Is a fire NOC required for an office?

Only once the building crosses your state's line. An office is a business building, so the line is often 15 m or a floor over 500 m²: Delhi over 15 m, Karnataka at 21 m, Haryana at 500 m² on any floor. Uttar Pradesh covers every office, and Rajasthan any office over 6 m with 50 staff.

Is a fire NOC required for an IT company office?

The same lines apply. NBC 2016 puts IT parks, computer installations and call centres in E-3, still business, and asks for automatic detection and alarm. No official text found sets a separate route for SEZ or STPI units.

Who holds the fire NOC for a rented office, the tenant or the owner?

The certificate is the building's, and most Acts put the duty on the owner or occupier. Madhya Pradesh lets a tenant apply in its own name; West Bengal's Form-7 asks an occupier for the owner's NOC. In a high-rise the tenants provide Fire Wardens on the owner's request (NBC Annex D).

Does a co-working space need its own fire NOC?

No official text found names co-working. The building's line decides, and NBC Annex D asks for a Deputy Fire Warden for each tenancy and each 700 m² of it.

Do interior changes in my office need fire approval?

In Goa, yes: DFES wants approval before interior or layout changes. In Haryana an addition beyond the building code ends the certificate; in Assam an alteration without prior approval costs Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh. NBC Annex D asks for an amended Fire Safety Plan within 30 days.

Does the OSH Code require a fire NOC for offices?

No. It sets employer duties for establishments with 10 or more workers and leaves the NOC to the fire law. Uttar Pradesh's OSH rule 12 adds NBCS 2026 Part F for buildings of 5 floors or 20 m. Government offices are outside the Code.

How often must an office hold a fire drill?

NBC Annex D sets drills in high-rise buildings every 3 months for the first 2 years, then every 6 months, with records kept 3 years. Goa asks for quarterly drills, and Rajasthan's agencies run a yearly mock drill after the NOC.

Does a government office need a fire NOC?

The fire line is the building's, and no exemption for government offices was found in the instruments read. Delhi Fire Service issued DDA's Vikas Minar a 3-year business-occupancy NOC in 2025; the OSH Code alone leaves government offices out.

How much is the fire NOC fee for an office?

Rajasthan charges Rs 2 per sq ft in a Nagar Nigam, Karnataka Rs 60 per m² with a Rs 5 lakh floor, Meghalaya Rs 3 per m² for E-1, Kerala at least Rs 26,000; Uttar Pradesh charges nothing.

Fire NOC for offices 34 min read

Fire NOC for an office: IT offices, co-working floors and government offices, state by state

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

Quick answer

Offices are NBC business buildings: a fire NOC is due over 15 m in Delhi, at 21 m in Karnataka, over 6 m with 50 staff in Rajasthan, any size in UP.

NBC 2016 files offices, banks and professional establishments under E-1 and IT parks, computer installations and call centres under E-3, both in Group E business. The NOC line is the whole building's, so a tenant on one floor sits inside the landlord's certificate, yet the codes still give the tenant duties: Annex D wants a Deputy Fire Warden for every tenancy, and Uttar Pradesh's OSH rule 12 binds the employer, the owner or both in buildings of 5 floors or 20 m. Government offices are outside the OSH Code but not outside the fire law.

Office in NBC 2016: E-1; IT parks and call centres E-3; both business; The words
Rajasthan office line: 6 m; Over 6 m with at least 50 staff; 29 states
Deputy Fire Warden: 700 m²; One per tenancy, and per 700 m² of it; The warden chain
UP OSH rule 12: 20 m; Or 5 floors: NBCS 2026 Part F binds; The rule

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Fire NOC for an office at a glance: 12 facts

What decides whether an office, IT office, co-working floor or government office needs a fire NOC, and what an office owes beyond it, with the instrument behind each fact. Last verified 25 October 2026.
What	The rule	Source
Who sets the line	The state: its fire Act, rules or orders; no central law fixes an office line	Government of Haryana
Office, NBC 2016	Group E business, E-1: offices, banks, professional establishments, post offices and police stations	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
IT office or call centre, NBC 2016	E-3: electronic data processing centres, computer installations, IT parks and call centres	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
NBCS 2026	Group E split into E-I business and E-II datacentres; office occupant load 7.1 m² net a person	BIS, SP 7:2026
NBCS 2026 in law	Voluntary; only Assam had written NBCS 2026 into its fire law by 24 October 2026	Assam Act XIII of 2026
Rajasthan	Government and private offices over 6 m with at least 50 staff; other business 9 m or over 500 m² on a floor	Rajasthan UDH
Delhi	Business buildings over 15 m or of 5 storeys and more (Rule 27)	DFS
Karnataka	21 m or more whatever the use; Rs 60 per m², at least Rs 5,00,000	Seva Sindhu
Uttar Pradesh	Every business building at any size (section 26(3))	UP Act 16 of 2022
Tenants in a high-rise	NBC Annex D: the tenants of each floor provide Fire Wardens on the owner's request	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
OSH Code reach	Establishments with 10 or more workers; Central and State Government offices excluded (s.1(3))	OSH Code
SEZ and co-working	No official text found that sets a separate fire NOC for an SEZ unit or a co-working space	SEEPZ SEZ FAQs

