Fire safety in small accommodation facilities in Republika Srpska

This article explains the basic fire safety duties of owners and operators of smaller accommodation facilities (guesthouse, apartment, holiday home, room for rent, rural tourism facility) in Republika Srpska, including East Herzegovina. It describes the Law on Fire Protection (Official Gazette of Republika Srpska no. 94/19) according to the official text published in the Official Gazette. As of October 2026, the list of laws published by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska shows no amendments to this law.

In short

• A request for fire-risk categorisation must be filed within 15 days of starting work, or of receiving the operating decision (Article 10).
• Extinguishers must be tested according to the manufacturer's instructions and at least every six months, with a record kept (Article 36).
• Fire detection and extinguishing systems, hydrant networks and similar devices must be tested at least once a year, with a record kept (Article 37).
• Every worker is trained on taking the job, and knowledge is checked once every three years (Article 40).
• Fines: 1,000 to 10,000 KM for a legal entity, 500 to 5,000 KM for an entrepreneur (Article 89).

Who it applies to

Article 10 speaks of owners and users of buildings for public use, including accommodation establishments but excluding residential buildings. Under Article 8(2) the categorisation request is filed by a company, another legal entity or an entrepreneur. Article 38 (general act, responsible person) is addressed to companies and other legal entities, while Article 40 (worker training and knowledge checks) also applies to entrepreneurs (Article 40(4)). An entrepreneur should ask the inspector whether Article 38 applies. The duty to keep working extinguishing equipment in an easily reachable place applies to all fire protection subjects, including natural persons (Article 32). If you host guests as a natural person in a rural household, ask the inspector which duties apply to you before relying on this text.

What to do

1. File a request to classify the facility into a fire-risk category on the prescribed form (Articles 8 and 10). For categories III and IV the decision is issued by the competent unit of the Ministarstvo unutrašnjih poslova (Ministry of Internal Affairs); an appeal goes to the minister.
2. A company appoints a worker responsible for fire protection measures. This person needs at least secondary technical education in a relevant field (firefighting, construction, mechanical, metal, locksmith, chemical or electrical) and a passed professional exam for fire protection work. The work may also be entrusted to a company, legal entity or entrepreneur registered for this activity that employs at least one person with the professional exam (Article 38).
3. For a category III or IV facility, adopt fire protection rules, and an evacuation plan with instructions for a fire, displayed in a visible place (Articles 16, 17 and 38).
4. Keep working extinguishers in an easily reachable place, protected from heat, cold and damage (Article 32). Testing may only be done by a firm or entrepreneur approved by the Ministry (Article 36).
5. If the building has a fire alarm system or a hydrant network, contract annual testing and keep records (Article 37). When buildings for public use in which many people stay, including hotels and pensions, are designed and built, the law requires a fire detection and alarm device, which must be kept in working order (Article 34(4) and (6)). For a small facility, ask the inspector whether this applies to you.
6. Train workers on hiring and check their knowledge every three years (Article 40).
7. For a rural tourism facility, the Pravilnik (Rulebook) also requires suitable fire extinguishing equipment (Article 10 of the Rulebook).

Deadlines and amounts

• Categorisation: 15 days from starting work or from the operating decision.
• Extinguisher testing: at least every six months.
• Testing of systems and hydrants: at least once a year.
• Worker knowledge check: once every three years.
• Fines: legal entity 1,000 to 10,000 KM, entrepreneur 500 to 5,000 KM, responsible person 150 to 1,500 KM. The responsible person's fine is imposed separately and in addition to the company's fine (Article 89).

Where to go

• Republička uprava za inspekcijske poslove Republike Srpske (Inspektorat, the Inspectorate): fire protection inspectors supervise compliance and may ban use of a building when there is immediate fire danger (Articles 76 and 79). Ask the Inspectorate for the East Herzegovina contact.
• Ministarstvo unutrašnjih poslova Republike Srpske: categorisation and approvals for extinguisher service firms.

Laws and sources

• Zakon o zaštiti od požara (Službeni glasnik Republike Srpske br. 94/19), official text on the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska
• Zakon o ugostiteljstvu (Službeni glasnik Republike Srpske br. 45/17 i 1/24), Article 6(2): fire protection conditions are part of the minimum technical conditions
• Pravilnik o uslovima za pružanje ugostiteljskih usluga u objektu seoskog turizma (Službeni glasnik Republike Srpske br. 15/20)