Is a fire NOC mandatory for a guest house?

Only above your state's line, which is usually lower than for houses. Delhi covers guest houses over 12 m or with 4 or more storeys, Puducherry from ground plus 2 floors, Telangana above 18 m, and Goa and Shillong at any size. Below the line a guest house still needs the minimum systems its state sets.

What is the fire NOC rule for a guest house in Delhi?

Rule 27(3) of the Delhi Fire Service Rules, as substituted on 26 May 2026, covers hotels and guest houses over 12 m or of 4 or more storeys, counting mezzanine and stilt floors. DFS then issues a Fire Safety Certificate; a 2025 guest-house certificate ran 3 years.

Which NBC occupancy is a guest house?

Group A-1, lodging and rooming houses, which NBC 2016 says includes guest houses. Hotels up to four-star are A-5. Kerala's building rules use their own Group A2 for lodging houses.

What fire equipment does a small guest house need?

It depends on the state and height. A 9-room Delhi guest house was checked for 10 extinguishers, a 30 m hose reel on each floor, carbon monoxide detection, a manual alarm and a 180 litre a minute terrace pump. In Maharashtra a lodging house below 15 m needs extinguishers and, above ground plus 1, a 5,000 litre terrace tank.

How long is a guest house fire NOC valid?

2 years in Odisha, 3 years in Delhi (the hotels term), Puducherry and Meghalaya, and 5 years in Goa. Delhi moves to a certificate valid until cancelled, with a yearly Form K, from 20 May 2027.

Do I need a fire NOC to register a guest house with tourism?

In Goa yes, for registration and every renewal since 13 January 2026. Sikkim's guest-house document list asks for a NOC from the Fire department, and J&K guest houses take a Final Registration NOC. Himachal's tourism form lists no fire NOC.

How much does a guest house fire NOC cost?

Few states publish a rate. Goa's initial NOC is free and its licence fee is Rs 10 per m² for lodging above 50 persons; Meghalaya charges Rs 4 per m²; Chandigarh Rs 6,615 or Rs 14 per m²; Telangana Rs 10 per m². Uttar Pradesh and Puducherry charge nothing.

Can a Delhi guest house use all its floors?

Only the floors its certificate names. DFS renewed one Paharganj guest house in 2025 for use up to the 2nd floor only, on the owner's affidavit not to use the floors above.

Fire NOC 27 min read

Fire NOC for a guest house: the line in each state, the systems, fees and steps

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

Quick answer

A guest house needs a fire NOC above 12 m or 4 storeys in Delhi, from G+2 in Puducherry and at any size in Goa and Shillong. Fire law treats it as lodging, not as a home: NBC 2016 puts guest houses in Group A-1, and Delhi, Himachal, Manipur, Chhattisgarh and Odisha draw a 12 m line for them, lower than the 15 m line for houses and flats.

Below the line a guest house still owes fire systems. A 2025 Delhi certificate for a 9-room guest house asked for 10 extinguishers, a hose reel on every floor, carbon monoxide detection and a terrace pump, and capped the use at the 2nd floor. Uttar Pradesh rates a guest house of 25 rooms as moderate risk at any height, and Goa and Sikkim ask for a fire NOC before tourism registration.

Delhi line for guest houses: 12 m or 4 storeys; Mezzanine and stilt floors count; 10 cases
Term of a 2025 Delhi guest-house certificate: 3 years; The hotels term, not the 5-year home term; The inspection report
Rooms that make a UP guest house moderate risk: 25; Or 12 m, 4 floors or 3 stars; Worked cases
Goa fee for lodging above 50 persons: Rs 10 per m²; The initial NOC is free; Fee schedules

Free fire NOC check

Free, on WhatsApp. Or set a renewal reminder

Fire NOC for a guest house at a glance: 10 facts

What the codes, rules and a real certificate say about guest houses, each with its source.
What	The rule	Source
Code class	A-1 lodging and rooming houses, a group that names guest houses (NBC 2016, clause 3.1.2); hotels up to four-star are A-5	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Code class from 2026	A-I lodging and rooming houses; A-IV hotels up to four-star (NBCS 2026 Part F, voluntary)	BIS, SP 7:2026
Delhi line	Over 12 m, or 4 or more storeys counting mezzanine and stilt floors (Rule 27(3), 26 May 2026)	DFS
Uttar Pradesh risk class	Moderate from 12 m, 4 floors, 3 stars or 25 guest rooms (Form A-14, 2024 Rules)	UP Rules 2024
Puducherry class	Category B from G+2: audit certificates from 2 licensed agencies, a yearly inspection, a 3-year NOC	Puducherry G.O. 61
Goa tourism rule	A valid DFES NOC for registering or renewing a hotel or homestay, since 13 January 2026	Goa Tourism order
Kerala line	Group A2 lodging over 1,000 m² or over 15 m (KMBR rule 5(4))	KMBR amendment 2025
Maharashtra, below 15 m	Lodging (A-1): extinguishers, sprinklers in a basement over 200 m², a 5,000 litre terrace tank above G+1	MH Act 2023 Schedule-I
A real Delhi certificate	9 guest rooms, use capped at the 2nd floor, valid 3 years from 1 January 2025	DFS certificate 2025
Last verified	25 October 2026, against each instrument and certificate named on this page	Not stated

