Is a fire risk assessment a legal requirement, and how often?
Last reviewed 22 August 2026
Is a fire risk assessment a legal requirement?
Yes. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 the responsible person for almost any non-domestic premises must carry out a fire risk assessment. Where five or more people are employed, it must be written down. The awkward part is not whether you need one. It is that the Order tells you to review it "regularly" without saying how often.
How often
The law says "regularly", and never gives you a number
The Order requires the assessment to be reviewed regularly and whenever there is reason to think it is no longer valid, or the premises change. That flexibility is exactly why this is one of the most-searched compliance questions in the UK.
Who it binds
Almost all non-domestic premises in England and Wales, plus the communal areas of residential buildings. The duty falls on the "responsible person", usually the employer, owner or occupier.
Where the duty comes from
The short version
Next
Sources
Every claim above is checked against the primary text, and the date is the day we last opened it.
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The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
legislation.gov.uk Primary text read and checked Checked 22 August 2026