Fire extinguishers in non-domestic premises need a visual check at least once a month and a basic service by a competent person every 12 months. Most types also need an extended service every 5 years, and CO2 extinguishers need an overhaul every 10 years. These intervals come from BS 5306-3, the British Standard code of practice for commissioning and maintaining portable fire extinguishers. The standard isn't law, but following it is the recognised way to show you've met the maintenance duty in the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO). The FSO applies in England and Wales, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules. In Scotland, fire safety duties for most non-domestic premises are set out in the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. In Northern Ireland, the main laws are the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010, as explained by the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service.

What does the FSO require from the Responsible Person?

Article 17 of the FSO requires the Responsible Person to make sure the premises and any equipment provided under the Order are subject to a suitable system of maintenance. That equipment must be kept in efficient working order and good repair. The Responsible Person is whoever has control of the premises, such as an employer, owner, landlord, facilities manager or managing agent. If you hold that role, the duty stays with you even when a contractor carries out the work.

The FSO doesn't set service intervals. BS 5306-3 does, and its schedule is the benchmark most Responsible Persons use to show their system of maintenance is suitable.

How often do fire extinguishers need servicing?

BS 5306-3 sets a basic service every 12 months for every extinguisher type. The longer interval depends on what the unit contains. This table follows Table 1 of the standard as published by BAFE:

BS 5306-3 allows a tolerance of one month either way on the basic and extended service intervals. Replacing a part, such as a hose, doesn't reset them, and a competent person can shorten the intervals where inspection reveals environmental factors that justify it. Manufacturer guidance can add to these intervals too, so ask your provider to confirm the schedule for each model on site.

Record each extinguisher's type and commissioning date and you can plan extended services and overhauls years ahead, so no unit turns up overdue.

What does fire extinguisher servicing include?

Each level of service has its own scope and its own person responsible.

Monthly visual checks

BS 5306-3 says the Responsible Person should carry out a visual inspection at least once a month, and more often where circumstances require. During each check, confirm:

• The pressure gauge reads in the green zone (where fitted)
• The safety pin and tamper seal are intact
• The service label is present and in date
• The extinguisher is clearly visible and not obstructed

Record every check in the site's fire logbook, the site-level record of inspections and maintenance. A gap in the logbook leaves you without evidence that the check took place.

Annual basic service

A competent person carries out the basic service every 12 months. It checks that the extinguisher hasn't been discharged or lost pressure and is fit for use.

Extended service every 5 or 10 years

Water-based and powder extinguishers need an extended service every 5 years, and primary sealed powder units every 10. The engineer carries out the basic service checks, discharges the unit to test it, and recharges it before returning it to service.

CO2 overhaul every 10 years

CO2 extinguishers are high-pressure units, so the cylinder itself is tested. Every 10 years, a competent person overhauls the unit, including a hydraulic pressure test, or you replace it.

When is it time to replace a fire extinguisher?

BS 5306-3 expects extinguishers that are no longer usable to be replaced with serviceable ones, and it includes "condemned" among the actions recorded on the maintenance label. A competent technician can advise whether service, overhaul or replacement is the right path. Record each replacement in the fire logbook and on the asset record, so the next visit picks up the new unit's own service dates.

What happens when fire extinguisher servicing is missed?

A missed service lets faults such as pressure loss go undetected, so an extinguisher may not work when it's needed. It also leaves you with no record to show that your system of maintenance is operating.

Local fire and rescue authorities inspect premises and can issue fire safety notices, and gov.uk says you could be fined or sent to prison if you don't follow fire safety regulations. Minor penalties can be up to £5,000, and major penalties can mean unlimited fines and up to 2 years in prison. For contractors servicing extinguishers on customer sites, incomplete records mean you can't prove the work was done.

Who can carry out fire extinguisher servicing?

The Responsible Person must make sure whoever services the extinguishers is competent. BS 5306-3 defines a competent person as someone with the necessary training and experience, with access to the relevant tools, equipment, information and manuals, and knowledge of any special procedures the manufacturer recommends, to carry out the relevant maintenance procedures.

BAFE SP101 is the BAFE registration scheme for fire extinguisher servicing companies, and registered companies follow BS 5306 parts 3, 8 and 9. It's a recognised way to check a provider before you appoint them. Before you do, check these four things:

• BAFE SP101 registration: confirms the provider is registered for fire extinguisher servicing
• Manufacturer training certificates: confirm engineers hold current certificates for the extinguisher types on your sites
• Insurance cover: confirms the provider carries professional indemnity and public liability insurance
• Documentation standards: confirm service reports, labels and asset records are complete and consistent

Keeping a note of how you checked gives you a record of how you confirmed competence if a question arises later.

