Under the SCDF Fire Code, compartmentation requires non-combustible, fire-rated compartment walls and floors that stay within set size and storey limits, with ratings drawn from Table 3.3A. Qualified Persons must check compartment dimensions against Clause 3.2 and verify every regulated product’s Certificate of Conformity before it reaches a submission.
TL;DR:
- Clause 3.2 allows 4,000 square meters or 15,000 cubic meters from ground level to 24 meters; below or above, limits are 2,000 square meters or 7,500 cubic meters.
- The baseline is one hour; fire command centers, boiler rooms, and transformer rooms typically need two hours, while basement motor vehicle workshops can need four hours.
- Inspect service penetrations and roof or curtain wall junctions before finishes conceal them; fire stopping must match the wall rating and a tested configuration.
- Before submission, Qualified Persons must declare regulated products, upload current Certificates of Conformity, and verify that each serial label matches the delivered product and certification.
Table of Contents
- What the Fire Code Requires and Why It Matters
- Compartment Size Limits and How to Apply Table 3.2A
- Minimum Fire-Resistance Ratings for Walls, Floors and Special Rooms
- Permitted Openings and Penetrations in Compartment Walls
- Fire-Stopping at Roof and Curtain-Wall Junctions
- Regulated Fire Safety Products and Certificate of Conformity Checks
- Qualified Person Duties and the Submission Checklist
- How We Support Compartmentation Compliance
- Three Pitfalls We See Repeatedly
- If You Need Support With Compartmentation Compliance
- FAQ
- Sources
What the Fire Code Requires and Why It Matters
Compartmentation exists to slow fire spread long enough for occupants to evacuate and for firefighters to intervene safely. We treat it as a lifecycle obligation rather than a one-time drawing exercise: a decision made at design stage has to survive construction, pass inspection, and remain intact through decades of maintenance and tenant changes, aligning with best practices for thermal comfort compliance workflows.
The Fire Code requires compartment walls and floors to be non-combustible and to form a complete barrier, broken only by openings the Code specifically permits. Areas that typically demand their own compartments include:
- Basements and below-ground levels, due to limited escape routes and smoke buildup
- Fire command centers (FCC), which must stay operational during an incident
- Kitchens, workshops, and other spaces with elevated fire load
- Bulk storage and high-risk process areas separated from the rest of the building
Getting this right early avoids costly rework once structural and architectural drawings are locked.
Compartment Size Limits and How to Apply Table 3.2A
Table 3.2A sets the maximum floor area and cubical extent a single compartment can occupy, and the limits shift depending on where the compartment sits in the building. Below ground level and above 24 meters of habitable height, the maximum is 2,000 square meters or 7,500 cubic meters. Between ground level and 24 meters, compartments can extend to 4,000 square meters or 15,000 cubic meters, generally capped at three storeys.
These figures come directly from Clause 3.2, which also sets basement thresholds: basements exceeding a certain floor area threshold must be compartmented from the first storey and generally require sprinkler protection and rising mains. When a layout exceeds the table’s limits, sprinkler coverage or prior SCDF approval can sometimes justify a variation, but that route needs to be confirmed with SCDF before the design is finalized, not after.
Minimum Fire-Resistance Ratings for Walls, Floors and Special Rooms
The baseline fire-resistance period for compartment walls and floors is one hour, but Table 3.3A raises that figure for higher-risk purpose groups and basement conditions.
- Fire command centers, boiler rooms, and transformer rooms typically require a 2-hour rating
- Basements and select high-hazard workshops can require ratings up to 4 hours
- Sprinkler protection can, in some conditions, offset part of the required rating
Table 3.3A sets minimum fire-resistance periods by purpose group and compartment location, and a motor-vehicle workshop sited in a basement is a clear example of a space that can be pushed to the 4-hour tier. Designers who treat the one-hour figure as a default without checking the purpose group risk under-specifying the construction.
Permitted Openings and Penetrations in Compartment Walls
Compartment walls and floors must stay imperforate except for openings the Code explicitly allows under Clause 3.7. Each permitted opening carries its own protection requirement:
- Doorways require fire doors rated to match the wall’s fire-resistance period
- Vertical shafts for stairs, lifts, or services must be enclosed in protected construction
- Ventilation ducts passing through a compartment wall require fire dampers rated to the wall
- Pipes and cables need fire-stopping systems sized to the penetration, with nominal diameter limits and spacing rules set out in Clause 3.9
- Larger penetrations are only permitted with added protection, such as sprinkler coverage or reinforced enclosures around the opening
Before M&E routing is finalized, we recommend walking the service riser and ceiling void layout against the wall schedule to confirm every penetration has a matching fire-stopping detail.
Pro Tip: Flag every service penetration on the compartmentation drawing before coordination begins, not after ductwork and conduit are already installed.
