None found; owners self-declare every 6 months	Not found	Not found	No	Not stated

How to get a fire license agency licence: 7 steps the states share

Pick the state and the kind of licence
An installer's licence and an auditor's empanelment are separate papers: Maharashtra issues Form M licences to agencies and Form X licences to auditors, and Telangana empanels auditors and system integrators under two annexures of G.O.Ms.No.15.
Put a qualified person on the firm
Every state asks for one: an engineering degree or diploma and 3 years' experience in Maharashtra since 2025, a fire engineering qualification or an engineer employing one in Goa, a B.E. (Fire) with 4 years in Haryana.
Work out your class from past turnover
Count fire work, not trading. Maharashtra's Class B fire-fighting licence needs Rs 300 lakh of installation and AMC work in any one of the last 3 years, certified by a chartered accountant with a UDIN.
Get the bank's solvency certificate
Rs 15 lakh for Class A, Rs 10 lakh for B, Rs 5 lakh for C and Rs 2.5 lakh for D in Maharashtra, Ladakh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh; Chhattisgarh also wants a bank guarantee of 10% of it.
Assemble the file
GST, PAN and registration certificates, 3 years of returns and balance sheets, work orders and completion letters, staff qualifications, and a non-blacklisting declaration (on Rs 100 stamp paper in Maharashtra).
File and pay
Maharashtra takes Form M with a Rs 20 court-fee stamp and the fee by NEFT within 10 days; Goa takes Annexure I on its State Single Window; Delhi auditors will file Form U online; Ladakh took Form I by hand or speed post.
Diary the renewal
File again before expiry: 2 months ahead in Maharashtra, 1 month ahead in Goa, 14 to 30 days ahead in Tripura. A lapsed licence stops the firm signing certificates.

Four kinds of licensed fire agency and auditor in Indian law

States use 4 different labels for the private firms they trust with fire safety work. The label tells you what the firm may do and which paper it signs.

Installs and maintains
Licensed Agency
Licensed to install and maintain fire systems and to certify them: Maharashtra since the 2006 Act, Gujarat since 2013, West Bengal since 1996, Goa since 3 July 2025, Ladakh under its 2025 Rules; Odisha reset its classes on 4 November 2025. Maharashtra Act 2006
Qualified by law
Qualified Agency
The Model Bill's term, copied by Uttar Pradesh, Manipur, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, DNH and DD and the A&N Islands. Only Uttar Pradesh licenses one in practice, on Form A-6 after a Rs 10,000 Form A-5. UP Rules 2024
Audits
Third-party auditor
Empanelled to audit, not install: Chhattisgarh's Grade A to D auditors, Odisha's Class E, Telangana's fire and life safety auditors, Andhra Pradesh's audit agencies and, from 20 May 2027, Delhi's Fire Safety Auditors. CG Home Dept
Inspects for the NOC
Empanelled inspection agency
Inspects and certifies for the fire service: Tripura's agencies sign Form A and the yearly Form B; Haryana's system allots one at random; Puducherry's 6 agencies give Category A and B their 2 audit certificates. Tripura Home (F&ES)

Licensed fire agency classes: the Maharashtra template and its copies

Maharashtra's Class A to D scale, set by solvency and fee, reappears almost line for line in Ladakh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Goa. Solvency is in Rs lakh, fees in rupees.

	Class A	Class B	Class C	Class D
Maharashtra fee MFS Form M	25,000	15,000	5,000	2,500
Maharashtra solvency MFS Form M	15	10	5	2.5
Maharashtra fire-fighting work in one of 3 years (Rs lakh) MFS Form M	500	300	200	100
Maharashtra detection or passive work (Rs lakh) MFS Form M	200	100	50	25
Ladakh fee and solvency Gazette notification S.O. 140	25,000; 15	15,000; 10	5,000; 5	2,500; 2.5
Ladakh largest job allowed (Rs lakh) Gazette notification S.O. 140	No limit	1,000	600	300
Odisha fee and solvency Odisha Home Dept	25,000; 15	15,000; 10	5,000; 5	2,500; 2.5
Chhattisgarh auditor grade fee and solvency CG Fire NOC	25,000; 15	15,000; 10	10,000; 5	5,000; 2.5
Chhattisgarh bank guarantee (Rs) CG Fire NOC	1,50,000	1,00,000	50,000	25,000
Goa, by area instead of class Goa Gazette 2025	Corporations: 25,000; 15	Other municipalities: 15,000; 10	Elsewhere: solvency 5	None

Odisha adds a Class E for audit only at Rs 25,000. Goa prints the fee for areas outside municipalities as "100.00", which is not quoted here. Maharashtra wants a separate application for each system type: fire fighting, detection and passive protection.

