Commencement Notices and 7 Day Notices
Building Control
You need a commencement notice if you are:
- Constructing a building
- Making a Material alteration to a building
- Extending a building
- Materially changing the use of a building
- Carrying out any works in connection with the material alteration of a shop, office or industrial building
If your project requires a Fire Safety Certificate it is against the law to commence works on your project until you have obtained a Fire Safety Certificate.
The Building Control Authority must be notified by application on the BCMS portal between 14 and 28 days before you start construction on site, and it must be accompanied by the correct fee. The current fee for a commencement notice is €30 per building.
**It is extremely important to submit the correct form of notice and the responsibility to do so rests with the building owner or person commissioning the works via the BCMS portal **
A comprehensive list of frequently asked questions in relation to Commencement Notices is provided on the BCMS website.
There are four types of commencement notices currently available:
Commencement notice without compliance documentation
This is the simplest type of notice and is required for material alterations in a shop, office or industrial building where a fire safety certificate is not required.
It may also be used for extensions to dwelling houses which measure 40 sq. m or less but which require planning permission.
Commencement notice with compliance documentation
The owner must appoint a builder and registered professional(s) as designer and/or assigned certifier to this project.
An inspection plan and a number of construction drawings are necessary to outline compliance with the technical requirements of the building regulations.
If required, a fire safety certificate must be already granted before this notice is submitted.
Commencement with opt out declaration
This is an alternative Commencement Notice for the construction of a single domestic dwelling on a development site, or the extension of a domestic dwelling greater than 40 sq m, where the owner is choosing to opt out of the requirement for statutory certification. This type of Commencement Notices allows the applicant to opt out of the requirement to obtain Statutory Certificates reliant on the services of a registered construction professional.
Seven day notice
Used for works which require a fire cert but the owner intends to commence the construction before the fire cert is granted. Please note the fee for a Seven day notice. This notice is only acceptable if it is accompanied by a VALID fire safety certificate application.
Exemptions from Building Control Fees in relation to a 7 Day notice.
Article 22 of the Building Control Regulations 2021 details a fee shall not be payable to a building control authority where the authority is of the opinion that the works or the building which are or is the subject of a notice or application is being made, by or on behalf of a voluntary organisation.
The following report outlines the formal exemption fee policy to be implemented by the Building Control Authority in the discharge of its duties. The application for fee exemption can be validated as part of the validation process by the Building Control authority.
Copies of Commencement Notices
Requests for copies of historical commencement notices can be made via email. Building Control Admin will then request the fee and the return of a declaration form signed by you.
Please provide the relevant Planning register reference or fire cert reference number for retrieval. If you do not have these, searches can be made on our database at the customer care unit in Swords, the NBCO website or alternatively you might engage the services of a law searcher to assist in your retrieval of the relevant references.
Address: Building Control Admin, Planning & Strategic Infrastructure Department, Fingal County Council, County Hall, Main Street, Swords, K67 X8Y2
Tel: 01 890500 Email:
[email protected]