Guest house fire NOC lines in 19 states and UTs, from the instruments

When a guest house or lodging house needs the fire certificate, how long it lasts, and the instrument that says so. Where the instrument is silent, the cell says so.
Option	When a guest house is covered	Term or renewal	Instrument	Source
Delhi	Over 12 m, or 4 or more storeys counting mezzanine and stilt floors	3 years for hotels until 20 May 2027; then valid until cancelled, with a yearly Form K	DFS Rules 2010, Rule 27(3) as substituted on 26 May 2026	DFS
Maharashtra	Lodging (A-1) has its own Schedule-I row from below 15 m; no lodging house above 45 m	Not set in Schedule-I	Act of 2006, Schedule-I as substituted in 2023	MH Act 2023 Schedule-I
Uttar Pradesh	Moderate risk at 12 m, 4 floors counting basements, 3 stars or 25 guest rooms	Rule 44 gives hotels 1 year; it does not name guest houses	Rules 2024, Forms A-14 and A-15	UP Rules 2024
Puducherry	Category B at G+2 and above	3 years, with 2 agency audit certificates on display and a yearly inspection	G.O.Ms.No.61, 10 September 2025	Puducherry G.O. 61
Goa	Any hotel; non-classified lodging under 15 m is a 10-day service for up to 15 or 25 rooms	5 years under the notification of 23 June 2025	RTS gazette of 3 November 2022, services 99 and 102	Goa Gazette 2022
Kerala	Group A2 lodging over 1,000 m² or over 15 m; 300 to 1,000 m² files Appendix L instead	Not in rule 5(4)	KMBR rule 5(4), items 12 and 13, as amended in 2025	KMBR amendment 2025
Telangana	Lodging and rooming houses above 18 m	Once in 5 years, risk class R4	Circular Rc.No.4039-2/EODB/2015, 5 March 2016	TSDRFS circular 2016
Karnataka	No lodging line found; the Act's high-rise line is 21 m for any occupancy	No renewal published	Karnataka Fire Force Act, section 13(3)	CaseMinestudy
Himachal Pradesh	Hotels and guest houses more than 12 m or ground plus 3 upper storeys	Not stated	Section 9 notification of 23 July 2019, item 4	HP Home notification
Chhattisgarh	Hotels, lodgings and guest houses of 12 m, 500 m² built-up or 3 stars	Not in this notification	Section 14(1) notification of 29 November 2022	Home Department, Chhattisgarh
Odisha	Hotels, lodgings and guest houses of 12 m, 500 m² or 3 stars	2 years; the district Assistant Fire Officer signs below 3 stars	Order 50908 of 2019	Order 50908 of 2019
Manipur	Hotels and guest houses more than 12 m or G+3, mezzanine included	3 years, hotels included	Act 9 of 2026, in force 14 September 2026	Government of Manipur
Nagaland	Hotels and guest houses more than 12 m; the G+3 words carry no "or"	Not read for this page	Act 5 of 2023, section 21(1)	Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Nagaland
Meghalaya	Any lodge or homestay in Shillong and adjoining areas	3 years since July 2025	Notification HPL.127/2023/43 of 26 September 2024	HPL.127/2023/43
Mizoram	Lodging houses are a Third Schedule class; up to 15 rooms under 15 m need extinguishers only	Not in the schedule	Amendment Rules of 20 August 2026	Mizoram Home Dept
Lakshadweep	Guest houses and tourist stays of 30 or more rooms	5 years under rule 12	Rules 2026, rules 8 and 11(2)	Lakshadweep Gazette Extraordinary Vol. LXII No. 42, 3 September 2026
Punjab	No guest-house line found; the 2021 fee letter prices hotels in Zone 2	Not stated in the letter	Letter No. S4-DSMS-(Fire)-2021/41343 of 8 October 2021	Local Govt Punjab
Rajasthan	No guest-house line; every building above 15 m is high risk	Not published	UDH model building regulations, 2025	Rajasthan UDH
Jammu and Kashmir	Hotels and guest houses take a Final Registration NOC (Ganderbal's service list)	Not shown	District Ganderbal fire services page, 2022	District Ganderbal