Fire NOC lines for offices in 29 states and UTs

When an office building needs a fire NOC or certificate, the instrument that sets the line, and the term, as each state's instrument or its reviewed Flamekite page records it on 25 October 2026. The line is the building's, not the floor's; a mixed building follows the stricter line.
Option	When an office building is caught	Instrument	Term or yearly filing	Source
Andhra Pradesh	More than 500 m² on any one floor, 2 basements or 1 over 500 m², or 24 m and above	Fire Service Act 1999, s.13(1) as amended in 2026	Renewals 1 to 5 years by occupancy	Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly
Arunachal Pradesh	An office with more than 500 m² on one floor; any building above 4 storeys or 15 m	Building Bye-Laws 2019, bye-law 11.1	Not published for offices	AP Building Bye-Laws 2019
Assam	Business buildings at any size: low risk under 10 m, moderate 10 to 15 m, high from 15 m	Act LIII of 2025, s.20(1) and Schedule I	Valid until cancelled	Assam Act LIII of 2025
Bihar	15 m and above, or any floor over 500 m²	Fire Service Rules 2021	3 years	Bihar Rules 2021
Chandigarh	A floor over 500 m², or a high-rise	Haryana Act 2022 as extended by S.O. 2264(E) of 6 May 2026	5 years; a licensed agency's certificate every July	Gazette of India
Chhattisgarh	Offices of 12 m or more, or 500 m² built-up	Section 14(1) notification of 29 November 2022	See the Chhattisgarh page	Home Department, Chhattisgarh
Delhi	Over 15 m, or 5 storeys and more	DFS Rules 2010, Rule 27 as amended, gazetted 26 May 2026	3 years for non-residential until 20 May 2027	DFS
Goa	Every establishment registered under the Shops and Establishments Act	DFES Citizen's Charter, December 2024	See the Goa page	DFES Goa charter
Gujarat	Offices above 15 m, or with a floor over 500 m²	Fire Regulations 2023, Third Schedule, Table 1	3 years, then 2-year renewals by a Fire Safety Officer	Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
Haryana	More than 500 m² on any one or more floors, or a high-rise	Act 14 of 2022, s.18(2)(b)(i)	Certificate 3 years; owner's self-declaration every year	Government of Haryana
Karnataka	21 m or more, whatever the use	Fire Force Act 1964, s.13(3), in force 24 March 2023	No term published	Government of Karnataka
Kerala	Group E over 1,000 m² or over 15 m; 300 to 1,000 m² file an Appendix L self-declaration	Kerala Municipality Building Rules, rule 5(4) as restated in 2025	See the Kerala page	KMBR amendment 2025
Lakshadweep	Offices over 1,000 m²	Fire Rules 2026, rule 11(2)	5 years	Lakshadweep Gazette Extraordinary Vol. LXII No. 42, 3 September 2026
Madhya Pradesh	Not confirmed: Act 16 of 2026 has no start date	e-Nagar Palika Fire Safety Certificate; a tenant may apply in its own name	3-year certificate; 1-year Fire Plan Approval	MP e-Nagar Palika manual
Maharashtra	Schedule-I applies at every height (s.3(1)); above 30 m, a fire officer and an audit every 2 years (s.45)	Act of 2006 as amended in 2023, Schedule-I business rows	No routine renewal: Form B every January and July	Amendment Act 2023
Manipur	More than 15 m, or ground plus 4	Act 9 of 2026, s.21(5)	3 years	Government of Manipur
Meghalaya	Every business building in Shillong city and adjoining areas	Notification HPL.127/2023/43 of 26 September 2024	3 years	HPL.127/2023/43
Nagaland	More than 15 m, or ground plus 4	Act 5 of 2023, s.21(1)	2 years	Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Nagaland
Odisha	12 m and above, or 500 m² built-up	Fire Safety Rules 2017, rule 9(1) as substituted in 2019	2 years	Odisha Rules 2019
Puducherry	Up to ground plus 1: Category C, a self-upload	G.O.Ms.No.61 of 10 September 2025	3 years	Puducherry G.O. 61
Punjab	Every building the Act classes as low, medium or high risk	Act 12 of 2024: owners and occupiers obtain the certificates, individually or jointly	Issued certificates seen ran 3 years	Punjab Gazette
Rajasthan	Government and private offices over 6 m with at least 50 staff; other business 9 m or more, or over 500 m² on any floor	UDH and LSG order of 14 September 2023, Table 1	Generally every year	Rajasthan UDH
Sikkim	Every business building; no agency certificate below 15 m and 500 m² a floor	Fire and Emergency Services Rules 2025	3 years	Sikkim F&ES Rules 2025
Tamil Nadu	No office line found below the 18.3 m split between Director and District Officer	TN Act 37 of 2025: licence, certificate or self-certified protocol by category	See the Tamil Nadu page	Government of Tamil Nadu, Gazette Extraordinary No. 263, 6 June 2025
Telangana	Business above 15 m	Circular of 5 March 2016; Rc.No.3455/MSB/2026 left it unchanged	Risk class R3: inspected twice in 5 years	TSDRFS circular 2016
Tripura	Self-certification up to 10 m and 200 m²; the Recommendation route above	Fire Safety Rules 2026	3 years at first, then every year	Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Tripura
Uttar Pradesh	Every business building; no agency certificate below 10 m and under 500 m²	Act 16 of 2022, s.26(3); Rules 2024, rules 42 and 44	3 years	UP Rules 2024
West Bengal	E-1 offices up to 15.5 m and 500 m², stand-alone, no basement: Form-7 each year; above, the certificate	Notification 1930 of 1 March 2024	3 years for a certificate	WB notification 1930
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	Business buildings named with no size floor	Regulation 6 of 2026, s.29(2), in force 7 July 2026	See the UT page	Gazette of India Extraordinary

