The Fire Design Approval Process in Turkey, Step by Step

Fire design approval is not a single signature but several linked stages. What usually lengthens the process is not a technical error but getting the order of those stages wrong.

The stages

1. Pre-application meeting. Once the architectural concept is settled, the conceptual approach is discussed with the reviewing authority (the administration authorised to issue building permits and, where it consults them, the fire service): compartmentation, escape strategy, which design standard will be used. Skipping this makes later revisions expensive.
2. Fire safety / design report. Occupancy class, height status, capacity, fire load, chosen standard and design parameters are written down. The active systems derive from the decisions in this report.
3. Detailed designs. Sprinkler, hose reel, hydrant, detection, smoke control, emergency lighting and signage designs, with hydraulic calculations and equipment schedules. Under BYKHY Article 6/4, fire detection and suppression designs are prepared separately from the building services designs, and the evacuation designs for floors with a floor area above 2,000 m² are prepared separately from the architectural drawings.
4. Design approval. The designs are approved by the authority empowered to issue building permits, which checks that the fire suppression, detection and evacuation designs comply with the regulation (Article 6/4, 6/5). Depending on the administration, a fire service opinion may form part of this review. No building permit is issued for a design that does not comply (Article 5/1), and shortfalls are notified in writing. Where design or construction questions are open to interpretation, the written opinion of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change is obtained (Article 5/3).
5. Revision and resubmission. Closing out the shortfalls; submitting a schedule of changes with each revision speeds this up.
6. Installation and site inspection. Inspection during and at the end of installation; deviations from the approved design are recorded on as-built drawings.
7. Acceptance and testing. Flow test, alarm test, pump performance test, smoke control functional test, with results captured in test records. At the occupancy permit stage the administration checks whether the installations comply with the regulation (Article 6/5); no occupancy permit or operating licence is issued until the shortfalls are corrected (Article 5/1).

Which documents are asked for

Document	Content
Design report	Occupancy class, hazard class, chosen standard, design parameters
Hydraulic calculation	Most remote area calculation, pump duty point, water supply volume
System schematics	Riser diagram, valve arrangement, zone plan
Equipment schedule	Sprinkler type and K-factor, pump, valves, detectors, with approval certificates
Layout drawings	Floor-by-floor sprinkler, detector, hose reel and hydrant layouts
Test records	At acceptance: flow, alarm, pump and functional tests

Six practices that shorten the process

• State the standard explicitly. Sprinkler design follows TS EN 12845 under BYKHY Article 96/5; for matters the regulation does not adequately cover, Turkish Standards come first, then European Standards, and internationally recognised standards only for matters those do not address (Article 5/2). The standards used and their edition years appear on the first page of the report.
• Give the table reference. Not "density 7.5 mm/min" but "density 7.5 mm/min — [standard, relevant table]".
• Cloud the revisions. The reviewer should not have to hunt for what changed.
• Attach approval certificates from the start. If UL/FM or LPCB/VdS certificates are requested later, the process gains a whole extra round.
• Collect insurer requirements in their own section. They should not blur into the regulatory requirements.
• Document site deviations immediately. A deviation discovered at acceptance is the most expensive kind.

Where acceptance testing most often stalls

1. The pump performance curve not verified on site.
2. Tank volume not meeting the design duration.
3. Valve tamper switches not wired back to the panel (a monitored isolating valve on every zone or riser: Article 96/7).
4. Sprinkler layout not meeting the obstruction rules (ducts, beams, lighting).
5. No spare sprinkler cabinet and special wrenches (at least 6 spare heads: Article 96/8).
6. Smoke control and fire detection not tested against the design scenarios.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should the fire authority be consulted?

A pre-application meeting once the architectural concept is settled, with detailed designs submitted after the design report. Skipping the pre-application makes later revisions expensive.

Which documents are required for approval?

Design report, hydraulic calculation, system schematics, equipment schedule with approval certificates, and floor-by-floor layouts; test records are added at acceptance.

What shortens the process most?

Stating the standard used from the start, giving a table reference for every design value, clouding revisions, and attaching equipment approval certificates with the first submission.

Where does acceptance testing most often stall?

An unverified pump curve, insufficient tank volume, tamper switches not wired to the panel, and sprinkler layouts breaching the obstruction rules.

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