Charges
Under Fire and Rescue NSW Act 1989, Part 4 [external link], Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) can recover costs for some services.
FRNSW does not charge for attendance at fires, rescue operations, or hazardous materials incidents where the response duration is less than one hour.
Applicable charges are prescribed under Part 5 of the Fire and Rescue NSW Regulation 2023 and are subject to annual indexation at the commencement of each financial year. Based on the NSW Public Sector Wages Policy percentage change of 3.8% for Q1 2026, prescribed charges have been adjusted accordingly.
The indexed charges apply for the 2026-27 financial year, commencing 1 July 2026.
Charges for false alarms
Under Part 4 of the Fire and Rescue NSW Act 1989, FRNSW may charge for attending false alarm call-outs to monitored AFA systems. These charges are intended to encourage building owners and managers to proactively manage their AFA systems and to ensure they are properly maintained. It has been demonstrated that properly maintained systems assist in reducing the number of false alarms. For further information, visit Automatic Fire Alarms.
Charges in relation to hazardous material incidents (Schedule 1)
Charges may be made for attending a non-fire-related hazardous material emergency for more than one hour. Further information can be found in the FRNSW Hazardous Material Incidents Charging Policy (PDF).
If you have an enquiry in relation to a hazardous materials incident charge, please contact Field Operations Business Services on (02) 9742 7577.
Part 1 Call out charge
| Incident | FY 2025-26 | FY 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| An incident involving downed power lines | $403 | $418 |
| Another hazardous material incident | $570 | $592 |
Part 2 Standard equipment
| Item | FY 2025-26 Charge per hour | FY 2026-27 Charge per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Each standard pumper | $560 | $581 |
| Each hazardous material pumper | $560 | $581 |
| Each hazardous material vehicle other than a hazardous material pumper | $343 | $356 |
| Each special operations vehicle | $224 | $233 |
| Each incident command vehicle | $331 | $344 |
| Each mobile command centre | $343 | $356 |
| Each hazardous material delta decontamination shelter | $343 | $356 |
| Each boat, including a trailer and vehicle to tow the boat | $343 | $356 |
| Each helicopter | $3,767 | $3,910 |
| Each hose | $38 | $39 |
| Each fully encapsulated gas suit | $112 | $116 |
| Each spillage suit | $10 | $10 |
| Each self-contained breathing apparatus | $51 | $53 |
| Each standard gas detector | $95 | $99 |
| Each unit of specialised detection equipment | $95 | $99 |
Part 3 Special items
| Item | Charge |
|---|---|
| Goods or services hired or purchased by the Commissioner to perform services referred to in the Act, section 40(4A), other than items referred to in Part 2 | The amount certified by the Commissioner to be the cost to the Commissioner of hiring or purchasing the goods or services |
| Premises hired by the Commissioner to perform services referred to in the Act, section 40(4A), other than items referred to in Part 2 | The amount certified by the Commissioner to be the cost to the Commissioner of hiring the premises |
Part 4 Consumables
| Item | Charge |
|---|---|
| Consumables | The amount certified by the Commissioner to be the cost to the Commissioner of the consumables, plus 10% for handling costs |
Charges for certain other services (Schedule 2)
Section 42 of the Fire and Rescue NSW Act 1989 allows Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) to charge for the provision of certain other services. The following services and charges are prescribed under section 45A and schedule 2 of the Fire and Rescue NSW Regulation 2023.
Charges for attending event to monitor fire safety (Schedule 3)
Major or special events may include sporting and entertainment events, and other events where spectators, participants or general members of the public assemble. These events require FRNSW attendance to maintain safety while a commercial activity is conducted.
Major and special events may include, but are not limited to:
- Music events/festivals
- Motor racing
- Air shows
- Operational events (e.g. hot refuelling protection)
- Agricultural shows (e.g. Royal Easter Show)
- Major sporting events, and
- Film and stage events.
Below is a list of the types of events FRNSW may not charge or where charging is at the discretion of the Commissioner:
- Community engagement events
- ANZAC Day
- Not for profit events
Applicable charges are prescribed under Part 5 of the Fire and Rescue NSW Regulation 2023 and are subject to annual indexation at the commencement of each financial year. Based on the NSW Public Sector Wages Policy percentage change of 3.8% for Q1 2026, prescribed charges have been adjusted accordingly.
The indexed charges apply for the 2026-27 financial year, commencing 1 July 2026.
Part 1 Fire brigade members
| Rank of member of fire brigade | FY 2025-26 Charge per hour | FY 2026-27 Charge per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Fire safety engineer | $186 | $193 |
| Chief superintendent or above | $183 | $190 |
| Building surveyor | $140 | $145 |
| Engineer | $151 | $157 |
| Fire safety manager | $186 | $193 |
| Superintendent | $186 | $193 |
| Fire safety team leader | $140 | $145 |
| Inspector | $140 | $145 |
| Fire safety officer | $128 | $133 |
| Station commander or captain | $128 | $133 |
| Firefighter | $97 | $101 |
Part 2 Special items
| Item | Charge |
|---|---|
| Goods or services hired or purchased by the Commissioner to perform services referred to in the Act, section 42(1) | The amount certified by the Commissioner to be the cost to the Commissioner of hiring or purchasing the goods or services |
| Premises hired by the Commissioner to perform services referred to in the Act, section 42(1) | The amount certified by the Commissioner to be the cost to the Commissioner of hiring the premises |
Part 3 Consumables
| Item | Charge |
|---|---|
| Consumables | The amount certified by the Commissioner to be the cost to the Commissioner of the consumables, plus 10% for handling costs |
Please contact your closest Zone office for further information.