Getting an office's fire clearance in 8 steps

Name the use the fire officer will record
Desks, accounts and meetings are E-1; servers, an IT park floor or a call centre are E-3. A canteen seating many, a training hall or a data hall can add another occupancy and make the building mixed.
Measure the building, not your floor
Heights, storeys and floor areas in the state lines are the building's. A 600 m² office floor in a 4-storey Gurugram block crosses Haryana's 500 m² test even though the building is low.
Ask the landlord for the papers before you sign
The building's current certificate, its last renewal or yearly filing, and the approved Fire Safety Plan, which NBC Annex D says the management must hand to every tenant.
Clear the fit-out before work starts
Goa's DFES wants prior approval for interior and layout changes; in Haryana an alteration beyond the building code ends the certificate; in Assam it needs the Director's approval first.
Build the fit-out to the code clauses
Floor-wise AHUs, dampers, no combustible ceiling over a return-air plenum, openable panels in a sealed glass facade, and access-controlled doors that unlock on alarm and power loss.
Name your wardens
Give the Fire Safety Director a Fire Warden for your floor and a Deputy Fire Warden for your tenancy, one more for each 700 m², and post the chart.
Drill and keep the record
NBC Annex D drills high-rises every 3 months for 2 years, then every 6 months, with records kept 3 years; Goa asks every establishment for quarterly drills.
Diary the renewal or the yearly filing
Rajasthan renews generally every year, Haryana wants a yearly self-declaration, Maharashtra a Form B each January and July, West Bengal a yearly Form-7 for small offices.

Office fire safety words: E-1, E-3, tenancy and Fire Warden

These words decide which line applies to an office and who does what in a fire. Code definitions are paraphrased from the BIS text and the instruments named.

Group E, business: NBC 2016 clause 3.1.6: a building or part used for business, keeping accounts and records, professional work or service facilities. City halls, town halls, courthouses and libraries join it where public business is their main use. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
E-1, offices: Offices, banks and professional establishments such as architects', engineers', doctors' and lawyers' offices, post offices and police stations. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
E-3, IT and call centres: Electronic data processing centres, computer installations, information technology parks and call centres; 6.5.2 asks them for automatic detection and alarm. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
E-II, datacentres: The NBCS 2026 subdivision that takes datacentres out of ordinary business (E-I). BIS, SP 7:2026
Tenancy: One occupier's space in a building. NBC Annex D counts Deputy Fire Wardens by tenancy and by 700 m² of occupiable space. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Fire Safety Plan: The building's written plan for drills and evacuation, approved by the fire authority; the management gives it to tenants, tenants to their staff. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Fire Safety Director: The person the Fire Safety Plan names to run drills, train Fire Wardens and the Fire Party, and report to the fire command centre in a fire. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Fire Warden and Deputy Fire Warden: Employees a floor's tenants put forward to direct evacuation of that floor; the deputies cover each tenancy. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Establishment: Under the OSH Code, a place where trade, business or another occupation is carried on with 10 or more workers. OSH Code
Worker: OSH Code word that leaves out people employed mainly as managers or administrators and supervisors paid over Rs 18,000 a month. OSH Code
Form-7: West Bengal's yearly self-declaration for a stand-alone E-1 business building up to 15.5 m and 500 m², filed by the owner or occupier. WB notification 1930

Uttar Pradesh OSH rule 12 for offices of 5 floors or 20 m

The only state labour rule found that ties an employer in a tall office building to the BIS fire code. It sits under section 6(1) of the OSH Code, the employer's general duty.

Word for word

The employer, owner, or both, of any establishment or group of establishments, the building of which has five or more floors or a height of twenty metres or more, shall comply with the standards specified in Part-F (Fire and Life Safety) of the National Building Construction Standards, 2026, issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), for dealing with fire emergencies, lift failures, etc.

Uttar Pradesh Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026, rule 12(1), Notification No. 962 of 27 August 2026 (English translation) UP Gazette

Three points follow for an office. The duty is on the employer, the owner or both, so a tenant company on the 7th floor of a Noida tower cannot point at the landlord alone. Rule 12(2) adds the facilities the Indian standards require, training of persons, information to the people and adequate supervision. And it makes NBCS 2026 Part F binding on these employers even though NBCS 2026 is voluntary for fire NOCs; breaking a rule under the Code carries the section 94 penalty of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh.

Does your office need a fire NOC? 14 cases

Find the case closest to your office. The test is the building's height and floor area, then the use; a tenant inherits the building's position.

If Any office in Uttar Pradesh
Yes: section 26(3) names every business building. Below 10 m and under 500 m², rule 42 spares the qualified agency certificate. Fire NOC UP UP Act 16 of 2022
If A Rajasthan office over 6 m with 50 or more staff
Yes, under Table 1 of the 2023 order, whether the office is government or private. Fire NOC Rajasthan Rajasthan UDH
If A Rajasthan office with fewer than 50 staff
Still caught if the building is 9 m or more, or has over 500 m² on any floor, through the business row. Fire NOC Rajasthan Rajasthan UDH
If A Delhi office building of 15 m or less and under 5 storeys
Outside Rule 27, so no Fire Safety Certificate. Over 15 m or at 5 storeys it needs one. Fire NOC Delhi DFS
If A Bengaluru office below 21 m
No section 13(3) NOC; at 21 m or more one is needed, at Rs 60 per m² with a Rs 5,00,000 floor. Fire NOC Karnataka Seva Sindhu
If A Hyderabad office above 15 m
Yes. The October 2026 circular moved only apartments to 24 m; for business, only the fire tower and command centre start at 24 m. Fire NOC Telangana TGFD circular 3455
If A Gurugram or other Haryana office with more than 500 m² on one floor
A special building under section 18(2)(b)(i) at any height: scheme approval, then the certificate, and a Fire Safety Officer under section 22. Fire NOC Haryana Government of Haryana
If A stand-alone Kolkata office up to 15.5 m and 500 m², no basement
No certificate: the owner or occupier files Form-7 on edistrict every year. Fire NOC West Bengal WB notification 1930
If A Kerala office of 300 to 1,000 m², up to 15 m
An Appendix L self-declaration; over 1,000 m² or 15 m, a fire NOC. Fire NOC Kerala KMBR amendment 2025
If An office in a Maharashtra building
The building files Form B every January and July through a licensed agency with the owner or occupier; there is no routine renewal. Form B Fire NOC Maharashtra MFS circular 64
If A tenant floor in a building that already holds a certificate
No separate NOC is printed for a floor in the instruments read, but the tenant still provides Fire Wardens and follows the building's Fire Safety Plan (NBC Annex D). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If A co-working space
No instrument read names co-working. The building's line applies, and every tenancy or operator space gets a Deputy Fire Warden under Annex D. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If A Central or State Government office
The OSH Code does not apply (s.1(3)), but the fire line is the building's: Delhi Fire Service cleared DDA's Vikas Minar for business occupancy in 2025. OSH Code
If An office of an employer in a UP building of 5 floors or 20 m
Besides the NOC, OSH rule 12 binds the employer, the owner or both to NBCS 2026 Part F. OSH Code 2020 UP Gazette