Qualifications a licensed fire agency or auditor must show

Every regime asks for one technically qualified person on the firm. These are the 9 published tests, from the lightest to the strictest.

Manipur: technical training in fire, civil or mechanical engineering, industrial safety, disaster management or chemical science from a recognised university (section 2(w)); no licence follows. Government of Manipur
Tripura: a fire engineer with 1 year's experience, for a 1-year renewable licence. Tripura Home (F&ES)
Sikkim: at least a diploma in fire for a Qualified Third Party Agency. Sikkim F&ES Rules 2025
Lakshadweep: the NFSC Divisional Officers Course or a listed degree, plus 3 years' experience. Lakshadweep Gazette Extraordinary Vol. LXII No. 42, 3 September 2026
Maharashtra: since 12 June 2025 the person signing Forms A, B, A-1 and B-1 holds an engineering degree or diploma from a UGC or AICTE-recognised institution and 3 years' experience. Amendment Rules 2025
Goa: an NFSC fire engineering degree or diploma or an IFE qualification with 3 years at Station Fire Officer rank or in fire protection work, or an engineering degree with a qualified officer on staff. Goa Gazette 2025
Chhattisgarh: an NFSC or IFE fire qualification, or a mechanical, electrical, chemical or civil degree or diploma with 3 years of fire audits (rule 37B). CG Home Dept
Haryana: a lead member with a B.E. (Fire) and 4 years' experience, as reported in December 2025. The Weeknews report
Delhi: L-1 a B.E. (Fire) with 1 year, up to L-3 with 10 years in fire prevention or 5 years as an L-2 auditor, plus 3 to 7 days' training at the Fire Safety Management Academy, Rohini. DFS

What a fire agency licence or auditor empanelment costs, state by state

Government fees run from Rs 2,500 to Rs 50,000 for an agency licence. The solvency certificate, deposit or indemnity cover usually costs the firm more than the fee.

As published

Maharashtra Licensed Agency, Class A to DRs 25,000 to Rs 2,500By NEFT within 10 days of filing, plus a Rs 20 court-fee stamp on Form M MFS Form M
Maharashtra Fire and Life Safety Auditor, Form WRs 25,000Licence on Form X for 2 years Amendment Rules 2025
West Bengal licensed agency, Class A to CRs 50,000 to Rs 25,000Class B Rs 40,000; 3 years WB Rules 2003
Goa Licensed AgencyRs 25,000 or Rs 15,000Municipal Corporations or other municipalities Goa Gazette 2025
Chhattisgarh third-party auditor, Grade A to DRs 25,000 to Rs 5,000Plus a bank guarantee of Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 25,000 CG Fire NOC
Odisha Licensed Agency, Class A to ERs 25,000 to Rs 2,500Class E, audit only, Rs 25,000 Odisha Home Dept
Ladakh Licensed Agency, Class A to DRs 25,000 to Rs 2,500Form II licence, 1 year Gazette notification S.O. 140
Uttar Pradesh qualified agency, Form A-5Rs 10,000Paid online to the In-charge Fire District UP Rules 2024
Tripura empanelled agencyRs 22,000 plus a Rs 5 lakh depositRs 2,000 application and Rs 20,000 licence fee; renewal Rs 2,000 Tripura Home (F&ES)
Sikkim Qualified Third Party Agency, Form A3Rs 5,000 Sikkim F&ES Rules 2025
Andhra Pradesh third-party audit agencyRs 5,000Installers' empanelment: Rs 1,000 AP audit empanelment
Delhi Fire Safety Auditor, L-1 to L-3Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000For 3 years, with indemnity cover of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 30 lakh; from 20 May 2027 DFS

Flamekite's own reading of the published fees; no state publishes a fee for Telangana-style empanelment, Chandigarh's section 55A licence or Haryana's empanelled agencies. What an agency charges an owner is not a government fee, except in Delhi, where Table-4 caps an auditor at Rs 10,000 to Rs 5 lakh per certification.

