The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has launched a consultation exploring the introduction of a self-certification scheme for fire door work in England and Wales.

Under the proposal, certain installation, maintenance and replacement works across both higher-risk and lower-risk buildings could be carried out without requiring formal approval from building control bodies. Instead, work would be signed off through an authorised competent person scheme.

The BSR states that this approach could reduce reliance on the current approval process, including the gateway regime for higher-risk buildings in England, which has faced delays. The regulator believes the change could deliver significant time and cost savings, while maintaining standards and improving transparency.

This proposal forms part of a wider review of the conditions of authorisation (CoA) governing competent person schemes. The review is considering areas including governance, accountability, competence and training, data reporting, and enforcement.

The BSR has highlighted “persistent weaknesses” in the oversight of existing self-certification schemes and is seeking to strengthen the framework, drawing on lessons from previous government retrofit programmes and wider market reviews.

The consultation also sits alongside broader efforts to refine the scope of the BSR’s oversight, with government previously signalling that lower-risk works may be removed from regulatory control where appropriate.

While decision times for higher-risk building applications have improved recent figures suggest averages of around 18 weeks a backlog remains, and the sector continues to await further detail on plans to accelerate remediation decisions.

The consultation opened in March 2026 and will run for three months, with recommendations expected later this year.

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