Fire Prevention

The Fire Department inspects all buildings, except single-family homes and duplexes. The City of Berkeley and the State of California mandate some buildings to be inspected annually.

Request a fire prevention inspection of a project, building, or indoor event. Inspections may be done on a drop-in basis or, in some cases, by appointment. Emergency response may affect your inspection timing.

Request a fire inspection

The fire inspection request you can make depends on the type of building, facility, or event you have.

Construction project inspections

To request an inspection for a construction project, call (510) 981-5585. Please provide:

• Permit number
• Address
• Type of inspection
• Point of contact (name and phone number)

Community Care Licensing Inspections (includes small and large family daycares)

The Fire Department performs Fire Safety Inspections for these facilities as required by the State. If your facility would like to pay for a pre-inspection to identify any issues that need to be addressed, you can request one by calling (510) 981-5585. Please provide:

• Address
• Facility type
• Point of contact (name and phone number)

For more information on fire and life safety requirements, review the Family Daycare Pamphlet. 

Indoor Entertainment Event (IEE) Inspection

IEE inspections are required for indoor events with 50 or more people.

Business License Application

Make sure you have the correct business license application for your establishment. Once Zoning has approved your license, you can request an inspection by calling (510) 981-5585.

What fire inspections cover

Fire inspections usually cover common areas. You may need to be present if we need access to inspect the facility.

To request a copy of an Annual Inspection Report, you may call (510) 981-5585 or email bfdfireprevention@cityofberkeley.info. Please provide the address.

Pay fire inspection bill

Property owners will receive a bill if:

• The Fire Department inspected their property, OR
• They had fire code violations that were not resolved within 30 days of their initial inspection

Inspection fees vary but are charged at $98 per quarter hour (15 minutes). Payments should be made out to the “City of Berkeley.” Payments can be made by calling 311 or can be submitted to Revenue Collections. Send payments by mail to the address that appears on the bill:

City of Berkeley
Finance – Treasury Division
PO Box 1910
Berkeley, CA 94701

The City’s Finance Department sends the billing statements, usually in the month following the inspection. Fees are due within 90 days of the billing date. If payment is not received on time, a 20% late fee is added to the bill. For additional billing questions or to change your address, call the Department of Finance – Revenue Collections at (510) 981-7200.

To contest a fire inspection bill, call (510) 981-5585. Contested bills will be reviewed by the Fire Prevention Division.