Licensed fire agencies and auditors in numbers

The few counts any fire service publishes about its agencies, read on 24 and 25 October 2026.

861
Rows printed on Maharashtra's approved licensed-agency list valid up to 03.07.2028 (serials run to 847) MFS agency list
14 of 36
States and UTs running a published licensing or empanelment scheme, by Flamekite's count of the 36 state pages; 14 more have one in law only and 8 none we found
6
Licensed third-party audit agencies on Puducherry's list, 5 of them based in Telangana or Tamil Nadu Puducherry Fire Service
16 of 35
Bidders West Bengal provisionally shortlisted as third-party agencies on 19 December 2025 WB F&ES notification 1669
1
Agency on Maharashtra's suspended or blacklisted list, with 3 Class D licences, since 18.11.2021 MFS blacklist
25 %
Haryana certificates from empanelled agencies a Fire Officer re-checks within 30 days, as reported The Weeknews report

How licensed fire agency and auditor regimes spread, 1996 to 2027

West Bengal licensed agencies 30 years ago; most states moved only in 2025 and 2026.

1996
West Bengal Act 7 of 1996 adds Chapter IIIA: licensed agencies for high-risk buildings. Indian Kanoonnews report
2007
Maharashtra's Act of 2006 (Mah. III of 2007) reserves fire work to Licensed Agencies, licensed by the Director. Maharashtra Act 2006
1 April 2013
Gujarat's Act 11 of 2013 creates 2-year Licensed Agency licences. Gujarat Gazette
2019
The Model Fire and Emergency Service Bill puts qualified agencies and January and July maintenance certificates into the template states copy. DGFS, MHA
18 January 2024
Uttar Pradesh's Rules 2024 license qualified agencies on Form A-6. UP Rules 2024
12 June 2025
Maharashtra doubles the agency licence to 2 years and requires a qualified signatory. Amendment Rules 2025
3 July 2025
Goa's licensed-agency notification of 23 June 2025 is published. Goa Gazette 2025
10 September 2025
Puducherry's G.O.Ms.No.61 creates licensed agencies with 3-year licences. Puducherry G.O. 61
23 October 2025
Tripura invites fire engineers to be empanelled as inspection agencies. Tripura Home (F&ES)
4 November 2025
Odisha sets Classes A to E and empanelled auditors for January and July audits. Odisha Home Dept
24 November 2025
Chhattisgarh adds rules 37A and 37B on licensed third-party auditors. CG Home Dept
17 December 2025
Sikkim's Rules 2025 set the Rs 5,000 Qualified Third Party Agency licence. Sikkim F&ES Rules 2025
20 January 2026
Telangana's G.O.Ms.No.15 replaces its 2023 empanelment guidelines with immediate effect. G.O.Ms.No.15
27 January 2026
Ladakh's Notice 01 of 2026 opens Class A to D applications, to 17 February 2026. Ladakh F&RS notice
6 May 2026
Chandigarh gets section 55A licensed agencies through S.O. 2264(E). Gazette of India
29 June 2026
Andhra Pradesh extends audit-agency applications to 15 July 2026. AP audit empanelment
11 July 2026
Maharashtra updates the Form M application and checklist. MFS Form M
20 May 2027
Delhi's Fire Safety Auditor panel is due to start, after a 270-day deferral. Delhi Gazette

Goa's rule reserving fire work to licensed agencies, in its own words

Word for word

No person or entity other than a Licensed Agency shall carry out the installation, certification, or auditing of fire prevention and life safety measures in any premises or building.

Notification 3/13/2024-HD(G)/1653 of 23 June 2025, clause 1(a), Official Gazette of Goa, Series I No. 14, 3 July 2025 Goa Gazette 2025

Clause 3(b) adds that no agency may issue an audit certificate unless the systems are "genuinely compliant, functional, and well-maintained". Almost every regime on this page has the same two-part structure: a monopoly on the work, and a duty not to certify what is not there. Maharashtra puts the first in section 10 of its 2006 Act, Chhattisgarh the second in rule 37A(2)(b).

How to check a fire agency's licence before you hire it

An owner who files a certificate from an unlicensed or lapsed agency files nothing. These 6 checks take minutes.

