Status at 23 October 2026: not yet in force
Martyn’s Law is the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. The Act has Royal Assent, but its duties on premises, including the duty to notify the Security Industry Authority (SIA), are not in force. So far only the sections on guidance have been commenced. Nothing below is a legal requirement today. See our standard tier guide for the timetable.
The Act applies to a building (or a building and its land) that is wholly or mainly used for a listed purpose and where it is reasonable to expect 200 or more people at once, from time to time. Answer the questions for your own premises.
Your result
Answer the first four questions above to see your result. The event question has its own result.
Your browser is not showing a single result, so every possible result is listed below. Find the one that matches your answers.
Standard tier: the premises are likely to be standard duty premises
A listed use with 200 to 799 people at once, and not excluded, makes the premises qualifying premises of the standard duty kind. The person responsible will need appropriate public protection procedures (evacuation, moving people to safety, preventing entry or exit, and giving information), and to notify the Security Industry Authority. Martyn’s Law is not in force yet, so nothing here is a legal requirement today.
Read our Martyn’s Law standard tier guide for how to count, who is responsible and what to do now. Our Martyn’s Law Standard Tier Procedures Starter Kit has the templates.
Standard tier: places of worship, childcare, schools and further education stay standard
Under the Act, premises mainly used for communal worship, regulated childcare, a school or further education are standard duty premises whatever the numbers, even at 800 or more. Martyn’s Law is not in force yet, so nothing here is a legal requirement today.
Read our Martyn’s Law standard tier guide. Our Martyn’s Law Standard Tier Procedures Starter Kit has the templates.
Enhanced tier: the premises are likely to be enhanced duty premises
A listed use with 800 or more people at once, and not excluded, makes the premises enhanced duty premises. The duties go beyond procedures to assessing and putting in place public protection measures, and extra responsibilities for larger organisations. Martyn’s Law is not in force yet, so nothing here is a legal requirement today.
Our Martyn’s Law Standard Tier Procedures Starter Kit covers the standard tier only, not the enhanced tier. Start with the Home Office statutory guidance and the Security Industry Authority.
Under 200: probably outside the Act
Premises are only qualifying premises if you can reasonably expect 200 or more people at the same time, from time to time. A one-off crowd you could not have foreseen does not count. Check again if you change how the building is used. Martyn’s Law is not in force yet, so nothing here is a legal requirement today.
Events are separate: see the events box if you answered it.
Count your peak number first
Work out the most people you can reasonably expect at once for the listed use, including staff and volunteers. The Home Office guidance lists methods: the fire safety occupancy figure, records of past attendance, fixed seats or standing places, and the ticket or registration cap. Then answer again.
Our Martyn’s Law standard tier guide explains each method.
Not a listed use: the premises are probably not qualifying premises
Premises are only covered if they are wholly or mainly used for one of the uses in Schedule 1 to the Act. If none fits, they are not qualifying premises, however many people attend. Look again if the building has more than one use: the rules for picking the principal use are in the Principal Use of Premises Regulations 2026. Martyn’s Law is not in force yet, so nothing here is a legal requirement today.
Check the use first
Read the list under the first question and think about what the building is used for most of the time. Halls, venues for hire, places of worship, cafes, bars, theatres and leisure centres are listed. Then answer again. If the building has several uses, the principal use is decided under the Principal Use of Premises Regulations 2026.
Excluded premises: not qualifying premises
The Act excludes premises of a parliament or devolved government, open-air parks, gardens and recreation grounds with no ticket, payment or membership checks, and premises under certain transport security regimes. Part of a larger site may still qualify. Martyn’s Law is not in force yet, so nothing here is a legal requirement today.
Events: a qualifying event has enhanced-type duties
An event is a qualifying event if it is held at premises that are not themselves enhanced duty premises, the public can attend, you can reasonably expect 800 or more people at once, and entry is secured by ticket, payment, pass or membership. The person who will have control of the premises for the event is responsible. Events at places of worship, childcare settings, schools and further education, and at excluded premises, are not covered. Martyn’s Law is not in force yet, so nothing here is a legal requirement today.
How the tiers work
| People at once | Premises used for a listed purpose | What the Act calls it |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer than 200 | Not covered | Not qualifying premises |
| 200 to 799 | Covered | Standard duty premises |
| 800 or more | Covered | Enhanced duty premises |
| Any number, if the main use is worship, regulated childcare, a school or further education | Covered if 200 or more | Standard duty premises, always |
Standard duty premises must have appropriate public protection procedures in place, so far as is reasonably practicable. Enhanced duty premises must also assess and keep under review public protection measures and put them in place so far as is reasonably practicable. A qualifying event is an event with 800 or more people at once, where entry is secured by ticket, payment, pass or membership, at premises that are not themselves enhanced duty premises.
What the checker leaves out
- Excluded premises: the premises of Parliament and of the devolved parliaments and governments, open-air parks, gardens and recreation grounds where nothing checks that people have paid, hold a ticket or are members, and premises under certain transport security regimes.
- Several uses: if the building has more than one listed use, the principal use is decided under the Principal Use of Premises Regulations 2026.
- Where several parts of a building qualify: if one person is responsible for two or more qualifying premises that form part of other qualifying premises, they are treated as one set of premises.
- How to count: the Home Office has published methods for working out the number you can reasonably expect. See the sources.
- Responsible person: the person with control of the premises for the listed use. For some uses, such as schools and hospitals, the Act names who it is.
- Advice: this checker is not legal advice and does not decide your position. Check the Act and the Home Office guidance.
How this page works
The checker is plain HTML and CSS. It uses no script, sends nothing to us or anyone else, and sets no cookies. If your browser cannot show a single result, the page lists every result instead.
Sources
Last checked 23 October 2026.
- Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, sections 2 and 3, legislation.gov.uk
- Schedule 1: specified uses of premises and Schedule 2: excluded premises and events, legislation.gov.uk
- Commencement No. 1 and No. 2 Regulations 2026, legislation.gov.uk
- Principal Use of Premises Regulations 2026, legislation.gov.uk
- Statutory guidance (section 27), Home Office
Changes to this page
- 23 October 2026: Published.