Medida de Autoproteção (MAP)
Everything you need to know about the most common legal obligation for building owners and operators in Portugal.
What is the MAP
The Medida de Autoproteção is the set of procedures, records and, depending on the building's risk, plans, equipment and training required to prevent a fire and organize the response if one happens.
It's set out in Portugal's fire safety legal regime (Decree-Law 220/2008, as amended by Decree-Law 224/2015 and Law 123/2019), regulated by Ordinance 1532/2008 and Ordinance 135/2020.
Who's required to have one
The obligation falls on the building's owner or operator, not the local council or the fire service.
It applies to most buildings other than single-family homes: retail, food service, offices, warehouses, industry, multi-family housing, schools and healthcare facilities, among others. What's exactly required depends on the building's use and its risk category, which a técnico autor determines case by case.
What it usually includes
Depending on the building's risk category, a MAP can include:
- Safety records: history of inspections, maintenance and incidents
- Emergency procedures
- Prevention plan
- Internal emergency plan
- Training and awareness activities for occupants
- Periodic fire drills
A high-risk building (a hospital or a shopping centre, for example) has far more complete requirements than a small shop.
When this becomes urgent
The most common moments when dealing with the MAP stops being optional:
- Opening a new business, licensing usually requires a MAP
- A change in how the space is used, for example a warehouse becoming a shop
- A failed inspection, with a deadline to fix it
- Renewal of the building's occupancy license
What can happen without an up-to-date MAP
Not having the MAP up to date is a regulatory offence and can block licensing of the space, delay an inspection, or complicate an insurance claim after an incident. This guide doesn't replace technical or legal advice for your specific case.
How to sort this out
Usually two steps are needed, with two different types of professionals:
- The MAP project has to be drawn up by a técnico autor registered with ANEPC, usually an architect or engineer with that specific qualification. That register is separate from what we bring together here, and we don't list it on this site yet.
- The required equipment (extinguishers, fire detection, emergency lighting, among others) has to be supplied, installed and maintained by a company registered with ANEPC. That's where this directory helps.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MAP?
The Medida de Autoproteção is the set of procedures, records and, depending on the building's risk, plans and training required to prevent a fire and organize the response if one happens. It's set out in Portugal's fire safety legal regime.
Who has to have a MAP?
The building's owner or operator, not the local council or the fire service. It applies to most buildings other than single-family homes: retail, food service, offices, warehouses, industry, multi-family housing, schools and healthcare facilities, among others.
How much does a MAP cost?
It varies a lot depending on the building's size, its risk category, and the professional or company you choose. The most reliable approach is to request quotes from a técnico autor for the project and from one or more ANEPC-registered companies for the required equipment.
Who can draw up the MAP project?
A técnico autor registered with ANEPC, usually an architect or engineer with that specific qualification. That register is separate from the equipment-company register we bring together here, and we don't list it on this directory yet.
Does my small shop need a MAP too?
In most cases, yes, though with simpler requirements than a high-risk building. What exactly is needed depends on the space's risk category, which only a técnico autor can confirm.
Where can I check the official ANEPC register?
The register of entities for the sale, installation and maintenance of SCIE equipment is available at prociv.gov.pt. This directory is built from that public register.
This guide is general orientation and doesn't replace legal or technical advice. The measures required for your building depend on its specific risk category and use, determined by a técnico autor registered with ANEPC.