Vietnam is about to make hotel owners sign off their own fire safety. On 26 October the Minister of Public Security, Luong Tam Quang, presented a draft law to the National Assembly that would abolish the police check of fire safety acceptance and replace it with inspection after a building opens. The check has been suspended since 1 July under a temporary government resolution. The draft would make that permanent. For hotel developers, it removes one of the last approvals before opening. It also moves the legal risk of getting fire safety wrong onto the investor and the people they hire.
Key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| What changes | Police check of fire safety acceptance abolished; post-inspection instead |
| Law being amended | Law on Fire Prevention, Fighting and Rescue (Law 55/2024/QH15), 12 articles |
| Presented | 26 October 2026, to the National Assembly, by the Minister of Public Security |
| Already in force | Check suspended from 1 July 2026 to 28 February 2027 (Resolution 66.18/2026/NQ-CP) |
| Also proposed | No pre-market licence for fire equipment and fire-resistant materials |
| What stays | Fire safety design appraisal and the duty to meet standards |
| Status | Not yet voted |
What happened
Today a new hotel goes through two fire steps before it opens. The fire design is appraised. Then, after building, the investor runs an acceptance test, and the police check that acceptance before the building can be used.
The government suspended that last police check on 1 July under Resolution 66.18/2026/NQ-CP, part of a wider cut in business procedures. Since then, investors have run acceptance themselves, taken responsibility for the result, and registered the building’s opening date in the national fire safety database. The ministry has stressed that this does not lower the safety standard.
The draft law presented on 26 October would make the change permanent. The Assembly’s Committee on National Defence, Security and Foreign Affairs agreed with the direction but asked for four things: clear legal responsibility for investors, owners and heads of establishments; competence standards for independent acceptance consultants; risk-based post-inspection, with more regular and surprise checks; and transition rules that leave no legal gap. It also asked for a way to deal with existing buildings that do not meet fire rules, which has become harder since provinces merged in July 2025.
Our read: faster openings, sharper liability
For developers, the gain is time. One state approval between finishing a building and opening it is gone, and the suspension has already removed it for projects finishing this year.
The cost is that the safety net has moved. Before, a police sign-off gave the owner a document from the state that the building had passed. Under post-inspection, the owner’s own acceptance record is what counts, and the police can still suspend a building that fails a later check. Vietnam has not forgotten the September 2023 fire at a Hanoi mini-apartment block that killed 56 people. If a hotel fire happens under the new system, the investor and its consultants will be the first to answer for it.
What it means for you
1. Developers: budget for a stronger acceptance team
Hire an independent fire acceptance consultant with a track record, and keep a full test file. That file is now your main defence in a later inspection.
2. Owners: put fire acceptance in the management agreement
Operators typically want proof of fire safety sign-off before they open a hotel. Agree with your operator what evidence replaces the police document, and who signs it.
3. Lenders and insurers: expect new questions
Banks and insurers relied on the police check as proof. Expect them to ask for the consultant’s report, the database registration and test records instead.
4. Buyers of existing hotels: check the history
For hotels built during the suspension or after the law changes, there will be no police acceptance document. Due diligence should ask for the investor’s acceptance file and any post-inspection results.
5. Owners of older and converted hotels: watch the transition rules
The committee wants a mechanism for existing buildings that fall short. Mini-hotels and converted buildings are most exposed. Fix what you can before post-inspection starts.
FAQ
What is fire safety acceptance in Vietnam?
The test that a finished building’s fire systems match the approved design. Until July 2026 the police checked this before a building could open.
Is the police fire acceptance check still required?
No. It has been suspended since 1 July 2026 under Resolution 66.18/2026/NQ-CP, which runs to 28 February 2027. A draft law would abolish it permanently.
Does the change remove fire safety design approval?
No. Design appraisal and the duty to meet fire safety standards stay. Only the police check of acceptance is removed.
When will the new fire law take effect?
The draft was presented to the National Assembly on 26 October 2026. It has not yet been voted on, and no effective date has been set.
