Tradie Forms: choose the right Queensland fire safety record before you start typing. Use Form 71 for commissioning water-based fire safety installations and Form 72 for periodic testing and maintenance, then export the official PDF layout for handover.
QLD Form 71 and QLD Form 72 look similar because they record many of the same hydrant and sprinkler readings. Both cover water-based fire safety installations. Both sit under Queensland Development Code MP 6.1. Both have hydrostatic, flow, booster, sprinkler, compliance, and signature sections.
But they are not the same form.
Form 71 is for commissioning. Form 72 is for periodic testing and maintenance. Choosing the wrong one can make the job record harder to read, especially when the owner, occupier, building manager, or another contractor needs to understand what was done months later.
Use QLD Form 71 for commissioning and QLD Form 72 for periodic maintenance. You can also browse QLD fire-safety forms as more fire paperwork comes online.
The short version
Use Form 71 when you are recording commissioning for a new system or extension to an existing system.
Use Form 72 when you are recording periodic testing and maintenance for an existing system.
The official Form 71 PDF defines a commissioning test as a test required upon completion of a new system or extension to an existing system. The official Form 72 PDF defines a maintenance test as a test required under a maintenance standard such as AS1851.
That is the core difference. The fields overlap because the systems and readings overlap, but the job moment is different.
What both forms have in common
Both forms sit under QDC MP 6.1, which covers commissioning and maintenance of fire safety installations. Business Queensland says MP 6.1 applies to Class 1b and Class 2 to 9 buildings, including existing buildings, and does not apply to class 1a buildings or class 10 buildings such as domestic sheds or garages.
Both forms are for water-based fire safety installation records. They include fire hydrant, fire sprinkler, or combined system options.
Both forms ask for:
- Site name and address
- Contractor
- Test date and time
- Hydrant hydrostatic results
- Flow device and pressure gauge details
- Hydrant flow test readings
- Pump appliance booster readings
- Sprinkler hydrostatic results
- Sprinkler flow results
- Critical defect and repair details
- System pass/fail outcome
- Licensee name, signature, licence number, and report number
Both forms also note that the form itself does not cover all testing or maintenance requirements. It collects results for some sections of the relevant standards, and further testing is required in each case.
Where Form 71 fits
Form 71 is the commissioning record. Use it when the job is about bringing a new water-based fire safety installation, or an extension to an existing one, into service.
Examples:
- Commissioning a new fire hydrant system in a commercial building
- Commissioning a new sprinkler system
- Commissioning an extension to an existing hydrant or sprinkler system
- Recording initial flow and pressure test results after installation work
The handover usually goes to the building owner. QDC MP 6.1 says the relevant form for commissioning should be given within 10 business days after completing the work to the building owner.
For a clean Form 71 handover, keep the exported PDF with commissioning notes, drawings, block plans, gauge references, defect notices, and corrective action records.
Where Form 72 fits
Form 72 is the periodic testing and maintenance record. Use it when the system already exists and you are recording ongoing maintenance checks.
Examples:
- Annual hydrant testing
- Five-year hydrant or sprinkler maintenance testing
- Periodic flow testing for an existing installation
- Recording maintenance results for a building occupier
The handover usually goes to the building occupier. QDC MP 6.1 says the relevant form for maintenance should be given within 10 business days after completing the work to the building occupier.
For a clean Form 72 handover, keep the exported PDF with maintenance job notes, critical defect notices, repair records, and the building's maintenance record.
Why choosing the right form matters
The wrong form can confuse the job record.
If you use Form 72 for a commissioning job, the record may look like routine maintenance when it was actually the initial commissioning of a new or extended system.
If you use Form 71 for routine maintenance, the record may suggest the system was newly commissioned when it was just being tested as part of an ongoing maintenance program.
That confusion matters for owners, occupiers, body corporates, building managers, contractors, and anyone reviewing the record later.
The fix is simple: choose the form based on the job moment before entering readings.
