Disability Access Certificates (DAC)

A Disability Access Certificate (DAC) is a certificate granted by a Building Control Authority, which certifies compliance of the design of certain works and new buildings, some extensions to, and some material alterations to buildings (except dwelling houses) with the requirements of Part M of the Building Regulations. The regulations state that as and from 1 January 2010 no new building or no existing building in respect of which an extension or a material alteration has been made, shall be opened, operated or occupied unless a Disability Access Certificate (DAC) has been granted by the Building Control Authority.

Generally, if you require a Fire Safety Certificate then you will also require a Disability Access Certificate, and both should be applied for at the same time.

All applications for Disability Access Certificates, Revised Disability Access Certificates and Dispensation/Relaxation shall be submitted online on the Building Control Management System (BCMS). The fee for the making of such application, as set down in the regulations is €800 per building. The fee is reduced to €500 where the application is made prior to commencement and coincides with an application for a fire safety certificate. This fee can be paid through BCMS when lodging your application, there is no sq. m application fee for a Disability Access Certificate.

A Disability Access Certificate is required for:

• New buildings, including apartment blocks
• Material alteration to a day care centre, apartment block, hotel, hostel, guest building, institutional building, place of assembly or shopping centre
• Material alteration to a shop, office or industrial building where additional floor area is provided within existing building or building is being subdivided into a number of units for separate occupancy.
• Extension to an existing building other than a dwelling house of greater that 25m2
• A material change of use involving a material alteration associated with the change of use.

A comprehensive list of frequently asked questions in relation to Disability Access Certificates is provided on the BCMS website. 

Exemptions from Building Control Fees in relation to Disability Access certs. 

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.

 

Appeals

There is provision to appeal to An Bord Pleanála against the decision of a building control authority in relation to a Disability Access Certificate application. 

Copies of Disability Access Certificates 

Requests for copies of Disability Access Certificates 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 disability access 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 BCMS website or alternatively you might engage the services of a law searcher to assist in the retrieval of 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]