Holiday rentals in the Azores: the fire-safety kit

Segurança contra incêndio · Home and business · 6 min read

If you run or are about to open a holiday rental in the Azores, the law asks for a minimum set of safety equipment, known as the alojamento local (AL) kit. This guide explains what the kit includes, which extinguisher to choose, what you can add and when the kit stops being enough.

Which rules apply in the Azores

Holiday rentals in the Azores are governed by Ordinance no. 83/2016 of 4 August, amended by Ordinances no. 23/2018 and no. 101/2020. Decree-Law no. 128/2014, the mainland and Madeira regime, does not apply. The Ordinance provides five types: rooms in the owner's home, house, apartment, guest house (estabelecimento de hospedagem) and hostel.

What the holiday rental kit is

It is set out in the annexes to Ordinance 83/2016, with the same text for houses and apartments (Annex II), guest houses (Annex III) and hostels (Annex IV):

Establishments must have: a) Fire extinguishers and fire blankets, accessible and in a quantity suited to the number of accommodation units; b) First-aid equipment; c) Instruction manuals for all appliances (…); d) Display of the national emergency number (112).

For the national regime, ANEPC lists the same set: an extinguisher, a fire blanket, first-aid equipment and the 112 number on view.

Does it apply to every property

• Yes: houses, apartments, guest houses and hostels have the same kit in their annexes.
• The municipality may require extra items in guest houses (Ordinance 83/2016, art. 5(3)).
• The application is made at the municipality, which inspects within 60 days and informs the regional tourism directorate, which assigns the registration number (art. 4).
• If you rent rooms in your own home, check with the municipality which requirements apply to your type.

Which extinguisher: 6 kg or 6 litres

The extinguishing agent to use depends on the “type of fire”; ABC dry powder (6 kg) or additive water (5 kg) can be a good option.

Any extinguisher must comply with standards EN 3, EN 1866 and NP 4413, and should only be installed and maintained by companies registered with the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service (SRPCBA).

What you can add beyond the kit

The holiday rental law only asks for the kit, but many owners add more. Check with your municipality whether it asks for anything else.

More than 10 guests: the kit is no longer enough

ANEPC states that, above 10 guests, the property is treated as use-type VII (“hotel and catering buildings”) and must comply with all fire-safety legislation: have self-protection measures, submitted for an opinion up to 30 days before opening, and request regular inspections at the interval set by its risk category.

In the Azores, the regional fire-safety regime (Regional Legislative Decree no. 6/2015/A, as amended by no. 14/2025/A) includes holiday rentals in use-type VII “where applicable” and treats bedrooms and suites as risk-E areas. The risk category depends on height, number of people and bedrooms:

• In the 1st category a safety record sheet (ficha de segurança) is enough instead of a project (DLR 6/2015/A, art. 17(2)).
• From the 2nd category a fire-safety project is required, with an inspection by the SRPCBA (arts. 17 and 19).
• Self-protection measures apply to all buildings (art. 24), with an opinion from the municipality in the 1st category and from the SRPCBA in the others (art. 22).
• Enforcement lies with the SRPCBA and, in the 1st category, with the municipality (art. 25).

Every property is different. Check with the SRPCBA or your municipality which category your property falls into and which documents you must submit.

What if you have more than 10 bedrooms

Ordinance 83/2016 limits guest houses to 10 rooms and 20 beds. Above that, the property no longer fits this type and must be classified under another tourism type, such as a tourist establishment, with a different regime and its own safety requirements. Check with the Regional Tourism Directorate before going ahead.