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Emergency Lighting Testing Requirements in Australia

Walk through most commercial buildings and you will see a small green light glowing on every emergency fitting. Many building owners and facilities managers point to that light as evidence the system is working. It is not. The green light means the battery charger is operating. It tells you nothing about whether the battery behind it will actually run the lamp for 90 minutes when mains power drops out during a real emergency.

That 90-minute test is what Australian Standard AS 2293 actually requires, and a significant number of buildings quietly fail it every year without anyone knowing until an audit or a real power failure reveals the gap.

This guide explains what emergency lighting testing involves, how often it must happen, what commonly causes failures, and how it connects to your Annual Fire Safety Statement obligations.

Not sure when your emergency lighting was last tested? Fire Safe ANZ provides AS 2293 compliant emergency lighting testing across Australia. Request a quote today

What Is Emergency Lighting?

Emergency lighting is the system of fixed luminaires and exit signs that activate automatically when mains power fails. It provides enough illumination for occupants to safely evacuate the building and for emergency services to navigate the premises.

AS 2293 covers three categories of emergency lighting:

Emergency escape lighting: Luminaires that illuminate evacuation routes, stairwells, corridors, and exit paths when mains power is interrupted
Exit signs: Illuminated “running man” signs that mark the location of emergency exits and the direction of travel along evacuation routes
Standby lighting: Lighting that allows normal activities to continue during a power failure (not required in all buildings)

Emergency lighting is mandatory in Class 2 to Class 9 buildings under the National Construction Code, which means it applies to almost all commercial, retail, industrial, strata, healthcare, education, and hospitality buildings in Australia.

The Three Parts of AS 2293

AS 2293 is the Australian Standard that governs emergency escape lighting and exit signs. It has three distinct parts, each covering a different phase of the system’s lifecycle:

AS 2293.1: Design, installation, and commissioning requirements. This governs how emergency lighting systems must be designed and installed in new and upgraded buildings.
AS 2293.2: Inspection and maintenance requirements. This is the ongoing compliance standard that applies to all building owners and facilities managers, and it specifies exactly what testing must be done and how often.
AS 2293.3: Performance requirements for luminaires and exit signs. This covers the technical specifications each fitting must meet.

For most building owners, AS 2293.2 is the part that matters most day to day, as it defines the testing obligations that must be met to remain compliant.

How Often Does Emergency Lighting Need to Be Tested?

Under AS 2293.2, emergency lighting must be tested on the following schedule:

Monthly (recommended visual inspection) A basic visual check that all indicator and charge status lights are functioning normally, and no fittings appear damaged or obscured. This is not a full functional test but is recommended to catch obvious issues between six-monthly inspections.

Six-Monthly (mandatory discharge test) This is the core compliance test under AS 2293.2 and the one most commonly missed or performed incorrectly. During the discharge test, mains power to the emergency lighting system is interrupted, simulating an actual power failure. Every emergency luminaire and exit sign must activate automatically, switch to battery power, and remain illuminated at the required lux level for the full rated duration, typically 90 minutes for most systems.

A technician checks that every fitting activates, maintains sufficient brightness throughout the test duration, and recharges correctly once mains power is restored. Any fitting that fails to activate, dims below the required lux level, or cannot sustain the full 90-minute duration is a defect that must be rectified before the system can be certified as compliant.

Annual (full system inspection) At the annual inspection, the six-monthly discharge test is repeated with added scrutiny. Technicians physically inspect every fitting, clean diffusers to prevent lux degradation, and verify that any changes to the building layout have not created dark spots or blocked light paths. A new partition wall, for example, can block the illumination from an existing emergency fitting, requiring an additional unit to maintain AS 2293 compliance.

All testing must be carried out by a competent person and logged in the maintenance register. Records must be retained on site for a minimum of seven years.

What Causes Emergency Lighting to Fail Testing?