1. Ask for the licence and read its type and class
Maharashtra licenses each system type separately, so a Class D detection licence does not cover your hydrant pumps; Chhattisgarh lets only Grade A auditors inspect high-risk buildings. CG Fire NOC
2. Find the firm on the published list
Maharashtra's list valid to 03.07.2028 and Puducherry's list of 6 are the only public ones; elsewhere ask the fire office to confirm the licence number. MFS
3. Check the blacklist
Maharashtra publishes a suspended or blacklisted list beside the approved one; Delhi will remove auditors who default twice. MFS blacklist
4. Check the dates
A Maharashtra licence lasts 2 years; MFS may still accept a Form A or B up to 3 months after it expires, but no longer. MFS Form B guidelines
5. Check the signature
Maharashtra's Form B must carry the same digital signature as the agency's licence, without the MFS logo and without added words. MFS Form B guidelines
6. Keep one agency per system
Maharashtra's 2026 guidelines allow one agency per system group for the whole building, not one per floor or shop. MFS Form B guidelines

What a licensed fire agency or auditor risks for a false certificate

The penalty falls on the agency, not only the owner, and runs from licence suspension to 5 years in prison.

Offence	Penalty	Law
A false Form A or Form B certificate (Maharashtra)	Rigorous imprisonment of 6 months to 3 years and a fine of Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000; licence suspended or cancelled	Sections 36 and 9(4), 2006 Act Maharashtra Act 2006
A licensed agency knowingly furnishing a false Fire Safety Certificate (West Bengal)	3 years, extendable to 5, or Rs 20,000 extendable to Rs 5 lakh, or both	Section 11K, 1950 Act Indian Kanoonnews report
A licensed agency's false certificate (Nagaland)	Up to Rs 5 lakh or 5 years	Section 27(B)(g), Act 2023 Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Nagaland
A Fire Safety Auditor's deviation or falsification (Delhi, from 20 May 2027)	Rs 2 lakh (L-1), Rs 5 lakh (L-2) or Rs 10 lakh (L-3) within 15 days, else removal; blacklisting on a second default	Seventh Schedule, Table 2(c) DFS
A qualified agency's misconduct (Uttar Pradesh)	Suspension up to 1 year or permanent debarment, after a Form A-7 notice	Rule 53, Rules 2024 UP Rules 2024
A qualified agency involved in misrepresentation (Punjab)	Rs 3,000 per instance	Section 44, Act 12 of 2024 Punjab Gazette
A fraudulent certificate by a fire safety audit agency (Tamil Nadu, not yet in force)	Up to Rs 1 lakh	Section 32(8), Act 37 of 2025 Government of Tamil Nadu, Gazette Extraordinary No. 263, 6 June 2025
Certifying without actual compliance (Chandigarh)	Licence suspended or cancelled after a hearing	Section 55A(3) and (5) Gazette of India

Owners carry their own penalties for filing a false certificate or none at all; those are on the fire NOC penalties page.

Six mistakes that sink a fire agency licence application

Most refusals start in the paperwork, not the inspection. These come from the published checklists.

If Counting trading sales in the turnover
Maharashtra's chartered accountant certificate (Proforma B) counts only installation and AMC work; trading turnover must be left out. MFS Form M
If Applying for one licence to cover every system
File a separate Form M for each type of work: fire fighting, detection or passive protection. MFS Form M
If Renewing at the last minute
Maharashtra wants a complete renewal 2 months before expiry, Goa 1 month before. MFS Form M
If Registering under two names
The Form M declaration bars registration with MFS or any municipal body under more than one name. MFS Form M
If A blacklisting anywhere in India
Goa, Ladakh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra all refuse a firm, partner or director blacklisted by any government body, and ask for an affidavit saying so. Goa Gazette 2025
If Waiting for a Haryana or Chandigarh form
Neither has published an application form or fee; check the state page before preparing a file. Gazette of India

Dos and don'ts for owners hiring a licensed fire agency or auditor

The rules on whom an owner may hire differ by state; 4 of each.

Do

Pick a Chhattisgarh auditor whose grade covers your risk tier, and agree the fee before selecting: the portal allows no switch. Fire and Emergency Services and SDRF, Chhattisgarh
In Lakshadweep, use an agency empanelled in any other state or UT: rule 14(2) treats it as empanelled in the islands. Lakshadweep Gazette Extraordinary Vol. LXII No. 42, 3 September 2026
In Delhi from 20 May 2027, rotate auditors: one may not do the next 2 consecutive certifications for the same building. DFS
In Maharashtra, give a month's notice and take the old agency's No-Objection before changing agency. MFS Form B guidelines

Don’t

Don't hire a Delhi Fire Safety Auditor to issue a certificate yet; the Seventh Schedule starts on 20 May 2027. Delhi Gazette
Don't buy a Tamil Nadu Category B certificate from an "audit agency": no empanelment has been called under section 32. Government of Tamil Nadu, Gazette Extraordinary No. 263, 6 June 2025
Don't appoint your installer, or your own Licensed Agency, as your Gujarat Fire Safety Officer: regulations 6.6 and 6.7 bar it. Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
Don't accept a Maharashtra Form B on letterhead with a stamp: it needs the licence's digital signature (circular of 15 February 2022). MFS Form B guidelines

Fire license agency myths, checked against the rules

You may have read
A Maharashtra agency licence lasts 1 year.
Myth
What the sources say
It has lasted 2 years since the Amendment Rules of 12 June 2025. Amendment Rules 2025
You may have read
A licensed agency can issue the fire NOC itself.
Myth
What the sources say
Punjab's section 27(2) forbids delegating that power to a Qualified Agency; in Delhi an auditor will issue the certificate only from 20 May 2027. Punjab Gazette
You may have read
A licensed agency can also do Maharashtra's 2-yearly fire audit.
Myth
What the sources say
The section 45A audit needs a separately licensed Fire and Life Safety Auditor, on Form W and Form X. Amendment Rules 2025
You may have read
A "fire licence" and a fire agency licence are the same thing.
Myth
What the sources say
West Bengal's Fire Licence Rules, 2004 license premises that store or process hazardous goods, for 1 year at a time; the agency licence is a separate paper under section 11F. WB Licence Rules 2004
You may have read
In Haryana the owner chooses the certifying agency.
Myth
What the sources say
Under the policy notified on 9 December 2025, as reported, the online system allots an empanelled agency at random. The News Millnews report

Which fire agency licence or empanelment does your firm need? 6 cases

If You install or maintain hydrants, sprinklers or alarms in Maharashtra
A Licensed Agency licence on Form M for each system type, Class A to D by turnover, valid 2 years. Maharashtra Fire License Agency MFS Form M
If You want to audit Maharashtra's section 45 buildings every 2 years
A Fire and Life Safety Auditor licence: Form W with Rs 25,000, licence on Form X. Fire Audit Amendment Rules 2025
If You sign the January and July Form B for societies
The Maharashtra agency licence, with a rule 12 qualified person signing, and a digital signature matching the licence. Form B Fire NOC Maharashtra Amendment Rules 2025
If You audit buildings in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Telangana or Andhra Pradesh
That state's auditor empanelment: a Grade in Chhattisgarh, Class E in Odisha, G.O.Ms.No.15 in Telangana, the DG's call in Andhra Pradesh. Third-Party Fire Audit Odisha Home Dept
If You are a fire engineer planning to audit in Delhi
Form U online once the Seventh Schedule starts on 20 May 2027, at L-1, L-2 or L-3, with indemnity cover. Fire NOC Delhi DFS
If You work in several states
One licence per state; only Lakshadweep accepts another state's empanelment, and Puducherry already licenses firms from Telangana and Tamil Nadu. Fire NOC Puducherry Lakshadweep Gazette Extraordinary Vol. LXII No. 42, 3 September 2026

Fire license agency terms, from Form M to Fire Safety Auditor

The 10 words and forms the licensing rules use.

Licensed Agency: A firm licensed by the Director to install and maintain fire systems; in Maharashtra section 10 reserves that work to it. Maharashtra Act 2006
Form M: Maharashtra's application for a Licensed Agency licence, with a Rs 20 court-fee stamp, updated on 11.07.26. MFS Form M
Form N: The Maharashtra agency licence itself, valid 2 years. Amendment Rules 2025
Solvency certificate: A bank's certificate that the firm can meet a stated sum: Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 15 lakh by class. MFS Form M
Proforma B: The chartered accountant's certificate of fire-work turnover, with a UDIN, that sets a Maharashtra agency's class. MFS Form M
Qualified Agency: The Model Bill's term; in Uttar Pradesh licensed on Form A-6, in Manipur defined only by qualification. UP Rules 2024
Third Party Auditor (TPA): Chhattisgarh's licensed auditor, Grades A to D, licensed for 2 years (rule 37A). CG Home Dept
Qualified Third Party Agency: Sikkim's licensed agency that certifies larger buildings on Form A2. Sikkim F&ES Rules 2025
Fire and Life Safety System Integrator: Telangana's empanelled installer under G.O.Ms.No.15, beside its third-party auditors. G.O.Ms.No.15
Fire Safety Auditor (FSA): Delhi's empanelled auditor, Levels L-1 to L-3, registered for 3 years on Form U, from 20 May 2027. DFS

Where fire license agency lists and applications are published

9 official pages carry a list, an application or the rules for agencies, as checked on 24 and 25 October 2026.