How to get a fire NOC for a guest house: 8 steps

Fix the class the officer will record
Decide whether the building is a guest house or lodging house (NBC A-1, Kerala A2) or a hotel (A-5). In Maharashtra the class changes the systems below 15 m, so settle it with your architect before drawing anything.
Measure height and count storeys the state's way
Delhi counts mezzanine and stilt floors as storeys; Uttar Pradesh also counts basements. A ground, mezzanine and 3-floor guest house is 5 storeys in Delhi.
Count rooms and stars
25 guest rooms make a UP guest house moderate risk at any height, 30 rooms bring a Lakshadweep guest house under the provisional certificate, and Goa sorts lodging by 15 and 25 rooms.
Check what your tourism or trade registration asks
Goa and Sikkim list a fire NOC among the documents for a hotel or guest house; a J&K guest house takes a Final Registration NOC. Get the fire paper before you file the registration.
Have the fire plan drawn and the systems installed
In Puducherry a Category B building needs a fire plan by a licensed agency on the building plan. Install the systems your class and height call for, and keep the installer's test records.
Apply online with the room count
Upload the plans, ownership proof and the occupancy floor by floor. Puducherry's form asks for the rooms of a lodging house; Delhi's certificate lists the rooms on each floor.
Be present at the inspection
DFS inspected a 9-room guest house against 20 heads with the owner present. Expect the officer to cap the floors you may use if the stairs or exits fall short.
Diary the renewal and the yearly filings
Delhi asks for renewal six months before expiry, UP 1 month before on Form A-11. Use the renewal date calculator, and file Delhi's Form K every year from 20 May 2027.

Where a guest house sits in the fire codes: NBC A-1, Kerala A2, Delhi's 3 years

Fire codes do not treat a guest house as a home. The class decides which line and which systems apply.

A-1, NBC 2016: Lodging and rooming houses: inns, clubs, motels and guest houses. A lodging house where no room is let to more than 3 persons counts as an A-2 dwelling. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
A-2, NBC 2016: One or two-family private dwellings sleeping up to 20 persons. It is not the guest house class. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
A-5 and A-6, NBC 2016: Hotels up to four-star (A-5) and starred hotels of five stars and above (A-6). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
A-I and A-IV, NBCS 2026: The 2026 code's names for lodging houses and hotels up to four-star; the code is voluntary and Part F renumbers the groups. BIS, SP 7:2026
A2, Kerala: "Lodging houses and special residential" in rule 25(1) of the Kerala building rules: Kerala's own group, not NBC's A-2. KMBR amendment 2025
Residential A-1, Delhi: The occupancy DFS wrote on a guest-house certificate of 1 January 2025, which it issued for 3 years, the term for hotels. DFS certificate 2025
Hotels, lodgings and guest houses, UP: One heading in Form A-14 of the 2024 Rules, with its own 12 m, 4-floor and 25-room lines. UP Rules 2024

Delhi Rule 27(3): the guest house line in the 2026 text

Delhi's substituted Rule 27 has separate items for homes and for hotels and guest houses. The guest house line is lower by 3 m and by 1 storey.

Word for word

(2) Residential buildings (other than hotels and guest houses) having height more than 15 meters or comprised of Five or more stories, including mezzanine/stilt floor above ground level. (3) Hotels and guest houses building having height more than 12 meters or comprised of four or more stories, including mezzanine/stilt floor above ground level.

Delhi Fire Service (Amendment) Rules, 2025, rule 27 as substituted, in force on publication on 26 May 2026 DFS

The DFS FAQ page still prints the 2010 wording, "having height more than 12 meters having ground plus three upper stories", without the "or". The gazetted 2026 text is the one in force: either test alone brings a guest house in.

Does your guest house need a fire NOC? 10 cases

Find the first line that fits your building. Crossing any one test in your state is enough.

If Delhi, over 12 m or 4 storeys, counting mezzanine and stilt
Yes: a DFS Fire Safety Certificate. The line for guest houses is 12 m or 4 storeys, against 15 m or 5 storeys for homes. Fire NOC Delhi DFS
If Puducherry, ground plus 2 floors or more
Category B: a fire plan by a licensed agency at plan stage, audit certificates from 2 agencies, a yearly inspection and a NOC for 3 years. Fire NOC Puducherry Puducherry G.O. 61
If Puducherry, a non-residential ground plus 1
Category C: a self-attested statement on the portal generates the fire safety protocol certificate; a quarter may be inspected. Puducherry G.O. 61
If Uttar Pradesh, 25 guest rooms or more, or 12 m, 4 floors or 3 stars
Moderate risk in Form A-14. 100 rooms or 4 stars also need a Fire Safety Officer round the clock. Fire NOC UP UP Rules 2024
If Goa, a guest house registering with Tourism
Yes, at any size: a valid DFES NOC is a document for new registration and every renewal since 13 January 2026. Fire NOC Goa Goa Tourism order
If Shillong and adjoining areas
Yes, at any size: hotels, lodges, homestays and resorts need a fire NOC under the notification of 26 September 2024. Fire NOC Meghalaya HPL.127/2023/43
If Kerala, lodging over 1,000 m² or over 15 m
Yes. Between 300 m² and 1,000 m², up to 15 m, the owner files an Appendix L self-declaration with a copy to the nearest fire station. Fire NOC Kerala KMBR amendment 2025
If Telangana, above 18 m
Yes: lodging and rooming houses are covered above 18 m. The 24 m change of 7 October 2026 is for apartments only. Fire NOC Telangana TGFD circular 3455
If Himachal, Manipur or Nagaland, more than 12 m
Yes. Himachal and Manipur also catch ground plus 3 upper storeys; Nagaland's text has no "or" before G+3. Fire NOC Himachal Pradesh HP Home notification
If Below every line in your state
No certificate, but your state's minimum systems still apply. In Maharashtra a lodging house below 15 m keeps extinguishers and, above G+1, a 5,000 litre terrace tank. Do I need a fire NOC? MH Act 2023 Schedule-I