Emergency lighting failures are one of the most commonly identified defects during fire safety inspections, and one of the top reasons buildings fail a fire safety audit. The most common causes include:

Failed or degraded batteries: Batteries have a finite lifespan, typically three to five years depending on the technology. A battery that is still charging (indicated by the green light) may no longer hold enough charge to sustain the lamp for 90 minutes under load. This is the most common cause of failure and the one most frequently missed between inspections.
Failed activation: A fitting that does not switch to battery power when mains is interrupted provides no light during an evacuation. This can result from a faulty inverter, a wiring fault, or a lamp failure.
Insufficient lux levels: Even if the fitting activates and runs for the full duration, it must provide a minimum illumination level along the evacuation path. Dirty or damaged diffusers, aged lamps, or incorrect fitting placement can all result in lux levels below the AS 2293 minimum.
Obscured or damaged exit signs: An exit sign covered by a new sign, obstructed by a shelf or rack, or with a failed lamp provides no directional guidance during an emergency.
Building layout changes: A new wall, partition, or mezzanine that has been added without reviewing the emergency lighting coverage can create dark spots in evacuation routes that were previously compliant.

For a broader look at what auditors identify during inspections, read our guide: 5 Signs Your Building Will Fail Its Next Fire Safety Audit

Emergency lighting failures are invisible until tested or until a real emergency. Book a six-monthly discharge test with Fire Safe ANZ and know your system will perform when it matters. Get in touch

Emergency Lighting and Your AFSS

Emergency lighting and exit signs are listed as essential fire safety measures on most buildings’ fire safety schedules. For your Annual Fire Safety Statement to be valid, all essential fire safety measures including emergency lighting must have been tested and found to be performing to the required standard within the three months before lodgement.

A failed discharge test, an unresolved fitting defect, or a gap in your testing records will prevent your AFSS from being endorsed and expose you to council action.

The six-monthly testing requirement for emergency lighting aligns conveniently with fire extinguisher inspection schedules under AS 1851, which means most buildings can bundle both inspections into a single technician visit to minimise disruption.

For a full walkthrough of AFSS obligations, read: Annual Fire Safety Statements NSW: What Building Owners Must Know

For a step-by-step guide to the lodgement process: How to Lodge an AFSS in NSW: Step-by-Step Guide

Smart Emergency Lighting Systems

In 2026, the growing standard for emergency lighting compliance in larger commercial buildings is the networked self-testing system. Rather than requiring a technician to walk every fitting manually, these systems conduct automated discharge tests at programmed intervals and report results to a central controller or building management system.

Smart systems significantly reduce the labour cost of six-monthly testing, provide instant alerts when a fitting fails between scheduled tests, and generate digital compliance records automatically. They are particularly valuable in large buildings with high numbers of emergency fittings, where manual testing is time-consuming and any missed fitting creates a compliance gap.

If your building is still using legacy fluorescent emergency fittings with manual testing, it is worth discussing an upgrade to modern LED self-testing units with your fire protection provider. AS 2293 compliant LED systems typically offer longer battery life, lower maintenance costs, and more reliable lux performance than older technology.

Emergency Lighting and Essential Services Maintenance

Emergency lighting is one of several essential fire safety measures that must be maintained as part of your broader building compliance program. It sits alongside fire alarm systems, sprinklers, hose reels, extinguishers, fire doors, and other systems, all of which have their own AS 1851 testing frequencies.

For a full breakdown of how all essential services fit together under a compliant maintenance program, read our essential services maintenance guide.

Fire Safe ANZ schedules emergency lighting testing alongside other essential services where possible, minimising the number of technician visits and disruption to your building’s daily operations. All records are accessible through our 24/7 client portal.

Fire Safe ANZ: Emergency Lighting Testing Across Australia

Fire Safe ANZ provides AS 2293 compliant emergency lighting testing and maintenance for commercial buildings across NSW, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, and beyond. Our services include: