What happens if we do nothing about Martyn's Law?
In short
Nothing can be enforced against anyone today — the duties have not started, and no date has been set. Once they do start, a standard-tier premises that ignores them risks an SIA inspection, an information or compliance notice, and a financial penalty of up to £10,000 for most failures, plus up to £500 a day if a compliance notice is then ignored. That is different from the enhanced tier, which alone faces restriction notices and criminal prosecution for ignoring a compliance notice.
Key points
The duties to notify the SIA and have procedures are not in force, and no commencement date has been appointed — the earliest is after 3 April 2027.
Once in force, the SIA can inspect, request documents or an explanation, and issue a compliance notice requiring specific action.
At standard tier, failing to comply with a compliance notice is not a criminal offence, but it can lead to a penalty notice — up to £10,000 for most contraventions, or £500 a day while a notice is ignored.
Restriction notices, which can require a premises to close, apply only to enhanced-tier premises and qualifying events, not an ordinary standard-tier hall.
Knowingly or recklessly giving the SIA false information is a separate offence that can apply to anyone, not only the responsible person.
Nothing is enforceable yet
This fact shapes everything below. The substantive duties — notifying the SIA, having the four procedures — have not commenced, and the explanatory memorandum to the notification regulations states plainly that they "will not come into force until after 3 April 2027 at the earliest". Nobody can be inspected, notified or penalised under a duty that has not started. When does Martyn's Law start? covers the timing in full.
What can happen once the duties start
The statutory guidance sets out what the SIA, as regulator, can do. It can carry out a desk-based assessment or an on-site inspection, during which an inspector may view documents, ask someone to explain them, and take copies. It can also issue a notice requiring information about security at the premises, or requiring someone to attend an interview — failing to comply with such a notice carries a maximum penalty of £5,000 (paragraph 9.14). Beyond that, it can issue a compliance notice requiring specified action within a set period, and require evidence that the notice has been complied with.
For a standard-tier premises, the guidance is clear that ignoring a compliance notice is not a criminal offence. Instead it can lead to a penalty notice: up to £10,000 for most contraventions (paragraph 9.14), and up to £500 for each day a compliance notice continues to be ignored (paragraph 9.16). Restriction notices — the power to require part or all of a premises to stop being used — apply only to enhanced-tier premises and qualifying events (paragraph 9.11), so an ordinary standard-tier hall, church or club does not face that route.
Where an organisation's offence happens with the consent or connivance of senior personnel — a trustee, director or officer — or because of their neglect, that person can also be prosecuted (paragraphs 9.19-9.20) — but this sits alongside the point above that ignoring a compliance notice at standard tier is not itself a criminal offence.
The one offence that reaches everyone: false information
Separately, knowingly or recklessly giving the SIA false or misleading information is an offence under section 25 of the Act. The guidance is explicit that this applies to anyone, not only the responsible person — so it is worth getting notification details right rather than guessing to get a form submitted.
Common questions
- Can the SIA close our hall for not having procedures?
No. The power to require a premises to stop being used — a restriction notice — applies only to enhanced-tier premises and qualifying events. A standard-tier hall faces information and compliance notices, and financial penalties, rather than closure.
- Could a committee member be prosecuted personally?
A trustee, director or officer can be prosecuted where an organisation's offence happened with their consent, connivance or neglect — the guidance calls them senior personnel, which is not the same as the "senior individual" role the Act requires only of enhanced-tier organisations. But remember that ignoring a compliance notice at standard tier is not itself a criminal offence — the offence most likely to reach an individual is section 25, knowingly or recklessly giving the SIA false information, which applies to anyone.
- Does doing nothing create a right for someone to sue us?
The Act does not itself create a compensation claim against a responsible person for failing to meet its requirements. It does not remove other existing legal rights, such as a negligence claim, and a court may consider the Act's requirements when deciding one.
Check your building, free
Answer a few questions about who uses your building and how many people could be there at once. We’ll tell you plainly whether Martyn’s Law applies, and why.
Sources
Last reviewed 2 November 2026, against the statutory guidance of 15 April 2026 (corrected 6 August 2026).