All owners of buildings categorised Class 1b to Class 9 under the Building Code of Australia must submit an Annual Fire Safety Statement (AFSS).
The statement confirms that an accredited practitioner (fire safety) has inspected, assessed and verified the fire safety measures for the building are capable of performing to the minimum standard of performance and there are no fire safety offences.
The AFSS must be submitted to Council within 12 months of the date the previous AFSS was lodged.
Council does not send a reminder letter when the AFSS is due and does not have the authority to alter the due date. It is the owner’s responsibility to submit the AFSS to Council in accordance with s 89 of the Regulation.
It is an offence not to submit an AFSS to Council by the required due date. Council may issue a Penalty Notice for each week the AFSS is overdue, as outlined below:
| Time | Penalty |
|---|---|
| 1 week overdue | $1000 |
| 2 weeks overdue | $2000 |
| 3 weeks overdue | $3000 |
| 4 weeks overdue | $4000 |
Class 1a buildings do not need an AFSS
Single dwelling houses classified as Class 1a under the Building Code of Australia do not need to submit an AFSS.
These include single dwelling houses, terraces, or villa houses.
If you are unsure whether this classification applies to your property check the Building Code of Australia building classifications.