Upholstery fire regulations differ enormously between countries, and most guidance online assumes you know which country it is describing. These pages set out what actually applies where, for domestic work and for commercial and contract seating.
Where a country has no mandatory standard, the page says so plainly. That is an answer in itself, and it is almost nowhere written down.
United Kingdom
The strictest of the English-speaking regimes: cigarette and match tests, and a permanent label.
United States
Federal standard since 2021, and it names reupholstery — but not when the piece keeps the same owner.
Canada
No flammability standard for upholstered furniture. All three provincial schemes were repealed between 2019 and 2021.
Australia & New Zealand
The AS/NZS upholstery flammability standards are voluntary. There is no mandatory domestic requirement in either country.
Ireland
Its own 1995 Order and Irish Standard, close to the British regime but a separate legal instrument.
The one rule that holds everywhere. On any commercial or contract job, the requirement belongs to the building rather than to the furniture. Get the required standard in writing from whoever is responsible for the premises, before you cut anything, and keep it with the job record.
Written by a British upholsterer as informational guidance, not legal advice. Every country page lists its sources. Fire rules change; each page records when it was last checked.
All countries last checked 2026-08-02. See also the site disclaimer.