Maharashtra guest house systems below 15 m: lodging (A-1) or hotel (A-5)

Schedule-I of the Maharashtra Act sets the systems by class and height. Below 15 m a guest house recorded as lodging needs far less than one recorded as a hotel. Read off the 2023 gazette's page images.

	Extinguishers	Hose reel	Alarm and detection	Sprinklers	Terrace tank	Terrace pump
Lodging (A-1), below 15 m MH Act 2023 Schedule-I	Required	Not required	Neither required	Only in a basement over 200 m²	5,000 litres above ground plus 1	Not required
Lodging (A-1), 15 m to 35 m MH Act 2023 Schedule-I	Required	Required, with a down comer	Manual alarm required	Only in a basement over 200 m²	25,000 litres	900 litres a minute
Lodging (A-1), above 35 m to 45 m MH Act 2023 Schedule-I	Required	Required, with a wet riser	Manual alarm and automatic detection	Required (Notes 4 and 15(a))	5,000 litres, plus a 75,000 litre underground tank	Pumps at the underground tank (Note 10)
Hotel (A-5), below 15 m, no floor over 500 m² MH Act 2023 Schedule-I	Required	Required	Manual alarm required	Only in a basement over 200 m²	5,000 litres, 5,000 more with a large basement	450 litres a minute
Hotel (A-5), below 15 m, a floor of 500 m² to 1,000 m² MH Act 2023 Schedule-I	Required	Required, with a down comer	Manual alarm and automatic detection	Only in a basement over 200 m²	20,000 litres	450 litres a minute

Note 3(d) of the Schedule bars lodging houses (A-1) above 45 m. Note 10's pump set is one 2,280 litre a minute electric pump, one diesel standby and one 180 litre a minute jockey per 100 hydrants.

Guest house fire NOC worked cases: 7 buildings

Each case applies one state's instrument to a described building. The first is a real certificate; the rest are Flamekite's worked examples.

Case 1
A 9-room guest house in Paharganj, Delhi
Ground, mezzanine and 3 upper floors, built in 1982; 4 guest rooms on the 1st floor and 5 on the 2nd.
What applies DFS renewed its certificate from 1 January 2025 for 3 years, for use up to the 2nd floor only, on the owner's 2022 affidavit not to use the floors above. Counting the mezzanine it has 5 storeys. DFS certificate 2025
Case 2
A 28-room guest house in Lucknow, 11 m, 3 floors
Lodging under 12 m and under 4 floors.
What applies Moderate risk in Form A-14 all the same, because it has 25 guest rooms or more. UP Rules 2024
Case 3
A ground plus 2 guest house in Puducherry
Lodging on 3 floors.
What applies Category B: the building plan carries a licensed agency's fire plan, no separate plan-stage NOC is issued, and at occupancy the chosen empanelled agency reports. The NOC lasts 3 years. Puducherry G.O. 61
Case 4
A 20-room lodging house in Calangute, Goa, 10 m
Non-classified lodging under 15 m.
What applies DFES service 99 (lodging up to 25 rooms): the Divisional Officer decides in 10 days. Tourism will not register or renew it without that NOC. Goa Gazette 2022
Case 5
A 900 m² lodging house in Kochi, 12 m
Group A2, under 1,000 m² and 15 m.
What applies No fire NOC. The owner signs Appendix L with an architect's or engineer's certificate and sends a copy to the nearest fire station. KMBR amendment 2025
Case 6
A 14 m, 4-floor lodging house in Pune
Recorded as lodging (A-1), no floor over 500 m², no basement.
What applies Extinguishers and a 5,000 litre terrace tank. Recorded as a hotel (A-5), the same building adds hose reels, a manual alarm and a 450 litre a minute terrace pump. MH Act 2023 Schedule-I
Case 7
A 16 m, 20-room guest house in Hyderabad
Lodging and rooming house.
What applies Below Telangana's 18 m lodging line, so no NOC under the 2016 circular; at 19 m it would renew once in 5 years as low risk. TSDRFS circular 2016

What DFS checked at a 9-room Delhi guest house: 12 report lines

The inspection report behind a DFS guest-house certificate of 1 January 2025 runs to 20 heads. These 12 lines show what an officer measured, read off the scanned pages.

