Will every standard-tier hall be inspected?

Not routinely. The SIA has described on-site inspections as risk-based, alongside desk-based assessments, rather than a universal check. How targeting works has not been published, so this needs a closer look as the SIA's guidance is finalised.

Do we have to let an inspector in without notice?

Usually not. The guidance says an inspector will usually give at least 72 hours' written notice. Entry without notice needs a warrant, limited to specific circumstances such as urgency or being refused access.

Will we have to hand over our written procedures?

No document is legally required at standard tier. But an inspector can still ask to see whatever records you have and take copies — so a committee that keeps a simple record is in a better position than one that keeps nothing.

Will the SIA inspect our hall?

In short

Possibly, but not as a matter of routine — the SIA has said inspections will be risk-based rather than applied to every premises, and will usually come with at least 72 hours' written notice. Standard-tier premises don't submit any documentation, but an inspector can still ask to see whatever records you have and take copies. The SIA's own guidance on exactly how it will carry out this role has not been finalised.

Key points

The SIA is the regulator for Martyn's Law and is a Home Office arm's-length body, not a separate government department.
It has described a mix of desk-based assessments and risk-based on-site inspections, not inspecting every standard-tier premises as a matter of course.
An inspection usually comes with at least 72 hours' written notice; a warrant can allow entry without notice only in limited circumstances.
An inspector can look at documents, ask for an explanation and take copies, even though no written procedures document is legally required.
The SIA's own guidance on how it will use these powers is still not finished — this needs a closer look as it develops.

What "inspection" means at this stage

The SIA, a Home Office arm's-length body acting as regulator, has described two kinds of check: desk-based assessments, and on-site inspections that are risk-based rather than universal. ProtectUK's FAQs confirm standard-tier premises do not submit documentation routinely, and that there are no SIA fees. The SIA has already run pilot assessments and inspections, with a second round in autumn 2026 — the regulator testing its own approach ahead of the duties starting, not inspecting against a duty that is enforceable yet.

Notice, and the exceptions

The statutory guidance says an inspector "will usually have to give at least 72 hours' notice, in writing" before an on-site inspection. There are limited exceptions: a warrant can allow entry without notice where the inspector is prevented from access, needs it urgently, or where notice would defeat the visit's purpose. A warrant can also allow entry to premises not themselves in scope, as part of investigating a different one. For an ordinary hall acting reasonably, the warrant route is the exception, not the expected experience.

What an inspector can actually ask for

During an inspection, with or without a warrant, an inspector may view physical or electronic documents, inspect equipment, take measurements, photographs or recordings, and require anyone present to help. They can require someone to explain a document, say where one can be found, and take copies. Separately, the SIA can issue a notice requiring security information, or requiring a named individual to attend an interview.

None of this contradicts the fact that standard-tier premises are not legally required to prepare a written procedures document. The two statements sit together: nobody has to write it down, but that is not the same as nobody ever asking.

What is still not settled

The SIA's own statutory guidance on how it proposes to exercise its functions — which would set out its inspection approach in detail — was consulted on between 15 April and 12 June 2026. That consultation is closed, but as of late October 2026 no response or final version had been published; the SIA has said both are due in autumn 2026. The notification portal is also not yet live, with volunteer testing from early 2027. Exactly how a standard-tier inspection works — how premises are selected, what a desk-based assessment checks — is not fully settled. This needs a closer look once the SIA publishes its guidance; a scope check is a reasonable place to start meanwhile.

Common questions

Will every standard-tier hall be inspected?: Not routinely. The SIA has described on-site inspections as risk-based, alongside desk-based assessments, rather than a universal check. How targeting works has not been published, so this needs a closer look as the SIA's guidance is finalised.
Do we have to let an inspector in without notice?: Usually not. The guidance says an inspector will usually give at least 72 hours' written notice. Entry without notice needs a warrant, limited to specific circumstances such as urgency or being refused access.
Will we have to hand over our written procedures?: No document is legally required at standard tier. But an inspector can still ask to see whatever records you have and take copies — so a committee that keeps a simple record is in a better position than one that keeps nothing.

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Sources

Last reviewed 2 November 2026, against the statutory guidance of 15 April 2026 (corrected 6 August 2026).