The regulations summarized below are specific to French law and apply to establishments located in France. They are not a substitute for the regulation of your own country. If your establishment is in France (or you are advising a French establishment), this overview will orient you — but for any compliance decision, always work from the full official texts or consult a certified expert. Open the full interactive French regulatory tool →
How French fire regulation is organized
French fire safety law is not a single code — it's a family of regulations, each tied to a building category. The category determines which rules apply.
ERP — Public establishments
Any building open to the public: hotels, restaurants, schools, shops, clinics, gyms. Governed mainly by the order of 25 June 1980, with general provisions (GN), and topic-specific sections: construction (CO), fitting-out (AM), heating (CH), electrical installations (EL), and safety service & management (MS). Classified by type of activity and by category (1st to 5th) based on public capacity.
IGH — High-rise buildings
Buildings above a height threshold (roughly 28-50m depending on use). Subject to a stricter, dedicated regulatory regime given the added difficulty of evacuation and firefighting access at height.
HAB — Residential buildings
Apartment buildings and housing, classified into four categories by height. Requirements cover compartmentation, stairwell smoke control, and access for fire services.
BUP — Workplaces (offices)
Office buildings and workplaces not open to the public fall under Labour Code fire safety provisions (notably Article R.4227-28) rather than the ERP regime — a distinction that trips up many first-time readers of French regulation.
ICPE — Regulated industrial sites
Installations classified for environmental protection (factories, warehouses, storage of hazardous materials). Subject to their own permitting and fire safety regime, layered on top of general fire code requirements.
Other regimes
Additional sector-specific rules exist for healthcare facilities, schools, and other special-purpose buildings, generally as amendments layered on the ERP framework above.
The core obligations, at a glance
Safety register
A mandatory logbook recording every inspection, training session, drill, repair and safety commission visit. Must be available on demand at all times.
Equipment & systems
Working detection, alarm and suppression systems, extinguishers, emergency lighting and smoke extraction, all subject to periodic verification by an approved body.
Staff training & drills
At least two evacuation drills per year, and designated first-response fire wardens (EPI) trained to intervene on an outbreak and lead an evacuation.
Safety commission
Periodic inspection visits by the local safety commission, which can order corrective works or, in serious cases, close the establishment administratively.
Explore the complete interactive database
Our French regulatory tool covers every article, code and technical instruction (GN, DF, CO, MS, IT246-IT249 and more), searchable and updated as the law changes.
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