Occupancy written floor by floor: reception and restaurant on the ground, 4 store rooms on the mezzanine, 9 guest rooms on floors 1 and 2, 2 staff rooms on floor 3 DFS certificate 2025
Road width at the gate: 4 m recorded DFS certificate 2025
Staircases: 1 required and 1 provided, running continuously to the terrace DFS certificate 2025
Stair width: 0.80 m required for this old building, 1.16 m found, marked "MR (Old case)" DFS certificate 2025
Extinguishers: 10 required and 10 found, ABC and CO2 types, ISI marked DFS certificate 2025
First-aid hose reel: 1 on each floor, 30 m of hose, 5 mm nozzle DFS certificate 2025
Automatic detection with CO-type detectors, a main panel, an alternate power source and hooters DFS certificate 2025
A manually operated electric fire alarm (MOEFA): required and provided DFS certificate 2025
A terrace pump of 180 litres a minute at 30 m head, with its own power supply and auto start DFS certificate 2025
Exit signs and standby power: required and provided DFS certificate 2025
Marked not applicable: sprinklers, hydrants, public address, lifts, refuge area and a fire control room DFS certificate 2025
The result: "substantial compliance" and a renewal recommended up to the 2nd floor, for 3 years, with a Form K declaration every year DFS certificate 2025

Tourism and trade registration for a guest house: 6 regimes

In some states the fire NOC is a document for registering the business, not only for the building. Here is what each regime asks.

Since 13 January 2026
Goa
A valid DFES NOC for new registration and every renewal of hotels, homestays and other tourist trades. Goa Tourism order
Form II, 2025 Rules
Sikkim
The document list for "Hotels / Lodge / Resort / Guest House" asks for a NOC from the Fire department, among others; registration runs 1 year and is renewed every year. Sikkim Tourist Trade Rules
Single window
Jammu and Kashmir
Ganderbal lists a Final Registration NOC for hotels, guest houses, restaurants and joinery mills: site plan, building plan, revenue record or rent deed, photograph and application. District Ganderbal
Shillong, 2024
Meghalaya
Every hotel, lodge, homestay and resort in Shillong and adjoining areas needs a compulsory fire NOC, with no size line. HPL.127/2023/43
No fire paper listed
Himachal Pradesh
The tourism unit registration form lists plans, completion reports and a Pollution Control Board NOC, but no fire NOC; the fire line comes from the 2019 notification instead. HP Tourism forms
Reported, June 2025
Delhi
News reports say Delhi withdrew the Delhi Police licence for hotels, motels and guest houses, leaving licensing to the MCD, NDMC or Cantonment Board; the fire certificate is unchanged. The Weeknews report

Guest house fire NOC fees in official schedules

Only a few states print a rate that reaches a guest house. Each line below is from an official schedule; where none is published, the line says so.

As published

Goa, initial NOCFreeThen Rs 10 per m² of built-up area for hotels and lodging for more than 50 persons DFES Goa
Goa, guest house up to 50 m²1 extinguisher and a Rs 100 stamp paperA self-declaration under Annexure III; 2 extinguishers from 50 m² to 100 m² DFES Goa charter
Meghalaya, guest house up to 40 personsRs 4 per m²Annual renewal fee Rs 500; Rs 1,000 for 40 to 100 persons Meghalaya F&ES
Chandigarh, lodging (A-1)Rs 6,615 or Rs 14 per m²Whichever is more; certificate 5 years since 6 May 2026; A-2 houses are exempt MCC Office Order 23
TelanganaRs 10 per m²Of total built-up area G.O.Ms.No.142
Kerala, hotels (A5, A6)Rs 40 per m²Minimum Rs 20,000; the A2 lodging rate was not confirmed for this page Kerala Fire and Rescue Services
Punjab, Zone 2 hotels up to 15 m on under 200 sq ydRs 10,0002021 letter; guest houses are not named in a zone Local Govt Punjab
DelhiNot published todayRs 1,000 with each yearly Form K from 20 May 2027 DFS
Uttar PradeshNilThe UP fire service dashboard lists no fee UP Fire dashboard
PuducherryFreeCitizen Charter: issue of a NOC or licence Fire Service Department, Puducherry

Fees are what the schedules print; your portal's demand note decides the amount. Consultant or agency charges are not fees and are not listed here. All state rates side by side are on the fire NOC fees page.

Guest house fire NOCs in numbers

The counts and lines a guest house owner meets most often, each from its source.