The field clue that usually tells you
If you are still unsure, look at the test details section. Form 71 asks for a commissioning test and gives fire hydrant, fire sprinkler, or combined options. Form 72 asks for a maintenance test and includes annual or five-year options.
That one field usually tells you whether you are in the right place. If the job is an annual inspection run for an existing building, Form 72 fits the record. If the job is the first commissioning record for a new system or extension, Form 71 fits the record.
Do not choose based on which PDF you used last week. Choose based on the work done today.
Handover details to get right
Site and contractor details
Use the building name and address that the owner or occupier recognises. For multi-tenancy sites, include enough detail for the record to be matched to the right building or area.
Test type
Form 71 asks for commissioning test type. Form 72 asks for maintenance test type, including annual or five-year options. Do not leave this as a guessing game for the office.
Test readings
Enter readings while the system is still in front of you. Pressure readings, flow rates, gauge numbers, and test point locations are easy to get wrong later.
Defects and corrective actions
If the form records critical defects or repairs, store the supporting notice, action, date, and photos where useful. The PDF should match the rest of the job record.
Signature and report number
The licensee signature block is the final check. Make sure the licence number, report number, system outcome, and date are correct before export.
Examples from the field
New warehouse hydrant system
The system has been installed and commissioning tests are being recorded before owner handover. Use Form 71. Keep the commissioning notes, block plan, test readings, gauge references, and exported PDF together.
Existing shopping centre annual maintenance
The contractor is doing scheduled maintenance testing on existing hydrant and sprinkler systems. Use Form 72. Keep the maintenance record with any critical defect notices, repair notes, and occupier handover details.
Tenancy fit-out with sprinkler changes
If the work includes commissioning an extension or changed section, Form 71 may be needed for that commissioning record. If the same site also has routine maintenance checks, Form 72 may be needed separately. Keep the records separate so the owner, occupier, and future contractor can follow the job history.
How Tradie Forms helps with both forms
Tradie Forms gives Form 71 and Form 72 the same practical structure, with guided sections for the common testing blocks:
- Test details
- Hydrant hydrostatic
- Hydrant equipment
- Hydrant flow
- Pump booster
- Sprinkler hydrostatic
- Sprinkler flow
- Compliance
- Signature
That means a technician can move between commissioning and maintenance records without learning a new interface each time. Saved contractor and licensee details reduce repeat typing. Missing outcomes and signature fields are caught before export. The PDF preview shows the official layout before the form is downloaded.
The output is still the Queensland PDF layout. Tradie Forms is not affiliated with the Queensland Government, and it does not decide whether the system passes. The qualified person responsible for the work checks the readings and finished record.
Record keeping checklist
For Form 71 commissioning, keep:
- Exported Form 71 PDF
- Commissioning notes and raw readings
- Gauge or device references
- Block plans and test point records
- Defect notices and corrective actions
- Owner handover record
For Form 72 maintenance, keep:
- Exported Form 72 PDF
- Maintenance job notes
- Critical defect notices
- Repair or corrective action details
- Occupier handover record
- Building maintenance record reference
QDC MP 6.1 says the appropriately qualified person carrying out commissioning or maintenance keeps a record of the form for at least five years after completing the work. Business Queensland also notes owner and occupier fire safety maintenance obligations under MP 6.1.
What not to overstate in the handover
Do not tell an owner or occupier that the PDF alone proves every requirement has been met. The official forms themselves say they do not cover all testing or maintenance requirements. Say what the record is: the completed Form 71 or Form 72 mapped to the official PDF layout, with the readings and outcomes entered by the responsible person.
That wording keeps the handover honest. It also makes the job record easier to defend because the PDF, notes, and supporting documents all say the same thing.
Official references
Check the Business Queensland building forms page, the Queensland Form 71 PDF, the Queensland Form 72 PDF, the Business Queensland fire safety installations guidance, and QDC MP 6.1 before relying on this guide.
Next steps
Start QLD Form 71 for commissioning or QLD Form 72 for periodic maintenance. For the wider template set, browse QLD fire-safety forms.