Validity
How long does a Fire Risk Assessment last?
There's no statutory expiry date — but an FRA is only valid for as long as it stays 'suitable and sufficient'. Here's how that works in practice.
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Short answer
A UK Fire Risk Assessment has no fixed expiry, but under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 it must remain 'suitable and sufficient' — review it annually, redo it after any significant change, and commission a fresh full assessment every 3 to 5 years.
The short answer
An FRA doesn't expire on a fixed date. The Fire Safety Order requires it to remain suitable and sufficient. That means three things in practice:
- An annual review as a minimum
- An immediate review after any significant change
- A fresh full assessment typically every 3 to 5 years
Why most assessors set a 3–5 year refresh
Even with diligent annual reviews, small cumulative changes — equipment swap-outs, staffing changes, partition tweaks, occupancy drift — eventually erode the original assessment's accuracy. A fresh on-site walk-through every 3–5 years catches drift before it becomes non-compliance.
When you need a new FRA sooner
- Change of building use or tenant
- Layout alterations, new compartmentation, building works
- Material change in occupant numbers or type (e.g. converting an office to a HMO)
- New significant equipment, processes or storage
- A fire, near-miss, or trend of false alarms
- Changes in legislation or guidance (e.g. the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022)
What licensing and insurance expect
HMO and other licensing authorities often expect to see an FRA dated within the last 12 months. Buildings insurance commonly requires a current FRA — older documents may be queried at renewal or after a claim.
The legal position on review
Under Article 9(3) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Fire Risk Assessment must be reviewed by the Responsible Person "regularly so as to keep it up to date", and reviewed immediately where there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid or there has been a significant change. Higher-risk premises — sleeping risk such as HMOs, care homes and hotels, large or complex sites, or premises with vulnerable occupants — warrant more frequent review than the annual minimum.
Document the review even if nothing has changed
A signed and dated review note on the FRA itself is enough — it shows the document has not been left to drift. Enforcement officers and licensing authorities will ask to see this.
Our default cycle
For most clients we set a calendar reminder for an annual review and a full re-assessment at the 3-year mark, brought forward whenever significant change is reported. Reviews can be an in-person walk-round or, where appropriate, a remote review.
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