Maharashtra
MFS license services
Form M and checklist, the approved list valid to 03.07.2028 and the suspended or blacklisted list MFS
mahafireservice.gov.in/license-services.php
Maharashtra
MFS fire auditor page
Approved Fire and Life Safety Auditor lists and the Form W application MFS
mahafireservice.gov.in/fire-auditor.php
Puducherry
Empaneled Agency for Third Party Fire Safety Audit
The 6 licensed agencies with their licence certificates Puducherry Fire Service
fire.py.gov.in/empaneled-agency-third-party-fire-safety-audit
Chhattisgarh
TPA documents and fees
Grades A to D with solvency, bank guarantee and fee CG Fire NOC
firenoc.cg.gov.in/Print.aspx?file=financial-rule
Odisha
Apply for Third Party License
Form-XVIII with its 16 document heads OFES third-party licence
odishafire.odisha.gov.in/dashboard/service-details/MzU=
Telangana
Fire Audit module
Registration for owners and third parties, and the yearly or six-monthly audit uploads TGFD Fire Audit
fire.telangana.gov.in/FireAudit/FireAuditLogin.aspx
Delhi
Form U
Fire Safety Auditor empanelment form, posted 2 July 2026 DFS
dfs.delhi.gov.in/dfs/form-u
Ladakh
Licensed Agency Notice 01 of 2026
Class A to D call and the Form I application Ladakh F&RS notice
cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s395192c98732387165bf8e396c0f2dad2/uploads/2026/01/202601271248965211.pdf
Tripura
Empanelment notification of 23 October 2025
Licence terms, fees and service charges for inspection agencies Tripura Home (F&ES)
fireservice.tripura.gov.in/sites/default/files/2025-10/Notification%20for%20EOI%20Final%20%281%29.pdf

Four firms seeking a fire agency licence or empanelment, worked through

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

Flamekite's own working from the published rules, for firms we describe; not a licensing decision.

Case 1
A Pune hydrant and sprinkler contractor
Rs 350 lakh of fire-fighting installation and AMC work in 2024-25, no detection work.
What applies Over Rs 300 lakh but under Rs 500 lakh: Class B fire fighting on Form M. Fee Rs 15,000, solvency Rs 10 lakh, licence 2 years. Detection work needs a second application. MFS Form M
Case 2
The same contractor bidding in Leh
A hotel job worth about Rs 800 lakh.
What applies Ladakh Class B allows jobs up to Rs 1,000 lakh: Form I, fee Rs 15,000, solvency Rs 10 lakh, a 1-year Form II licence. Gazette notification S.O. 140
Case 3
A Raipur audit firm targeting hospitals
Wants to audit high-risk buildings above 15 m.
What applies Only Grade A may: fee Rs 25,000, solvency Rs 15 lakh, bank guarantee Rs 1.5 lakh, licence 2 years. CG Fire NOC
Case 4
A Delhi B.E. (Fire) graduate with 1 year's experience
Wants to certify shops and offices under 15 m.
What applies Level L-1 from 20 May 2027: Rs 10,000 for 3 years, Rs 10 lakh indemnity, 3 days' training, Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 per certification. DFS

Licensed fire agency and auditor schemes reported, not yet published

From news reports, not yet an official source.

Two schemes rest only on press or compliance-service reports; the instruments were not found on the fire services' sites by 25 October 2026.

15 December 2025
ANI reports Haryana's Fire Safety Certificate policy: empanelled agencies allotted at random, certificates issued online, to be fully in place by 31 March 2026. The News Millnews report
16 December 2025
PTI reports the same policy, notified on 9 December 2025: a lead member with a B.E. (Fire) and 4 years, 25% re-checks by a Fire Officer and 10% by the Joint Director within 30 days. The Weeknews report
13 October 2026
TeamLease RegTech reports Chhattisgarh Notice No. 688 of 6 October 2026, reopening third-party auditor registration all year for a Rs 25,000 fee and a 2-year licence. TeamLease RegTechnews report

What Flamekite could not confirm about licensed fire agencies

Six gaps no official source we read closes, as of 25 October 2026.