12 m
Guest house line in Delhi, where homes are covered only over 15 m DFS
18 m
Lodging line in Telangana TSDRFS circular 2016
25 rooms
Make a UP guest house moderate risk at any height UP Rules 2024
30 rooms
Bring a Lakshadweep guest house under the provisional certificate Lakshadweep Gazette Extraordinary Vol. LXII No. 42, 3 September 2026
45 m
Maharashtra's ceiling for a lodging house MH Act 2023 Schedule-I
5,163
Hotels and guest houses in Himachal Pradesh, December 2025 HP Tourism statistics
1,479
Guest-house fire NOCs issued in Goa in 2025, against 2,012 in 2023 (figures tabled in the Assembly, as reported) The Goannews report

Renewing a guest house fire certificate in 6 states

Terms run from 2 to 5 years for guest houses. Each stop is one state's renewal rule.

Delhi, until 20 May 2027
Renew six months before expiry. The 2025 guest-house certificate sends the renewal to the MHA portal and asks for a Form K declaration every year. DFS certificate 2025
Delhi, from 20 May 2027
The certificate stays valid until cancelled, kept alive by a yearly online Form K with Rs 1,000; the start was deferred by the gazette of 16 October 2026. Delhi Gazette
Uttar Pradesh
Apply on Form A-11 at least 1 month before expiry, and file the Form A-8 maintenance certificate every January and July. UP Rules 2024
Puducherry
A Category B NOC is renewed every 3 years; keep the QR-coded NOC on display and hold 1 fire drill a year under the department's supervision. Puducherry G.O. 61
Goa
A NOC lasts 5 years under the Home Department notification of 23 June 2025. Government of Goa, Official Gazette Series II No. 14, 3 July 2025
Odisha and Telangana
Odisha's lodging and guest-house certificate runs 2 years; Telangana renews lodging above 18 m once in 5 years. Order 50908 of 2019

What a guest house risks without a valid fire certificate

Penalties come from the fire Acts and rules. A guest house also risks its trade licence where the rules link the two.

Offence	Penalty	Law
Breaching the fire safety chapter (Delhi)	Up to 6 months or Rs 50,000 or both, and up to Rs 3,000 a day	Delhi Fire Service Act 2007, section 37 Caseminestudy
Compounding an offence (Delhi)	A Deputy CFO up to Rs 10,000, a CFO up to Rs 50,000, the Director above that	DFS Rules, rule 43 as amended in 2026 DFS
Shortcomings left unremedied (Delhi)	The building declared unfit; electricity and water disconnected	DFS Rules 2010, rule 38(3) Delhi Fire Service
Letting fire systems lapse (Maharashtra)	Rigorous imprisonment of 6 months to 3 years and a fine of Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000	Maharashtra Act 2006, section 36(1) MFS Act 2006 copy
A cancelled certificate (Uttar Pradesh)	Reported to the licensing authority to cancel the hotel's licence	UP Rules 2024, rule 46 UP Rules 2024
Self-declared systems found ineffective (Kerala)	Rs 100 per m² of built-up area, up to Rs 1,00,000	KMBR 2019, Appendix L KMBR 2019
Ignoring notified precautions (Goa)	A penalty up to Rs 10,000	Goa Fire Force Act, section 21 as amended by Ordinance 4 of 2025 Goa Ordinance 4 of 2025

Every state's penalty ladder is on the fire NOC penalties page.

Where guest houses fail a fire inspection, and the fix

These are the 6 failures the instruments and certificates point to for guest houses.

If Guests on floors the certificate leaves out
Use only the floors named. DFS capped a 9-room guest house at the 2nd floor on the owner's affidavit; extend the systems and exits before you open more floors, then apply again. DFS certificate 2025
If Counting storeys without the mezzanine or stilt
Count them. Delhi's Rule 27(3) includes mezzanine and stilt floors, so a ground plus 3 with a mezzanine has 5 storeys. DFS
If Wooden or foam panelling in the stairway
Strip it. Clause 7.11 of Delhi's building bye-laws bars combustible decoration and wall panelling in a staircase. DDA, UBBL 2016
If A 1 m stair in a new guest house
Draw 1.5 m. The bye-laws set 1.5 m for guest houses; the 0.80 m DFS accepted in 2024 was for a 1982 building. DDA, UBBL 2016
If Registering as a hotel but fitting lodging-house systems
Match the class. In Maharashtra a hotel below 15 m needs hose reels, a manual alarm and a 450 litre a minute terrace pump that lodging does not. MH Act 2023 Schedule-I
If Forgetting the yearly declaration
Diary it. The DFS certificate makes a Form K declaration every year a condition of validity. DFS certificate 2025

Turning a house into a guest house: 5 dos and 4 don'ts

A change of use can cross a lower fire line overnight. Test the new use, not the old one.