Fire-Stopping at Roof and Curtain-Wall Junctions
Compartment integrity often fails at the edges, not in the middle of the wall. Clause 3.6 requires a compartment wall to be carried up to the underside of the roof covering, or extended above roof level, with the junction fire-stopped to prevent vertical fire spread over the top of the wall.
- Roof junctions need fire-stopping that matches the wall’s rated period, not a lower-grade sealant
- Curtain-wall junctions at floor slab edges need fire-stopping between the slab and the façade system
- Fire-stopping materials and systems should be matched to a tested configuration, not substituted on site without re-verification
In our site reviews, junction details are the single most common point of failure, usually because the gap was sealed with a generic product instead of a system tested for that specific junction condition. Catching this at the inspection stage, before cladding or ceiling finishes conceal it, saves a rip-out later.
Regulated Fire Safety Products and Certificate of Conformity Checks
Fire doors, fire shutters, fire dampers, and fire-rated floor or ceiling systems used in compartmentation works fall under the Product Listing Scheme for regulated fire safety products. Each product needs a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) issued by an SAC-accredited Certification Body, along with a serial label and Declaration of Compliance that ties the physical unit to its certification.
- Confirm the CoC is current: expired or withdrawn certificates cannot support a submission
- Match the serial label on the delivered product against the CoC and DoC paperwork before installation
- Keep delivery-date records alongside the CoC, since surveillance and renewal cycles are tied to issuance dates
We treat CoC verification as a pre-delivery task, not a paperwork exercise to finish after installation. Checking certificates before products reach site avoids discovering a mismatch once fire doors are already hung.
Qualified Person Duties and the Submission Checklist
A recent SCDF circular requires QPs to declare regulated products using the SCDF_FSC_PLS.xls or SCDF_MAA_PLS.xls templates and upload CoCs as part of TFP, FSC, or MAA submissions. Missing or mismatched certification is one of the most common reasons submissions get delayed or rejected.
- Declare every regulated product on the correct PLS spreadsheet before lodging the application
- Upload CoC PDFs that match the product model and serial range used in the project
- Cross-check that the CoC has not lapsed between order placement and site delivery
Pro Tip: Build a submission folder per product type (doors, dampers, fire-stopping) so missing CoCs surface during internal review, not after SCDF flags them. Our compliance guide for developers outlines how this fits into the wider authority submission process, and our guide to obtaining fire safety approval walks through the TFP and FSC stages in sequence.
How We Support Compartmentation Compliance
We can assist with submissions, endorsements, and site inspections related to compartment walls, floors, and fire-stopping to help ensure they match approved designs. A typical engagement starts with a document review of the architectural and M&E drawings, moves to a site walk-through against the approved layout, and closes with specification support and submission assistance. We ask project teams for product CoCs, shop drawings, and delivery records early so gaps surface before, not during, SCDF review.
Three Pitfalls We See Repeatedly
Unsealed service penetrations, expired or mismatched CoCs, and poorly detailed roof or curtain-wall junctions account for most compartmentation defects we encounter at handover and periodic inspection. None of these are complex fixes when caught early. At handover, prioritize a physical walk-through of every penetration and junction against the approved drawings, then repeat that check at each periodic inspection cycle rather than relying on the original sign-off alone.
— Aman
If You Need Support With Compartmentation Compliance
We provide SCDF/FSSD submissions, approvals, and FSC support alongside PE and QP endorsements for compartmentation and structural fire precaution works across Singapore.
If your project needs a compartmentation review before TFP or FSC submission, we start with a document check covering layout drawings, product CoCs, and fire-resistance specifications. For authority submission and endorsement support specifically, our PE endorsement and authority submissions service covers the paperwork and liaison end to end. Reach out through our services page with your drawings and product data sheets ready, and we will scope the review from there.
FAQ
What are the fire safety regulations in Singapore?
Fire safety in Singapore is governed primarily by the SCDF Fire Code, which sets structural fire precaution rules including compartmentation, fire-resistance ratings, and means of escape. Building owners and QPs must also comply with the Fire Safety Act, which covers enforcement, inspections, and penalties for non-compliance.
What are the fire safety guidelines for HDB estates?
HDB estates follow the same SCDF Fire Code provisions applied to residential developments, including compartmentation between units and common areas and fire-resistance ratings for walls and floors. Specific compartment sizes and ratings depend on the building’s height and purpose group under Table 3.2A and Table 3.3A.
What are the fire door requirements in Singapore?
Fire doors installed as part of a compartment wall must carry a fire-resistance rating matching that wall and must be a regulated product with a valid Certificate of Conformity under the Product Listing Scheme. Installation details, including self-closing mechanisms and seals, must also follow the Fire Code’s protection-of-openings provisions.
What should I check before a compartmentation submission to avoid rejection?
Confirm every regulated product has a current CoC, that serial labels match the declared products on the SCDF_FSC_PLS.xls or SCDF_MAA_PLS.xls template, and that compartment dimensions fall within the limits set by Table 3.2A. Submissions commonly get delayed when CoCs are missing, expired, or mismatched to the installed product.