Telangana's terms. G.O.Ms.No.15 of 20 January 2026 puts the auditor and integrator rules, the Licensed Agency application and the January and July certificate in Annexures I to V, but the published 2-page copy carries none of them, so its qualifications, fees and term are not known.

Who is on the panels. Apart from Maharashtra's 861-row list and Puducherry's 6, no state publishes its licensed or empanelled firms; Telangana's sit behind a login and West Bengal's 16 shortlisted bidders of December 2025 were never confirmed in a final list.

Haryana's policy text. The 9 December 2025 guidelines, their number and the empanelled list were reported but not published.

Goa's licence term. Notification 1653 grants a licence for an initial 3 years in clause 2(c) and calls it valid for 1 year in clause 7(a).

The Bihar Fire Adviser fee. Rule 21 points to Schedule G of the 2021 Rules, which we did not read.

Chandigarh's licence fee and form. Section 55A leaves both to rules; the draft 2026 Rules had not been notified.

Questions about fire license agencies

What is a fire license agency?: A firm or person licensed or empanelled by a state fire service to install, maintain, audit or certify fire systems. In Maharashtra only such a Licensed Agency may do the work, and it signs the Form A at installation and the Form B every January and July that the owner files.
Where can I find the fire license agency list?: Only two states publish one. Maharashtra's list, on the MFS license services page, prints 861 rows under 847 serial numbers, valid to 03.07.2028, with a separate suspended or blacklisted list. Puducherry lists 6 licensed third-party audit agencies. Elsewhere, ask the fire office to confirm an agency's licence number.
How do I get a fire agency licence in Maharashtra?: Apply to the Director, MFS on Form M with a Rs 20 court-fee stamp, a separate form for each system type. Your class (A to D) depends on turnover in one of the last 3 years; pay Rs 25,000 to Rs 2,500 by NEFT within 10 days and show a solvency certificate of Rs 15 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh.
How long is a fire agency licence valid?: It depends on the state: 1 year in Ladakh and Tripura, 2 years in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Chandigarh, 3 years in West Bengal and Puducherry, and 3 years for Delhi's auditors from 2027. Goa's notification says both 3 years and 1 year.
What is the difference between a fire NOC and a fire license?: A fire NOC is the fire service's certificate for a building. A "fire licence" can mean two other things: a premises licence for hazardous trades, as under West Bengal's Fire Licence Rules, 2004 or Tamil Nadu's 1985 Act, or the licence a fire agency holds to install and certify systems.
Can a fire agency licensed in one state work in another?: Usually not without a second licence: each state licenses its own agencies. Lakshadweep is the exception, treating an agency empanelled in any state or UT as empanelled there, and Puducherry has licensed firms based in Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
How do I check whether a fire agency is blacklisted?: In Maharashtra, read the List of License Suspended or Blacklisted on the MFS license services page; it held 1 agency in October 2026. In Puducherry, check the notice board for suspension orders. Other states publish no blacklist, so ask the fire office in writing.
Who can become a fire safety auditor in Delhi?: From 20 May 2027, an individual or firm empanelled on Form U: Level L-1 needs a B.E. (Fire) with 1 year, or a graduate with the NFSC Sub-Officer course or IFE Graduateship. Fees are Rs 10,000 to Rs 30,000 for 3 years, with Rs 10 lakh to Rs 30 lakh indemnity cover.

Keep reading

Fire license agency in MaharashtraForm M, Classes A to D, the 861-row agency list and the blacklist in full.
Fire auditWhich audit each state requires, how often and by whom.
Third-party fire auditEvery state's empanelled auditor regime, compared.
Form B fire certificateThe January and July certificate a Maharashtra licensed agency signs.
Fire fighting contractorsInstallation and AMC by licensed agencies.
Fire audit consultantsThe audit your state requires, by an auditor it accepts.
Fire NOC penaltiesWhat owners risk without a valid certificate.
Fire NOC validityHow long each state's certificate lasts, and the filings between renewals.

Keep exploring

The codes and laws behind it

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