Office floor exit numbers in NBC 2016: load, width and distance

The figures a fire officer checks when a floor is planned or refitted, read off NBC 2016 Part 4 page images. They decide how many desks a floor's exits can carry.

	NBC 2016 figure for business	What it means for an office floor
Occupant load (Table 3) BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4	10 m² gross a person	A 1,000 m² floor is planned for at least 100 people, more if more are declared
Stair width (Table 4) BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4	10 mm a person	100 people need 1,000 mm of stair, counted in 500 mm units
Corridors, doors, ramps (Table 4) BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4	6.5 mm a person	A 1,000 mm clear door passes about 150 people
Travel distance (Table 5) BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4	30 m	Up to 45 m where the building is fully sprinklered (Note 1)
Dead-end corridor (4.4.2.2) BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4	15 m	Against 6 m for schools, hospitals and assembly
Exits a floor (6.5.1) BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4	At least 2	Every floor, basements used as offices included
Exit doorway (4.4.2.4.1) BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4	1,000 mm wide, 2,000 mm high	Opens without a key; no mirrors on exit doors
Revolving door BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4	Counts for 50 persons	Needs a hinged door within 3 m, and never within 3 m of a stair foot or top
Exit signs (3.4.7.4) BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4	Within 30 m	No point in an exit access more than 30 m from a visible sign; green, on an independent circuit
Call centre load sign (4.3) BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4	Plate of 300 mm × 200 mm	Maximum persons for the space displayed near the entrance
Refuge area (Annex E) BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4	Above 24 m	0.3 m² a person for 2 floors, at least 15 m², at about 24 m and every 15 m

Flamekite's arithmetic in the second column. NBCS 2026 uses 7.1 m² net a person for business, so a refitted floor can carry a different count under the new standard. NBC 2016 was withdrawn on 30 April 2026; states apply these figures as their own rules adopt them.

Office fit-out fire checklist: 12 clauses to settle before work starts

Interior work is where an office drifts from the approved building. These items come from NBC 2016 Part 4 and West Bengal's Form-7.

One air handling unit for each floor, its ducts serving that floor only (3.4.8.2.1). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Fire or smoke dampers where ducts cross fire walls and floors, enter shafts, and at each compartment's supply and return on every floor, wired to the alarm panel (3.4.8.4). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
No storage of combustibles in the AHU room, and non-combustible filters (3.4.8.2.3 and 3.4.8.2.4). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Ducts never run through exits, and exits or lift lobbies never serve as return air paths (3.4.8.3.1). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Metallic return-air ducts in preference to using the void above the false ceiling (3.4.8.3.2). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Corridor and staircase finishes in Class 1 only; Class 2 kept off walls, the facade, stairs and corridors (3.4.11.3). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
No Class 4 board as a ceiling where the plenum carries return air in an air-conditioned building (3.4.11.4). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
In a sealed glass facade, openable panels on every floor, at most 10 m apart, at least 1,000 mm × 1,000 mm, worked from 1.2 to 1.5 m, and not only in cabins (3.4.10.2). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Slab-to-facade gaps sealed at every level with fire-resistant sealant of the slab's rating; no glass for exit enclosures (3.4.10). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Card-access and magnetic doors that unlock on sprinkler or detector activation and on power loss, with a "PUSH TO EXIT" release that cuts the lock's power (4.4.2.4.1(g)). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Turnstiles only where exit doors of the required width are within 3 m; folding partitions never counted as exits (4.4.2.4.1(h) and (j)). BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
In West Bengal, sprinklers wherever the gap between the true and false ceiling is above 800 mm, declared on Form-7. WB notification 1930

Leased office floors: who holds the fire NOC, tenant or owner

No instrument read for this page prints a fire NOC for a single office floor. The certificate is the building's; what changes is who must apply, file and keep it working, and most Acts say "owner or occupier".

The state Acts put the duty on both. Madhya Pradesh's Act 16 of 2026 makes the owner or the occupier, individually or jointly, provide the measures, and its e-Nagar Palika manual lets a tenant or lessee apply, with the certificate issued in the applicant's name. Punjab's Act 12 of 2024 asks owners and occupiers to obtain the provisional and final certificates, individually or jointly. In Delhi a renewal on Form I may come from the Fire Safety Auditor, the Fire Safety Officer, the owner or the occupier, and in Maharashtra the licensed agency's Form B is signed with the owner or occupier. West Bengal's Form-7 asks an occupier who files whether the owner has given an NOC.

Inside a high-rise, NBC 2016 Annex D divides the work. The building management gives every tenant the approved Fire Safety Plan; each tenant passes it to its own employees; the owner keeps the alarm and communication system working; and the tenants of each floor, when the owner asks, name responsible employees as Fire Warden and Deputy Fire Wardens. If a named person neglects the duty, the owner tells the employing firm, and if the firm does nothing, the fire department is told.

