Telangana’s Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Department has revised its Fire and Life Safety requirements for provisional fire no-objection certificates, raising the threshold for residential apartment buildings from 18 metres to 24 metres.
The revised instructions took effect on 7 October 2026 and apply only to fresh provisional Fire NOC applications received on or after that date, according to an official release reported by PTI on 10 October. The change should not be presented as a retrospective clearance for existing applications or as an exemption from all fire-safety obligations below 24 metres.
What changed for residential apartment applications
Under the revised instruction, a provisional Fire NOC is required for residential apartment buildings measuring 24 metres or more. The earlier threshold was 18 metres. The department said existing requirements for other occupancy types remain unchanged.
That distinction is important for Hyderabad property news: the amendment is specific to the residential-apartment threshold and does not automatically change the rules for schools, hospitals, hotels, hostels, offices, malls, industries or other public-use buildings.
The department said it issued the changes after consultation with builders’ associations, including CREDAI and the Telangana Builders Federation. Its stated aim is a clearer and more uniform approach to provisional NOC processing while maintaining essential Fire and Life Safety measures.
Safety infrastructure still applies at 24 metres and above
The revised requirements say a Fire Tower is required for buildings 24 metres high and above, irrespective of occupancy type. A Fire Command Centre room is also required at that height for all occupancy types.
For diesel-generator rooms in basements, louvres may be permitted above a fire-rated wall at least one metre high, provided the wall has a two-hour fire-resistance rating. This is a technical permission subject to the stated construction condition, not a general relaxation for basement ventilation.
These measures show why the headline threshold cannot be read alone. The provisional NOC stage is part of the building-approval process, while design, access, equipment, inspection and eventual occupancy compliance remain separate considerations.
What the rule means for developers and homebuyers
For developers preparing new residential applications, the most immediate task is to confirm the building’s measured height and determine which version of the rules applies based on the application date. Projects at or above 24 metres must plan for the provisional Fire NOC and the specified infrastructure. Projects below that threshold still remain subject to applicable building, electrical, access and safety codes enforced by other authorities.
For homebuyers, a lower regulatory threshold should not be interpreted as evidence that a building is safe merely because it is under 24 metres. Buyers can ask for the sanctioned plan, applicable fire approvals, emergency-access arrangements, staircase and evacuation provisions, hydrant and alarm systems, maintenance records and occupancy documentation relevant to the completed project.
The rule also does not confirm that a named development has secured an NOC. Approval status must be checked project by project through the Telangana Fire Services system and the competent municipal or planning authority.
Market implications for Hyderabad housing
The department frames the revision as an ease-of-compliance measure for fresh applications. It could reduce one procedural layer for some new mid-rise residential proposals between the former and current thresholds, but it does not demonstrate faster approvals, lower construction costs or cheaper apartment prices by itself.
Any market impact will depend on how planning bodies apply the revised standard alongside the National Building Code, local building rules and occupancy procedures. The useful next evidence will be formal circular publication, processing times for new applications and project-level compliance outcomes.
For buyers and investors, the rule is primarily a regulatory update, not a signal to value one property more highly. Building height, emergency access and verified safety systems remain practical due-diligence issues regardless of whether a provisional Fire NOC is triggered.
Sources
- ETRealty / PTI — Telangana fire services revises provisional Fire NOC requirements, published 10 October 2026 at 9:45 AM IST; attributes the details to an official departmental release.
- Times of India — Telangana raises apartment Fire NOC threshold to 24 metres, published 3 October 2026 at 4:08 PM IST; supports the effective date and residential-only distinction.
- Telangana Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Department — official portal, accessed 11 October 2026; provides the official Fire NOC service and departmental context. The specific 2026 circular was not retrieved from the portal.