Fire License in Tamilnadu

The issue and renewal of fire license across India are governed and regulated by the State Governments. Hence, the process and procedure for obtaining fire license vary from state to state. In Tamilnadu, a fire license is mandatorily required for various types of businesses mentioned in the Tamilnadu Fire Service Rules. In addition to the mandatory requirement, a fire license would also be required while obtaining Building Plan Approval from the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) for multistoried buildings. In this article, we look at the procedure for obtaining a fire license in Tamilnadu.

Applying for Fire License

The authority to whom fire license application must be submitted would depend on the type of building. To obtain a fire license for building with a height of up to 17.25 meters (Non-MSB), the District Officer, Fire and Rescue Services Department is the concerned authority. To obtain a fire license for building with height above 17.25 meters (MSB) or building with more than a single basement and height of fewer than 17.25 meters, The Director, Fire and Rescue Services Department is the concerned authority.

Application for Fire License

The application for fire license must be signed by the building owner along with the following information or documents:

Requisition Letter addressed to Approving Authority (District Officer or Director, as applicable) with the signature of the authorized signatory.
Land ownership document copy (Rental Agreement or Sale Deed, including Patta, Chitta copy, or Lease Deed).
Copy of Compliance Certification issued by the Fire and Rescue Services Department (For MSB only).
Details of Fire Safety measures undertaken in the building.
Fire Safety Plan of the building, including Fire Alarm Plan and Hydrant Layout, etc.
4 copies of the approved building plan from the Competent Authority (Local Body, DTCP or CMDA).

In addition to the above, the applicant must submit the following information in the format provided below during site verification:

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Processing Time for Fire License

The government processing time for issuance of a fire license in Tamilnadu is between 15 to 30 days. The applicant would have to visit an e-Sevai Centre to begin the application process. The authority at the e-Sevai Centre would upload the application on behalf of the applicant on the system along with the required documents. Once documents are uploaded, an application number will be generated, and the applicant will receive a confirmation of the same via SMS. There is no fee to be paid to the Fire & Rescue Services department for this application. On completion of the application upload, the applicant should send by speed post all of the documents uploaded to the concerned Approving Authority (District Officer/ Director, as applicable). The Approving Authority would acknowledge the receipt of the application and documents to the applicant via SMS. The approving authority can ask for additional information from the applicant, only pertaining to the application form and supporting documents specified within 7 working days of application receipt (including supporting documents). The applicant can respond to the queries received through the online portal. Based on the submission, the approving Authority would schedule an inspection of the site after providing prior notice. Post-inspection, the concerned officer will prepare and submit the inspection report on the online portal and forward it to the concerned authority. If found fit, the fire license would then be issued by the Authorities to the applicant.

For assistance obtaining a fire license in Tamilnadu, get in touch with an IndiaFilings Advisor at sales@indiafilings.com.