There is no statutory licence to inspect a fire door. What exists is a set of third party schemes that assess and register individuals, and a duty on the responsible person to use somebody competent. That leaves the appointing decision with people who cannot easily judge the technical work, so the scheme registration is the practical evidence and the specification of the job is the practical control.
What the schemes assess
Knowledge of doorset construction and certification, the ability to identify components and markings, measurement of gaps and alignment, recognition of installation defects, and reporting. Registration is periodic and requires reassessment, which matters because doorset products and the guidance around them have both moved considerably in recent years.
Inspection and survey are different jobs
A routine check asks whether each door is working: closing, latching, seals intact, no obvious damage. A survey asks what each door is: its rating, its certification, whether it was installed correctly, whether the hardware is compatible, and what it would take to bring it to the required standard. A building with no handover information needs the survey before the checks mean anything.
What the report should contain
Every door identified individually with a location reference that matches the building's own numbering. What was found, component by component. A defect classification that distinguishes an immediate risk from a planned repair. Photographs. A clear statement where a door's rating could not be established, because unknown is a finding and not a blank. And a remedial schedule that a duty holder can actually price.
What a duty holder should ask before appointing
Which scheme the inspector is registered under and their registration number. Whether the work is an inspection or a survey. How doors will be referenced. Whether any opening up is included. Whether the firm also sells and fits doors, which is not disqualifying but is worth knowing when the report recommends replacement.
Questions people ask about fire door inspection certification
Is a certified fire door inspector legally required?
The law requires competence, not a specific certificate. Scheme registration is the ordinary way a duty holder evidences that it chose a competent person.
What does a fire door surveyor produce?
A door by door record of what exists and what is wrong with it, with a remedial schedule. It is the document a planned replacement programme is built from.
Can building staff do the routine checks?
Yes, with training. The routine check is a defined visual task and is best done by people who are in the building often. The survey is the specialist piece.