England · National documents
Fire safety: Approved Document B
Covers fire safety for dwellings and other buildings. The published volumes collate amendments with different commencement and transition dates.
AI-generated summaries of the linked official sources; not editorially reviewed. Sources and limits
Where this document applies
England: building work within the scope of the applicable regulations and edition.
Fire safety: Approved Document B (official source, opens in a new tab) · Documents; Details
Collated amendments have different application dates
The supplied fire-safety volumes combine amendments for 2025, 2026 and 2029. The publication describes transition periods, and retains a March 2024 amendment marked no longer current. Check the operative provisions for the building and work before using a requirement found in the combined PDF.
Read the official source (official source, opens in a new tab) · Documents; Updates of Approved Document B for 2025, 2026 and 2029
Official document and edition
Approved Document B (fire safety) volume 1: Dwellings, 2019 edition incorporating 2020, 2022 and 2025 amendments collated with 2026 and 2029 amendments. The official file contains the detailed scope, diagrams and qualifications needed to interpret this guidance.
Read the official source (official source, opens in a new tab) · PDF supplied under Documents on the publication page
Limits and checks
- Building regulations approval and planning permission are separate. This document is guidance on compliance, not the regulations themselves.
- Check the edition, commencement date and transitional provisions against the building work. A publication date alone does not establish which requirements apply.
- The collated volumes include 2026 and 2029 amendments. Future provisions must not be treated as already in force; the source also retains a March 2024 amendment marked no longer current.
Read alongside this document
- Planning practice guidanceHousing: optional technical standardsExplains optional housing standards for accessibility, water efficiency and internal space, including the role of local planning policies.
- Technical standardTechnical housing standards – nationally described space standardSets out the nationally described internal space standard for new dwellings, including floor areas, storage and bedroom dimensions.
Put the national source in your local context
Start with the exact refusal reason. Note the policy and paragraph it cites, then check your authority’s policy summary and the facts discussed in relevant appeal decisions. Each appeal turns on its own facts and does not predict another outcome.