14 September 2026 · FDP-003
FIRAS and Certifire explained for fire door projects
Understand the difference between contractor certification and product certification, and what to check for your project.
UK industry education about certification schemes. This is not a new legislative change or an assessment of a particular company or product.
When someone says a fire door job is “certified”, what exactly do they mean? Before ordering a door or appointing a contractor, it helps to separate the paperwork for the product from the paperwork for the company doing the work.
FIRAS and Certifire are both operated by Warringtonfire, but they cover different parts of the job. Knowing the difference helps you ask more useful questions.
What FIRAS tells you
FIRAS is a voluntary certification scheme for installation contractors. The certification belongs to the company, rather than to an individual installer. Its assessment covers company procedures, relevant workmanship and staff competence. Companies have defined areas of certification, so check that the scope covers the work you are commissioning. Warringtonfire FIRAS scheme.
FIRAS carries out sample audits. Its involvement does not mean its inspectors have checked every door on every job. The certified company remains responsible for its work.
What Certifire tells you
Certifire is product certification. It uses test and assessment evidence, along with production controls and ongoing checks, to support a defined certification scope. Warringtonfire Certifire scheme.
That scope matters. A product certificate describes what is covered; it is not permission to use a door in any arrangement you choose. Read the supporting information for the intended application. A product certificate also does not, by itself, demonstrate that the installation on your particular job was carried out correctly.
For specifiers
If you choose the products or set the project requirements, ask for two clearly identified sets of information: the proposed product's certification and the installation company's relevant certification, where that scheme is specified.
Check the product against the intended use and the contractor against the work being appointed. Warringtonfire provides separate online routes for Certifire products and FIRAS companies.
A useful office habit is to record who checked the documents, when, and any question awaiting an answer. This is our practical suggestion, not a new legal requirement.
For installers
Start with the documents for the actual product and the agreed job specification. If you work for a FIRAS-certified company, follow its scheme procedures and raise uncertainties with the responsible supervisor.
For example, imagine the door delivered carries a different product reference from the one in the job pack. Pause the affected work and ask the project team to resolve the mismatch. Writing “certified door” in the record would leave that question unanswered.
A check you can use before work starts
Ask: “Which product is covered, which company is covered, and does the scope match this job?” Use the issuer's records to check current status rather than relying only on a logo or an old attachment.
These schemes can support confidence in a project, but neither should be described as a blanket guarantee of fire safety or legal compliance. Requirements still depend on the project and the applicable UK nation's rules.
Sources checked: 14 September 2026. Source links appear alongside the relevant statements.