Labour law adds the employer. Uttar Pradesh's OSH rule 12 binds "the employer, owner, or both" in buildings of 5 floors or 20 m, and the OSH Code's section 6 duties sit with the employer wherever 10 or more workers are employed. Haryana's Act asks every owner or occupier to appoint a Fire Safety Officer, and Gujarat's 2021 amendment asks owners and occupiers to appoint one at least 2 months before the certificate expires.

Who carries which office fire duty, by instrument, as read on 25 October 2026
What	The rule	Source
NBC 2016 Annex D, D-5.2 and D-5.3	Management gives the Fire Safety Plan to tenants; tenants give it to employees	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
NBC 2016 Annex D, D-9.3	Tenants of each floor provide Fire Wardens on the owner's request	BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Madhya Pradesh, e-Nagar Palika manual	A tenant or lessee can apply; the certificate carries the applicant's name	MP e-Nagar Palika manual
Madhya Pradesh Act 16 of 2026, section 12	Owner or occupier, individually or jointly, provides the measures	Government of Madhya Pradesh
Punjab Act 12 of 2024	Owners and occupiers obtain the provisional and final certificates	Punjab Gazette
Delhi Amendment Rules 2025	Renewal on Form I by the auditor, Fire Safety Officer, owner or occupier	DFS
West Bengal Form-7	Owner or occupier declares; an occupier states whether the owner gave an NOC	WB notification 1930
Haryana Act 2022, section 22	Every owner or occupier appoints a Fire Safety Officer	Government of Haryana
Gujarat Act, section 12 (2021)	Owners and occupiers appoint a Fire Safety Officer 2 months before expiry	Gujarat Ordinance 3/2021
Uttar Pradesh OSH rule 12	Employer, owner or both comply with NBCS 2026 Part F at 5 floors or 20 m	UP Gazette

Fire Warden chain in an office building: NBC Annex D

Annex D of NBC 2016 Part 4 sets out the fire organisation for high-rise buildings, 15 m and above. Proof-read off the page images; paraphrased.

1. Fire Safety Plan approved
The building's plan goes to the fire authority; any change from the approved conditions means an amended plan to the fire brigade within 30 days. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
2. Plan handed down
Management gives the approved parts to all tenants and building staff; tenants give them to all their employees. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
3. Fire Safety Director
Knows the plan, picks building staff for the Fire Party, conducts drills, and checks every day that the Fire Wardens are available. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
4. Fire Warden on each floor
One for every floor, named by the floor's tenants, who directs that floor's evacuation and reports to the fire command centre. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
5. Deputy Fire Wardens by tenancy
One for each tenancy, and one for each 700 m² or part where a tenancy is larger. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
6. Posted chart and disabled list
An organisation chart in each tenancy, and a list of people who cannot use the stairs unaided, with help arranged. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
7. In a fire
Wardens move the fire floor and the floors above first, usually 2 or more levels down, by stairs free of smoke; lifts only on the command centre's word. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
8. Search and account
Wardens wear identification such as an armband, search the lavatories, and cover any gap in the chart with a substitute. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4

Office fire NOC fees in official schedules

Only fees an Act, rule, order or official schedule fixes for business buildings or offices. Consultants' and installers' prices are not shown.

As published

Rajasthan, Nagar Nigam areaRs 2 per sq ftGross built-up area; renewal application Rs 10,000 Rajasthan UDH
Rajasthan, Nagar Parishad and Nagar Palika areasRs 1.50 and Rs 1 per sq ftRenewal applications Rs 7,500 and Rs 5,000 Rajasthan UDH
Karnataka, non-residential high-riseRs 60 per m²Or Rs 5,00,000, whichever is higher Seva Sindhu
Gujarat, offices of 15 to 24 mRs 10 per m²Plan fee Rs 1,000; Annexure 8 Gujarat Fire Safety Compliance Portal
Kerala, officesAt least Rs 26,000G.O.(Ms)No.272/2024 Kerala Fire and Rescue Services
Meghalaya, E-1 offices, banks and professional officesRs 3 per m²Renewal Rs 500 Meghalaya F&ES
Assam, business under 10 mRs 500, Rs 700 or Rs 1,000Up to 150 m², 150 to 500 m², over 500 m² Assam fee Annexure A
Assam, business 10 to 15 m and 15 m and aboveRs 700 to Rs 1,200; Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500By the same 3 area bands Assam fee Annexure A
Chandigarh, Group E businessRs 14 per m², at least Rs 6,615MC Office Order 23, from 1 April 2025 MCC Office Order 23
Uttar PradeshNilAs the UPF&ES dashboard states UP Fire dashboard
West Bengal Form-7No fee foundNotification 1930 sets none for the yearly upload WB notification 1930

Every state's fee rules are on the fire NOC fees page. Where a schedule names no office row, the fire office decides the class.

What an office risks without fire clearance

An office answers to the fire law and, as an employer, to the OSH Code. These lines come from the Acts, rules and orders named.

Offence	Penalty	Law
No fire NOC, or missing equipment, in a Rajasthan urban area	Rs 5,000 on the owner or user	Rajasthan Municipalities Act 2009, section 291, under the 2023 order Rajasthan UDH
Renewing late in Rajasthan	Rs 5,000	UDH and LSG order of 14 September 2023, direction 11 Rajasthan UDH
No Fire Safety Officer within 30 days of notice in Haryana	Rs 10 to Rs 50 per m² a month, common areas included	Haryana Act 2022, section 26 Government of Haryana
Altering an Assam office or changing its use without prior approval	Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh, and a fresh certificate before occupation	Assam Act LIII of 2025, section 27 Assam Act LIII of 2025
Occupying an Assam business building without the certificate	Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000 low risk, Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 moderate, Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh high	Assam Act LIII of 2025, section 26 Assam Act LIII of 2025
Letting fire systems fall out of repair in Maharashtra	Rigorous imprisonment of 6 months to 3 years and a fine of Rs 20,000 to Rs 50,000	Maharashtra Act of 2006, section 36(1) MFS Act 2006 copy
An employer breaking an OSH rule, such as UP rule 12	Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, and up to Rs 2,000 a day if it continues after conviction	OSH Code 2020, section 94 OSH Code

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

Where offices go wrong on fire safety, and the fix

Eight faults that recur in office floors, each with the clause that answers it.

