How long is an approved Self-Protection System valid?

Two years (Law 5920, Article 2). Approval decisions are valid for two years from approval, provided the conditions on which approval was based are maintained and the yearly renewal filing is made (Disposition 331/DGDCIV/2025, Article 1).

What is the yearly renewal filing?

To keep the approval decision, before the first year ends and within the ten working days before, a note signed by the professional stating that nothing has changed, the schedule of the third and fourth drills and the updated role-training record are filed; failure allows revocation (Annex III A, points 14.1 and 14.2).

Can my establishment revalidate, or must it file a new system?

If the conditions of approval have not changed and the use is not on the Article 2 list, it is revalidated with a sworn declaration within the same file. The uses listed in Article 2, such as industry, hazardous-substance warehouses, schools, clinics, shopping arcades or nightclubs, must file a new system at expiry (Law 5920, Article 2; Annex III A, point 15.1).

How many drills are required?

At least two drills per year (Law 5920, Article 5(h)). The first is scheduled from three months after filing, at least three months must pass between drills, and the report is filed within five working days of the drill, failing which the approval decision may be revoked (Annex III A, points 13.3 and 13.4).

AR · Expiry & renewal tracking

Never let your building's self-protection system expire unnoticed

In Buenos Aires City a self-protection system approved by Civil Defence is valid for two years (Law 5920, Article 2; Disposition 331/DGDCIV/2025, Article 1). A yearly renewal filing is due after the first year and, at expiry, a sworn revalidation or a new system depending on the premises' use.

Law 5920 of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires creates the Self-Protection System, which is mandatory in the City: a set of actions and measures to prevent and control risks to people and property and provide an adequate response to emergencies (Article 1). It covers public and private buildings, establishments and sites, offices, schools, hospitals and any premises with public access; it is voluntary for buildings used only as housing and mandatory for events with mass attendance (Article 2).

The Self-Protection System is valid for two years. Once that period ends, establishments whose conditions of approval have not changed must declare this under oath to keep the terms of the approval decision; otherwise they must start a new system. Certain uses, such as industry, warehouses storing hazardous or flammable substances, schools, healthcare facilities, car parks that form part of a building, shopping arcades or nightclubs, must always submit a new system at expiry (Article 2, as worded by Article 52 of Law 6779).

The Directorate-General for Civil Defence, the enforcing authority, ruled that approval decisions are valid for two years from approval provided the conditions are maintained and the yearly renewal requirements are met (Disposition 331/DGDCIV/2025, Article 1). Before the first year ends, within the ten working days before, the professional files a note that nothing has changed, the schedule of the third and fourth drills and the updated role-training record (Annex III A, point 14.1). The fast-track revalidation is filed within the ten working days before the approval decision expires (Annex III A, point 15.2).

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At a glance

Validity	2 years (Law 5920, Article 2; Disposition 331/DGDCIV/2025, Article 1)
Yearly renewal filing	Within the 10 working days before the end of the first year: no-change note, schedule of the third and fourth drills and training record (Annex III A, point 14.1)
Fast-track revalidation	Sworn declaration (Annex III B), schedule of two drills and training record, within the 10 working days before expiry (Annex III A, points 15.1 and 15.2)
Uses without revalidation	Industry, hazardous-substance warehouses, schools, healthcare, building car parks, shopping arcades, nightclubs and other listed uses: new system at expiry (Law 5920, Article 2)
Drills	At least 2 per year (Law 5920, Article 5(h)); report within 5 working days and at least 3 months between drills (Annex III A, points 13.3 and 13.4)
Under 500 m2	Sworn declaration of compliance, except for activities that must have the system approved (Law 5920, Article 3)
Enforcing authority	Directorate-General for Civil Defence (Decree 51/18, cited in Disposition 331/DGDCIV/2025)

A rule of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires; it does not apply outside the City. Article numbers follow the updated text after the Fifth Update of the Legal Digest (Law 6764): the Article 4 cited in Law 6779 is now Article 5 (note in Disposition 331/DGDCIV/2025).

Who is responsible?

The owners or operators of the buildings, establishments or sites, or the producers of events, are responsible for complying with the actions and measures of the Self-Protection System (Law 5920, Article 4). The system is prepared and filed by a professional listed in the Register of Professionals for the preparation and testing of Self-Protection Systems (Article 6); the acting professional and the owner jointly guarantee the system's viability (Annex III A, point 16.1). The Directorate-General for Civil Defence evaluates and approves the systems (Disposition 331/DGDCIV/2025).

If the deadline passes

If the yearly renewal filing is not made, or is filed late without justification, the enforcing authority may revoke the approval decision (Annex III A, point 14.2). The same applies to a revalidation filed outside the ten working days before expiry: the decision is revoked and a new Self-Protection System must be started (point 15.2). Failing to report a drill within five working days of holding it also allows revocation (point 13.3).

Two deadlines in one file

An approved system creates two dates worth tracking separately: the yearly renewal filing, made before the first year ends, and the revalidation or new system when two years are up (Disposition 331/DGDCIV/2025, Article 1; Annex III A, points 14 and 15). After a revalidation, the yearly renewal filing is made again before its first year ends (point 15.1(d)).

Tracking it with ExpirySuite

Add each building or establishment in the City and record the expiry date of its approval decision; you can add a separate record for the yearly renewal date.
Email reminders arrive 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before expiry and on the expiry day.
The professional in charge of the system can upload the new decision or proof of revalidation through a secure link that is valid for 14 days and needs no account.
Assign a responsible person, such as the building administrator or maintenance lead; if a system expires, managers get further reminders 3, 7 and 14 days later.

Frequently asked questions

How long is an approved Self-Protection System valid?: Two years (Law 5920, Article 2). Approval decisions are valid for two years from approval, provided the conditions on which approval was based are maintained and the yearly renewal filing is made (Disposition 331/DGDCIV/2025, Article 1).
What is the yearly renewal filing?: To keep the approval decision, before the first year ends and within the ten working days before, a note signed by the professional stating that nothing has changed, the schedule of the third and fourth drills and the updated role-training record are filed; failure allows revocation (Annex III A, points 14.1 and 14.2).
Can my establishment revalidate, or must it file a new system?: If the conditions of approval have not changed and the use is not on the Article 2 list, it is revalidated with a sworn declaration within the same file. The uses listed in Article 2, such as industry, hazardous-substance warehouses, schools, clinics, shopping arcades or nightclubs, must file a new system at expiry (Law 5920, Article 2; Annex III A, point 15.1).
How many drills are required?: At least two drills per year (Law 5920, Article 5(h)). The first is scheduled from three months after filing, at least three months must pass between drills, and the report is filed within five working days of the drill, failing which the approval decision may be revoked (Annex III A, points 13.3 and 13.4).

Sources

Last checked: Oct 7, 2026 · This page summarises official sources for general information and is not legal advice. Check the linked sources for current rules and fees.

Made for building self-protection and evacuation system (Law 5920) (Buenos Aires City, Argentina)

A ready template for building self-protection and evacuation system (Law 5920) (Buenos Aires City, Argentina) with sensible validity defaults, so you enter less and track more.

Reminders on time

Email alerts at 60, 30, 14, 7 and 1 day before each building self-protection and evacuation system (Law 5920) (Buenos Aires City, Argentina) expires, plus overdue escalation to managers.

Assign an owner

Give each building self-protection and evacuation system (Law 5920) (Buenos Aires City, Argentina) an owner and let employees update their own via a secure link — no login needed.