Do

Test the building against the guest-house line: in Delhi that is 12 m or 4 storeys, not the 15 m or 5 storeys for homes. DFS
Get the occupancy changed first: NBC 2016 needs a certificate of occupancy before any change of occupancy, and the new group's rules then apply. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Count the rooms in Uttar Pradesh: 25 guest rooms put the building in moderate risk at any height. UP Rules 2024
Plan the 5,000 litre terrace tank in Maharashtra once the building is above ground plus 1. MH Act 2023 Schedule-I
In Kerala, file Appendix L from 300 m² even below the NOC line. KMBR amendment 2025

Don’t

Don't rely on the old certificate: DFS issues it for an occupancy class, floor by floor. DFS certificate 2025
Don't treat a fire certificate as regularising the building: condition 5 of the DFS certificate says it cannot. DFS certificate 2025
Don't plan a lodging house above 45 m in Maharashtra: Note 3(d) bars it. MH Act 2023 Schedule-I
Don't count on Ladakh's 12.5 m guest-house exemption: the press release of 16 October 2025 calls it a proposal. Ladakh DIPR

Guest house fire NOC myths, checked against the rules

5 claims owners repeat, and what the instruments say.

You may have read
A guest house is a house, so the 15 m home line applies.
Myth
What the sources say
Delhi sets 12 m or 4 storeys for hotels and guest houses, against 15 m or 5 storeys for homes; Himachal and Manipur also use 12 m. DFS
You may have read
NBC puts guest houses in A-2.
Myth
What the sources say
NBC 2016 names guest houses in A-1, lodging and rooming houses. A-2 is the one or two-family dwelling; Kerala's A2 is a different, state group. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
You may have read
A small guest house never needs a fire NOC.
Myth
What the sources say
In Shillong every lodge needs one at any size, and Goa asks for one before any tourism registration. HPL.127/2023/43
You may have read
Guest house fire NOCs must be renewed every year.
Myth
What the sources say
Puducherry's Category B NOC runs 3 years, Goa's 5 and a 2025 Delhi guest-house certificate 3. Puducherry G.O. 61
You may have read
Delhi bans guest houses above 4 floors.
Myth
What the sources say
News reports of 27 May 2019 say the bye-law amendment stopped fire NOCs for guest houses above 4 floors, excluding basement and stilt. Flamekite could not find the notification itself. India TVnews report

Guest house fire rules, dated: 2014 to 2026

The instruments that set or changed a guest house's fire duties, in order.

17 December 2014
Goa's section 13 notification lists hotels, restaurants and bakeries at any size. DFES Goa charter
5 March 2016
Telangana sets 18 m for lodging and rooming houses. TSDRFS circular 2016
17 May 2018
Goa's Annexure III sets extinguishers for guest houses up to 100 m². DFES Goa charter
6 March 2019
Odisha covers hotels, lodgings and guest houses at 12 m, 500 m² or 3 stars. Odisha Rules 2019
27 May 2019
Delhi's guest-house bye-law amendment is notified for the 3 MCDs, as reported. India TVnews report
23 July 2019
Himachal lists hotels and guest houses above 12 m or G+3. HP Home notification
18 January 2024
UP's Rules add Form A-14, with its 25-room line for guest houses. UP Rules 2024
26 September 2024
Shillong makes a fire NOC compulsory for every lodge and homestay. HPL.127/2023/43
1 January 2025
DFS renews a 9-room Paharganj guest house's certificate for 3 years, up to the 2nd floor. DFS certificate 2025
10 September 2025
Puducherry puts guest houses of G+2 in Category B. Puducherry G.O. 61
13 January 2026
Goa ties tourism registration to a DFES NOC. Goa Tourism order
26 May 2026
Delhi's substituted Rule 27(3) adds "or": 12 m or 4 storeys. DFS
16 October 2026
Delhi defers Form K and the valid-until-cancelled certificate to 20 May 2027. Delhi Gazette

Delhi guest houses after Karol Bagh (2019) and Malviya Nagar (2026)

From news reports, not yet an official source.

News reports only: Flamekite found no official order text for these steps on 25 October 2026. The rules in force are on the Delhi fire NOC page.

27 February 2019
After the Hotel Arpit Palace fire in Karol Bagh, Delhi's Home Minister said about 200 guest houses had been inspected and the fire certificates of about 150 cancelled, with the licensing department, police, health department and North DMC asked to shut them. The Quintnews report
27 May 2019
A notification with 10 amendments to Delhi's 2016 building bye-laws is reported: no fire NOC for guest houses above 4 floors, floor plans showing each floor's use, carbon monoxide detectors, 1-hour fire doors at stairs and no cooking on rooftops or in basements. India TVnews report
30 June 2025
Delhi Police licences for hotels, motels and guest houses are reported withdrawn after the Lieutenant Governor's order of 19 June, with licensing passing to local bodies. The Weeknews report
June 2026
After 21 died in a Malviya Nagar guest house on 3 June, the Revenue Department served notices on 72 sites. UNInews report

Where a guest house applies: 5 official fire portals

Apply on the fire service's own portal or single window. These 5 are linked from official pages Flamekite read.