If Card-access doors that stay locked when the power fails
NBC 4.4.2.4.1(g): unlock on loss of power and on alarm, and fit a manual "PUSH TO EXIT" release independent of the access electronics. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If A sealed glass facade with no way to vent smoke
Fit openable panels on each floor, at most 10 m apart, marked for fire use, in open areas and corridors as well as cabins. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If Untreated fibreboard ceilings over a return-air plenum
Class 4 materials may not form a ceiling where the plenum carries return air; use Class 1 or metallic return ducts. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If Server boxes and files stacked in the AHU room
NBC 3.4.8.2.4 bars combustible storage there; clear it. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If A call centre packing more seats than the exits carry
Work the floor at 10 m² a person against the stair and door widths, and display the maximum occupancy plate at the entrance. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
If Re-partitioning a floor without telling anyone
Goa requires DFES approval before interior or layout changes; NBC Annex D wants an amended Fire Safety Plan within 30 days of a change. Goa DIP release
If A Haryana tenant adding a mezzanine or floor area
An addition beyond the Haryana Building Code limits ends the certificate and needs a revised scheme; the yearly self-declaration must state that nothing changed. Government of Haryana
If No names against the Fire Warden posts
Annex D makes the floor's tenants provide them on the owner's request; post the chart in each tenancy. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4

Office evacuation drill: 4 dos and 6 don'ts for staff

The occupant instructions NBC 2016 Annex D gives for posting in office buildings, with Goa's 2025 drill rule.

Do

Break the glass of the nearest call point and push the button the moment you find a fire. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Use the extinguishers on your floor only under your Fire Warden's guidance, and leave when the warden says. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Leave by the nearest staircase and report to your warden at the assembly point outside. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Drill every quarter and keep the register: Goa's DFES asks every establishment for quarterly fire and evacuation drills with records. Goa DIP release

Don’t

Don't use the lifts unless the fire command centre says so. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Don't go to the cloakroom. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Don't run or shout. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Don't stop to collect belongings. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Don't leave the lift lobby or staircase doors open behind you. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
Don't let furniture or stock narrow a corridor: Goa wants escape paths free of obstruction and storage. Goa DIP release

Office fire NOC worked cases: 9 offices in 9 cities

Flamekite's reading of each state's rules for 9 example offices. The offices are illustrations; the figures are the instruments'.

Case 1
A 60-seat software office in Jaipur
Third floor of a 12 m building in a Nagar Nigam area, 12,000 sq ft built up.
What applies Over 6 m with at least 50 staff: a fire NOC. 12,000 × Rs 2 = Rs 24,000, renewed generally every year with a Rs 10,000 renewal application. Rajasthan UDH
Case 2
A consultancy in a 16 m block in Nehru Place, Delhi
Business building of ground plus 4, 16 m.
What applies Over 15 m, so Rule 27 applies: a Fire Safety Certificate, valid 3 years for non-residential until 20 May 2027. DFS
Case 3
A tech park block in Whitefield, Bengaluru
Business building of 40 m, 30,000 m² built up.
What applies 21 m or more: a section 13(3) NOC. 30,000 × Rs 60 = Rs 18,00,000, above the Rs 5,00,000 floor. Seva Sindhu
Case 4
A 32 m office tower in Hyderabad
Business occupancy, 32 m.
What applies Above 15 m, a NOC; above 30 m, the third-party audit goes up every January and July instead of only January. TG fire circular 2020
Case 5
A 650 m² office floor in Gurugram
Ground plus 3 commercial building, 14 m.
What applies More than 500 m² on one floor: a special building. Scheme approval, the certificate for 3 years, a yearly self-declaration and a Fire Safety Officer. Government of Haryana
Case 6
A 300 m² start-up office in Noida
Ground plus 1, 8 m.
What applies Covered at any size, but below 10 m and under 500 m² no qualified agency certificate; 3 years; no fee. UP Rules 2024
Case 7
An IT company on the 6th floor in Lucknow
Office tower of 8 floors, 28 m.
What applies Besides the fire certificate, OSH rule 12 binds the employer, the owner or both to NBCS 2026 Part F, with training and supervision. UP Gazette
Case 8
An accounts office in Salt Lake, Kolkata
Stand-alone 12 m building, 450 m² in all, no basement.
What applies E-1 within 15.5 m and 500 m²: Form-7 every year, declaring extinguishers, hose reel, a 15,000 litre overhead tank above 10 m and a 450 LPM pump. WB notification 1930
Case 9
A bank branch in Guwahati
12 m business building, 400 m².
What applies Moderate risk (10 to 15 m). Fee Rs 1,000 in the 150 to 500 m² band; the certificate stays valid until cancelled. Assam fee Annexure A

Office fire rules in India, dated: 2016 to 2027

Fifteen dated steps that decide what an office owes today.

