What Are the New ISU Regulations Introduced by OUG No. 17 of 12 March 2026?

We hereby inform you that Government Emergency Ordinance no. 17 of 12 March 2026, published in the Monitorul Oficial no. 199/13.03.2026, introduces amendments to Law no. 307/2006 on fire safety, significantly changing how companies are expected to approach fire protection.

Whereas many organizations previously treated this area largely as a formal requirement, obtaining the permit and passing inspections, the new provisions shift the focus toward:

▪ ongoing responsibility, and

▪ the actual, effective operation of safety measures.

One of the most important changes concerns penalties.

In the past, fire inspectors (ISU) had broader discretion and could issue warnings even for certain relevant breaches. This effectively allowed companies a “first mistake without financial consequences.”

The new regulation changes this approach: for contraventions classified under points III–XII (with fines starting from 2,500 RON), warnings can no longer be applied, so any breach is now directly sanctioned with a fine.

There is only one exception: when a company operates without authorization, but all fire safety measures are fully implemented and functional; however, this situation is rarely encountered in practice.

At the same time, penalties for serious violations have increased significantly.

The law now explicitly provides for fines ranging from 30,000 RON to 100,000 RON, mandatorily accompanied by the suspension of operations. This measure is not limited to extreme cases but may be applied whenever a serious breach of fire safety requirements is identified, such as the absence of essential systems or the inability to ensure safe evacuation.

Moreover, if a company resumes operations without obtaining the required authorization after such a sanction, the risk of being fined again and shut down is clearly stipulated by law.

An important new element is the introduction of the “lifecycle” concept of the permit. Until now, the main focus was on obtaining the permit.

The new rules introduce two key concepts: suspension and loss of validity of the permit.

▪ Suspension occurs, for example, when essential systems (fire detection, extinguishing, smoke extraction, emergency lighting) are not operational, or when technical documentation cannot be presented. This suspension is temporary and allows time for remediation.

▪ However, if the issues are not resolved in due time, or if changes are identified that increase fire risk (such as a change in use of the premises or an increase in combustible materials), the authorization loses its validity and must be obtained again.

It is particularly important that the law also introduces clear obligations regarding the response to malfunctions:

▪ If fire safety systems are not operational, the situation must be promptly reported to the county inspectorate for emergency situations, and if it cannot be remedied within a maximum of 72 hours, the activity must be suspended.

▪ This marks a major shift: it is no longer sufficient for equipment to simply exist. It must be continuously functional, and responsibility for this is explicitly assigned.

▪ At the same time, situations that directly endanger human life, such as blocking evacuation exits or using open flames in public spaces, are more severely sanctioned. For such violations, fines can reach up to 20,000 RON, reflecting the seriousness of the risk.

Obtaining the operating permit is now directly conditional upon obtaining the ISU authorization for large, crowded, or high-risk spaces, such as:

▪ food service units over 600 sqm,

▪ commercial spaces over 2,500 sqm,

▪ high-rise buildings,

▪ tourist accommodation units (over 25 rooms/50 beds/over 1,000 sqm),

▪ fuel/GPL stations,

▪ commercial premises located in metro stations.

A provisional permit is issued only if the ISU fails to meet the legal deadlines.

In line with this broader approach to responsibility, the new regulations also clarify and expand the obligations of all parties involved in the design, construction, and commissioning of buildings, from planning through execution to on-site verification.

▪ Designers are required to integrate into the technical documentation all fire protection measures tailored to the specific risks of each project, as well as to include operational diagrams for fire safety systems. In addition, they must provide beneficiaries with complete documentation, including instructions and operating rules for equipment, ensuring safe use.

▪ Contractors are responsible both for strictly adhering to the design and for maintaining communication with authorities. They must notify the emergency inspectorate at the start of works using available electronic means and must not alter the technical solutions without the designer’s approval. Upon completion, they are also required to provide beneficiaries with maintenance instructions for the installed equipment.

▪ Site supervisors play an essential role in verifying on-site compliance. They must monitor the implementation of all fire safety measures set out in the design, verify the functionality of fire safety systems before commissioning, and notify the emergency inspectorate if non-compliance is identified.

Last but not least, the law brings increased transparency and digitalization.

Authorities will publish lists of authorized buildings, and approval and authorization procedures will move to electronic formats, with more clearly defined deadlines.

This will make companies’ level of compliance more visible and reduce ambiguities in the process.

If you are looking for office spaces or industrial spaces that fully comply with ISU requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us at +40723.266.197.

To review the new ISU regulations introduced by Emergency Ordinance (OUG) no. 17/March 12, 2026, in detail, you may access the following link: https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/308251