Delhi
Delhi Fire Service
Links the FSC renewal portal and the MHA portal for licensing eating, lodging and boarding establishments in Delhi. DFS
dfs.delhi.gov.in
Kerala
Kerala Fire and Rescue NOC portal
Kerala Fire and Rescue Services' online NOC applications, for lodging over 1,000 m² or 15 m. Kerala Fire and Rescue
noc.fire.kerala.gov.in
Uttar Pradesh
UP Fire and Emergency Services
The online fire NOC dashboard, which lists the service and its fee as nil. UP Fire dashboard
upfireservice.gov.in/upfire/dashboard_brap
Puducherry
Puducherry Fire Service services
Lists the free NOC or licence service of the Divisional Fire Officer, issued in 15 to 30 days. Fire Service Department, Puducherry
fire.py.gov.in/services
Jammu and Kashmir
Ganderbal fire services
The Final Registration NOC for hotels and guest houses, applied for on the J&K single window. District Ganderbal
ganderbal.nic.in/fire-emergency

What Flamekite could not confirm about guest house fire NOCs

These 6 points are where a reader would expect an answer and no official source gave one on 25 October 2026.

The text of Delhi's guest-house bye-law amendment of 27 May 2019. Only news reports and secondary summaries were found, so this page treats its 4-floor rule as reported.
Whether Uttar Pradesh's 1-year term in rule 44 covers guest houses. The rule names hotels; Forms A-14 and A-15 group hotels, lodgings and guest houses.
Kerala's fee for Group A2 lodging, and the Punjab fee zone a guest house falls in.
Any lodging line in Karnataka's or Rajasthan's fire rules, beyond their general 21 m and 15 m lines.
The overhead tank figure on the 2024 DFS guest-house inspection report, printed "25,00ltr": it could be 2,500 or 25,000 litres.
Where a Delhi guest house renews its fire certificate after the 2025 change in police licensing: the 2025 certificate says the MHA portal, and DFS still links it.

Questions about fire NOCs for guest houses

Is a fire NOC mandatory for a guest house?: Only above your state's line, which is usually lower than for houses. Delhi covers guest houses over 12 m or with 4 or more storeys, Puducherry from ground plus 2 floors, Telangana above 18 m, and Goa and Shillong at any size. Below the line a guest house still needs the minimum systems its state sets.
What is the fire NOC rule for a guest house in Delhi?: Rule 27(3) of the Delhi Fire Service Rules, as substituted on 26 May 2026, covers hotels and guest houses over 12 m or of 4 or more storeys, counting mezzanine and stilt floors. DFS then issues a Fire Safety Certificate; a 2025 guest-house certificate ran 3 years.
Which NBC occupancy is a guest house?: Group A-1, lodging and rooming houses, which NBC 2016 says includes guest houses. Hotels up to four-star are A-5. Kerala's building rules use their own Group A2 for lodging houses.
What fire equipment does a small guest house need?: It depends on the state and height. A 9-room Delhi guest house was checked for 10 extinguishers, a 30 m hose reel on each floor, carbon monoxide detection, a manual alarm and a 180 litre a minute terrace pump. In Maharashtra a lodging house below 15 m needs extinguishers and, above ground plus 1, a 5,000 litre terrace tank.
How long is a guest house fire NOC valid?: 2 years in Odisha, 3 years in Delhi (the hotels term), Puducherry and Meghalaya, and 5 years in Goa. Delhi moves to a certificate valid until cancelled, with a yearly Form K, from 20 May 2027.
Do I need a fire NOC to register a guest house with tourism?: In Goa yes, for registration and every renewal since 13 January 2026. Sikkim's guest-house document list asks for a NOC from the Fire department, and J&K guest houses take a Final Registration NOC. Himachal's tourism form lists no fire NOC.
How much does a guest house fire NOC cost?: Few states publish a rate. Goa's initial NOC is free and its licence fee is Rs 10 per m² for lodging above 50 persons; Meghalaya charges Rs 4 per m²; Chandigarh Rs 6,615 or Rs 14 per m²; Telangana Rs 10 per m². Uttar Pradesh and Puducherry charge nothing.
Can a Delhi guest house use all its floors?: Only the floors its certificate names. DFS renewed one Paharganj guest house in 2025 for use up to the 2nd floor only, on the owner's affidavit not to use the floors above.

Keep reading

Fire NOC in IndiaWho needs a fire NOC, how to apply and the rules in every state.
Fire NOC in DelhiRule 27, the 3 and 5-year terms, and Form K from 2027.
Fire audit in DelhiAuditor levels, Forms H to K and the 2027 regime.
Fire NOC in PuducherryCategories A, B and C under G.O.Ms.No.61.
Fire NOC in GoaDFES services, the 5-year NOC and the tourism rule.
Fire NOC validityEvery state's term and renewal date.
Fire NOC feesAll published rates side by side.
Fire NOC by buildingLines for every building type, state by state.

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