5 March 2016
Telangana's renewal circular puts business buildings above 15 m in risk class R3. TSDRFS circular 2016
29 September 2020
The OSH Code is published; section 1(3) leaves out Central and State Government offices. OSH Code
13 January 2022
Karnal's Fire Safety Officer lists government offices, including income tax and EPF offices, without a fire NOC. The Tribunenews report
29 November 2022
Chhattisgarh's section 14(1) notification brings in offices of 12 m or 500 m² built-up. Home Department, Chhattisgarh
24 March 2023
Karnataka's section 13(3) NOC at 21 m takes effect. Government of Karnataka
14 September 2023
Rajasthan's UDH and LSG order sets the offices line: over 6 m with 50 staff. Rajasthan UDH
1 March 2024
West Bengal moves E-1 offices up to 15.5 m and 500 m² to yearly self-certification. WB notification 1930
10 August 2025
DDA's Vikas Minar gets a 3-year fire NOC for business occupancy, the first since 2001, as reported. Times of Indianews report
21 November 2025
The four Labour Codes, the OSH Code among them, take effect. PIB
17 December 2025
Goa's DFES issues guidelines for all occupancies: prior approval of interior changes, quarterly drills. Goa DIP release
30 April 2026
NBC 2016 withdrawn; SP 7:2026 takes its place as a voluntary standard. Gazette of India
8 May 2026
The OSH (Central) Rules are published, G.S.R. 345(E); fire is a dangerous occurrence to report in 12 hours. Gazette of India
26 May 2026
Delhi's amended fire rules are gazetted, with Rule 27's business line over 15 m or 5 storeys. DFS
27 August 2026
Uttar Pradesh's OSH rules make NBCS 2026 Part F binding at 5 floors or 20 m (rule 12). UP Gazette
20 May 2027
Delhi's valid-until-cancelled regime is due to start; until then non-residential certificates run 3 years. DFS

Office fire rules in numbers

6 m
Height over which a Rajasthan office with 50 staff needs a fire NOC Rajasthan UDH
50 staff
The staff count that goes with Rajasthan's 6 m office line Rajasthan UDH
10 m² a person
NBC 2016 occupant load for a business floor BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
30 m
Longest travel to an exit on an office floor, 45 m if fully sprinklered BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
700 m²
Tenancy area for each Deputy Fire Warden BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
3 years
How long a high-rise must keep its drill records BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
10 workers
Head count that makes an office an establishment under the OSH Code OSH Code
20 m
Height at which UP's OSH rule 12 applies, or 5 floors UP Gazette

Government office fire NOCs in the news, 2022 to 2025

From news reports, not yet an official source.

These are press reports, not rules. They show that government offices sit inside the fire law even though the OSH Code leaves them out.

10 August 2025
Delhi Fire Service writes on 6 August that DDA's Vikas Minar is fit for business occupancy, subject to conditions, and issues a 3-year NOC; an April 2025 request had failed over faults flagged in 2022. Times of Indianews report
13 January 2022
In Karnal, both Mini-Secretariat buildings, the Judiciary Complex, the income tax and EPF offices and the new municipal building are reported to have no fire NOC; the Deputy Commissioner orders a check of all government departments. The Tribunenews report

Office fire NOC myths, checked against the codes

You may have read
An office is low risk, so it never needs a fire NOC.
Myth
What the sources say
Uttar Pradesh covers every business building at any size, and Rajasthan catches offices over 6 m with 50 staff. UP Act 16 of 2022
You may have read
The landlord's certificate covers whatever I build inside.
Myth
What the sources say
NBC Annex D wants an amended Fire Safety Plan within 30 days of a change, and in Haryana an addition beyond the code limits ends the certificate. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
You may have read
The OSH Code makes every office get a fire NOC.
Myth
What the sources say
It sets employer duties for establishments of 10 workers and leaves the NOC to the fire law; UP's rule 12 is the only Part F rule found. OSH Code
You may have read
Government offices are exempt from fire rules.
Myth
What the sources say
Only the OSH Code leaves them out (s.1(3)); Delhi Fire Service issued DDA's head office a business-occupancy NOC in 2025. Times of Indianews report
You may have read
Fire drills are only for factories.
Myth
What the sources say
NBC Annex D sets drills in high-rise buildings every 3 months for 2 years, then every 6 months; Goa asks every establishment for quarterly drills. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4
You may have read
Security can keep card-access doors locked in a fire.
Myth
What the sources say
NBC requires them to unlock on alarm and on power loss, with a manual release by the door. BIS, NBC 2016 Part 4

Where an office files fire papers, and where to check a NOC

These official addresses held the forms and registers an office needs on 25 October 2026.

Rajasthan
LSG Online: fire service
Rajasthan fire NOC and its renewal from the urban body Local Self Government Department, Rajasthan
lsgonline.rajasthan.gov.in/fire_service.aspx
Karnataka
Seva Sindhu: high-rise NOC
Karnataka's NOC for offices of 21 m and more Seva Sindhu
sevasindhu.karnataka.gov.in/category/Application%20for%20No%20Objection%20Certificate%20(High%20rise%20Building)%20-%20Fire%20&%20Emergency.html
Telangana
TGFD Fire Audit module
Upload the third-party audit certificate in January, or January and July above 30 m TGFD Fire Audit
fire.telangana.gov.in/FireAudit/FireAuditLogin.aspx
Delhi
Delhi Fire Service
Rule 27 buildings and the Fire Safety Certificate DFS
dfs.delhi.gov.in
West Bengal
West Bengal e-District
The yearly Form-7 self-certification for small E-1 offices WB notification 1930
edistrict.wb.gov.in
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh: Verify NOC
Check a building's NOC by its NOC ID before you lease UP Verify NOC
upfireservice.gov.in/upfire/nocverify
Gujarat
GujFireSafety CoP Valid Certificate register
Search whether a Gujarat office building holds a valid certificate Gujarat Valid Certificate
gujfiresafetycop.in/ValidCertificate.aspx

Fire offices for the main office hubs: Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Goa

Only as the departments print them. For your own office, the fire station of your area inspects.