What records should you keep after each service?

After every service visit, the engineer should update the maintenance label on each extinguisher, and the visit should be recorded in the fire logbook. BS 5306-3 says the label should show the type of action carried out and the date, as year and month, of commissioning or the last extended service or overhaul. A useful logbook record covers:

• Date and type of service carried out (basic, extended or overhaul)
• Name and certification details of the engineer
• Condition of each extinguisher and any defects identified
• Actions taken, including replacements or recharges

When records are complete and easy to find, showing a fire risk assessor or enforcing authority that your maintenance system works is straightforward. Keeping them consistent gets harder with every site, contract and asset you add.

How do you manage fire extinguisher servicing across multiple sites?

Tracking due dates and documentation for hundreds of extinguishers is hard to sustain on a spreadsheet. Validate the asset list at set-up, keep visit frequencies consistent across sites, and write SLA rules into the contract record rather than leaving them in someone's inbox.

Joblogic's fire safety software lets you record each extinguisher as an asset, with its site, service history and QR code tagging. You can bulk import site assets and schedule their planned maintenance at asset level, with service dates that renew automatically, so the annual service comes round without anyone tracking it by hand.

On site, engineers complete servicing checklists and attach photos in the Mobile Engineer App. Once a visit has downloaded, engineers can complete forms and capture signatures without a signal, and the app syncs with the office when the connection returns. Joblogic's Fire & Safety Industry Pack, a free Marketplace add-on, includes a Fire Extinguisher Testing Certificate form and a Fire Extinguisher Maintenance Report.

Joblogic's customer portal lets customers log in and see their jobs with documents attached, including servicing certificates. The customer portal is available on Premium and Enterprise plans.

What should you check in your servicing programme now?

Start with your asset register. If you can't say when each extinguisher last had its basic service, and when its extended service or overhaul falls due, close that gap first. Next, check that every provider on your sites is registered for fire extinguisher servicing and that their records are complete. Then move the intervals into a system that raises each visit for you, so your compliance record stops depending on someone's memory.

If you'd like to see how this works across a live fire safety programme, book a demo and we'll walk you through it.

Fire extinguisher servicing: FAQs

How often should a fire extinguisher be professionally serviced under BS 5306-3?

Every 12 months, by a competent person. Water-based and powder extinguishers also need an extended service every 5 years, primary sealed powder units every 10 years, and CO2 extinguishers an overhaul every 10 years. The Responsible Person should carry out visual checks at least monthly between these professional visits.

Is annual fire extinguisher servicing a legal requirement?

The FSO doesn't set a service interval. It requires a suitable system of maintenance and equipment kept in efficient working order, in England and Wales. An annual basic service to BS 5306-3 is the recognised way to meet that duty.

What is the difference between a monthly check and a service?

The monthly check is a visual inspection the Responsible Person, or someone they appoint, carries out between professional visits. A service is carried out by a competent person and goes further, from the annual basic service to the extended service or overhaul.

What must a Responsible Person do if a fire extinguisher fails its annual service?

Arrange for a competent person to repair it or replace it, and record the outcome in the fire logbook. Leaving an unserviceable extinguisher in place falls short of the duty to keep equipment in efficient working order and good repair.

Is a BAFE SP101-registered company legally required to carry out fire extinguisher servicing?

No. The law requires a competent person. BAFE SP101 registration is a recognised way to check a provider's credentials. If you appoint an unregistered provider, you'll need another way to confirm the engineer's competence.

Can a fire extinguisher remain in service after its annual service date has passed?

It shouldn't. BS 5306-3 sets the basic service at 12 months with a tolerance of one month either way, and the FSO requires equipment to be kept in efficient working order. Beyond that tolerance, an overdue unit is a gap in your system of maintenance, so arrange the service straight away.

What information should appear on a fire extinguisher service label?

BS 5306-3 says the maintenance label should show the type of action carried out, such as commissioning, a basic service, extended service, recharge, overhaul or condemning the unit, and the date, as year and month, of commissioning or the last extended service or overhaul, among other details.

Does the Fire Safety Order apply in Scotland and Northern Ireland?

No. The Fire Safety Order applies in England and Wales. In Scotland, fire safety duties for most non-domestic premises are set out in the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. In Northern Ireland, the main laws are the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010, as explained by the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service.

What is the difference between BS 5306-3 and BS 5306-8?

BS 5306-3 covers the commissioning and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers, including service intervals. BS 5306-8 covers their selection and positioning, and says extinguishers should be commissioned, inspected, tested and maintained by a competent person in accordance with BS 5306-3.