Delhi Fire Service Headquarters DFS
Director, DFS: written requests and applications
Address
Connaught Lane, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi 110001
Website
dfs.delhi.gov.in
UP Fire and Emergency Services Headquarters UPF&ES contact
Email fshq@nic.in
Address
Tower 4, 1st and 2nd floor, Signature Building (Police Headquarters), opposite Ekana Stadium, Shaheed Path, Lucknow
Phone
9454418326 / 0522-2390469
Website
upfireservice.gov.in/upfire
Fire NOC nodal officer, LSG Rajasthan Local Self Government Department, Rajasthan
Named on the LSG fire service page; helpline 1800-180-4872
Phone
0141-2927361
Website
lsgonline.rajasthan.gov.in/fire_service.aspx
Director General, TGFD TGFD press note
Head office; postal address for representations
Address
Sy. No. 115/16(P), 115/17, beside IRDAI Complex, Nanakramguda, Gachibowli, Financial District, Hyderabad 500032
Phone
040-23442944, 040-23442955
Website
fire.telangana.gov.in
Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Goa DFES Goa charter
Director; dir-fire.goa@nic.in
Address
St. Inez, Panaji, Goa 403001
Phone
0832-2227616; 0832-2225500
Website
dfes.goa.gov.in

What Flamekite could not confirm about office fire rules

Gaps on 25 October 2026. Where no authority has said it, this page does not guess.

SEZ and STPI
A separate fire route for IT units
The SEZ framework as SEEPZ summarised it in 2025 has no fire clearance item, and no official text was found moving fire NOCs for SEZ or STPI units to a Development Commissioner. Treat the state fire line as the one that applies. SEEPZ SEZ FAQs
Co-working
A co-working rule
No Act, rule, order or circular read for this page names co-working spaces. Tripura's 2026 Rules forbid artificial subdivision of a building to dodge the line, the nearest official words found. Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services, Tripura
Maharashtra
A height or area line
Schedule-I lists business buildings at every height, with no floor below which an office is left out; whether a small office in an older building must file Form B was not settled by any circular read. MH Schedule-I 2023
Haryana
A Gurugram office rule
No Gurugram-specific office instrument was found; the 2022 Act's 500 m² floor test and high-rise test govern. Government of Haryana
Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh
An office row
Neither state's instruments read for this page name an office line below their high-rise thresholds; MP's Act 16 of 2026 has no start date. MP e-Nagar Palika manual
OSH rules
Rule 12 elsewhere
The Central Rules of 8 May 2026 and the Haryana, Karnataka and Maharashtra drafts read for this page carry no rule like UP's rule 12; other states' final rules were not searched for one. Gazette of India
Fit-out
A floor-level fit-out NOC
No instrument read prints a fire NOC for one leased floor's interior work, outside Goa's prior-approval guideline; the Mumbai Fire Brigade's procedure for alterations was not found online. Goa DIP release

Questions about fire NOCs for offices

Is a fire NOC required for an office?: Only once the building crosses your state's line. An office is a business building, so the line is often 15 m or a floor over 500 m²: Delhi over 15 m, Karnataka at 21 m, Haryana at 500 m² on any floor. Uttar Pradesh covers every office, and Rajasthan any office over 6 m with 50 staff.
Is a fire NOC required for an IT company office?: The same lines apply. NBC 2016 puts IT parks, computer installations and call centres in E-3, still business, and asks for automatic detection and alarm. No official text found sets a separate route for SEZ or STPI units.
Who holds the fire NOC for a rented office, the tenant or the owner?: The certificate is the building's, and most Acts put the duty on the owner or occupier. Madhya Pradesh lets a tenant apply in its own name; West Bengal's Form-7 asks an occupier for the owner's NOC. In a high-rise the tenants provide Fire Wardens on the owner's request (NBC Annex D).
Does a co-working space need its own fire NOC?: No official text found names co-working. The building's line decides, and NBC Annex D asks for a Deputy Fire Warden for each tenancy and each 700 m² of it.
Do interior changes in my office need fire approval?: In Goa, yes: DFES wants approval before interior or layout changes. In Haryana an addition beyond the building code ends the certificate; in Assam an alteration without prior approval costs Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh. NBC Annex D asks for an amended Fire Safety Plan within 30 days.
Does the OSH Code require a fire NOC for offices?: No. It sets employer duties for establishments with 10 or more workers and leaves the NOC to the fire law. Uttar Pradesh's OSH rule 12 adds NBCS 2026 Part F for buildings of 5 floors or 20 m. Government offices are outside the Code.
How often must an office hold a fire drill?: NBC Annex D sets drills in high-rise buildings every 3 months for the first 2 years, then every 6 months, with records kept 3 years. Goa asks for quarterly drills, and Rajasthan's agencies run a yearly mock drill after the NOC.
Does a government office need a fire NOC?: The fire line is the building's, and no exemption for government offices was found in the instruments read. Delhi Fire Service issued DDA's Vikas Minar a 3-year business-occupancy NOC in 2025; the OSH Code alone leaves government offices out.
How much is the fire NOC fee for an office?: Rajasthan charges Rs 2 per sq ft in a Nagar Nigam, Karnataka Rs 60 per m² with a Rs 5 lakh floor, Meghalaya Rs 3 per m² for E-1, Kerala at least Rs 26,000; Uttar Pradesh charges nothing.

Keep reading

Fire NOC for data centresServer rooms and data centres: NBCS 2026 Annex F and battery rooms.
Fire NOC in IndiaThe law, issuer, portal and validity in all 36 states and UTs.
Which buildings need a fire NOCHeight, area and use lines for all 36 states and UTs.
Fire NOC for commercial buildingsBusiness and mercantile lines, Table 7 rows and multi-owner complexes.
Fire NOC for clinicsDoctors' offices and clinics, the other business occupancy.
OSH Code 2020Safety officers, committees and the employer's fire duties.
Form B fireMaharashtra's twice-yearly certificate for every covered building.
Fire NOC feesEvery published state rate, per m² and per stage.

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Renewal date calculatorEnter your state and the expiry date on your fire NOC

Words on this page, explained

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Sources

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

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