Updated September 2026. This checklist reflects the Section 27 statutory guidance (published 15 April 2026), the SIA's Section 12 enforcement consultation (closed 12 June 2026, with final guidance due in autumn 2026) and the Spring 2027 commencement window being signalled by Government.
The checklist in brief: confirm which venues are in scope (200+ people), name a responsible person, carry out a terrorism risk assessment, write evacuation, invacuation and lockdown procedures, train staff through ACT Awareness, engage local police and the council, review physical and technology measures, document everything, track SIA guidance, and phase the work so it is complete before commencement (expected April 2027).
This article is part of our comprehensive guide to Martyn's Law. For an overview of the legislation, who it applies to, tier requirements, and how AV technology can support compliance, see our complete guide to Martyn's Law.
Martyn's Law (the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025) received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025 (homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk). The Act introduces legal obligations for qualifying venues and events to assess terrorism risks and put in place protective measures. With statutory guidance now published and a Spring 2027 commencement window now being signalled, the lead-in is no longer abstract: organisations should be moving from awareness into structured preparation.
Implementation timeline (updated September 2026)
Royal Assent: 3 April 2025. Martyn's Law became Law on this date (homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk).
Statutory guidance published: 15 April 2026. The Home Office published the Section 27 statutory guidance, a 129-page main document plus three non-statutory supplementary papers covering capacity calculation methods, illustrative scope examples and further resources/training. HTML accessible versions were added on 27 April 2026. Available at gov.uk.
SIA Section 12 enforcement consultation: 15 April to 12 June 2026. The SIA consulted on its draft Section 12 guidance on investigation and enforcement powers. It plans to publish the final guidance, with a consultation report, in autumn 2026.
Commencement: Spring 2027 (likely April 2027). April 2027 is the earliest the duties can start: the Act allows at least 24 months from Royal Assent. The Home Office, the SIA and most legal commentators are consistently signalling Spring 2027, subject to formal Parliamentary confirmation.
No legal requirement yet, but preparation is now expected. With statutory guidance published, there is no longer any uncertainty about what compliance looks like. Government, the regulator and sector bodies all expect responsible persons to be moving towards readiness in 2026, not waiting for enforcement to begin.
For a detailed breakdown of who falls under Martyn's Law scope, see our guide: Who Does Martyn's Law Apply To?.
Compliance checklist: steps to prepare now
The following checklist outlines practical steps to meet the requirements of Martyn's Law during the implementation period. It draws on advice for councils and venue operators from the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) and legal briefings.
1. Determine whether you're in scope
Identify all venues and events you operate or manage. Martyn's Law applies to public premises and events where 200 or more people may be present (homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk). Premises expecting 200 to 799 people are standard‑tier venues, while those expecting 800+ people are enhanced-tier venues. Assess which of your spaces fall into these categories. The April 2026 Supplementary Document A formalises capacity calculation methods: fire safety safe-occupancy figures, historic attendance data or any other justified method, with the reasonable-expectation test including staff and volunteers.
For a detailed comparison of standard and enhanced tier requirements, see our guide: Standard vs. Enhanced Tier: What's the Difference?.
2. Assign a responsible person
For every qualifying venue or event, nominate a responsible person, the individual or organisation that has control of the premises or event (homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk). For enhanced‑tier premises, where the responsible person is an organisation, a senior individual must be designated to oversee compliance and document public protection procedures (bclplaw.com). The April 2026 statutory guidance is explicit that statutory responsibility cannot be delegated, and that the senior individual is personally exposed to criminal liability of up to two years' imprisonment for breaches involving consent, connivance or neglect.
3. Carry out risk assessments
Conduct terrorism risk assessments tailored to each venue. This involves identifying potential vulnerabilities (entrances, crowd flow, escape routes) and evaluating the likelihood and impact of different attack types (nalc.gov.uk). For enhanced‑tier premises, risk assessments must be documented and provided to the regulator (bclplaw.com).
4. Develop emergency plans
Draft simple emergency response plans that outline evacuation routes, invacuation procedures, and communication methods. Standard‑tier premises must put in place appropriate public protection procedures, such as evacuation, invacuation, and lockdown plans (homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk). Enhanced‑tier venues will need more detailed plans, including procedures for crowd management and information dissemination (bclplaw.com).
5. Provide ACT awareness training
The recognised baseline training for Martyn's Law preparedness is ACT Awareness Training, a free, government-backed programme delivered through ProtectUK that gives staff, volunteers and regular contractors the skills to spot suspicious behaviour, respond to alerts and execute emergency plans. ACT (Action Counters Terrorism) is referenced throughout the statutory guidance as the expected training standard for the standard tier and a starting point for the enhanced tier. NALC's advice also emphasises offering security awareness training for staff and volunteers (nalc.gov.uk) to improve preparedness. Maintain a register of who has completed ACT awareness training and when, so the SIA can see evidence of compliance on inspection.
6. Engage with local authorities and emergency services
Liaise with local police, counter‑terrorism advisors and your local council to ensure plans align with regional preparedness strategies. NALC recommends working with local authorities and emergency services for guidance and support (nalc.gov.uk).
7. Consider physical and technological measures
For enhanced‑tier venues, the April 2026 guidance formalises four categories of public protection measures to be considered: monitoring (e.g. CCTV, observation arrangements), movement (control of access, queuing, vehicle management), physical safety and security (barriers, glazing, layout), and security of information. Measures may be implemented through people, policies and processes, and/or physical mitigations (bclplaw.com). Even standard‑tier venues may benefit from inexpensive improvements such as improved lighting, secure doors, and mass‑notification systems.
Technology is where most venues find the gaps. Your evacuation, invacuation and lockdown procedures only work if everyone hears or sees the instruction in seconds, so check you can: broadcast a clear spoken message to every area (a PA or voice evacuation system, not just a fire bell), switch every screen to an emergency message at once (digital signage override), trigger lockdown from more than one point, and test it all in a drill. Our guide to how AV technology supports Martyn's Law covers each system, and the Martyn's Law compliance service can survey what you already have and quote for what's missing.
8. Document and record procedures
Maintain clear, accessible records of your risk assessments, training, emergency plans and any physical security measures. Enhanced‑tier venues must provide the SIA with a compliance document, and the April 2026 guidance is explicit that this is a narrative, not a checklist. The document should explain what is in place, why each measure is expected to reduce harm, and where the chosen approach differs from what would normally be expected, why.
9. Stay informed
The Section 27 statutory guidance was published on 15 April 2026 and is available on gov.uk. The SIA's final Section 12 enforcement guidance is due in autumn 2026; read it when it lands, as it sets out how inspections and penalties will work in practice. Subscribe to ProtectUK alerts, read government publications and join industry forums to track further updates. NALC also offers risk-assessment templates for council and small-venue use (nalc.gov.uk).
10. Plan your timeline (to April 2027)
With Spring 2027 (likely April 2027) the working commencement date, roughly six months remain from October 2026. A reasonable phasing:
October 2026: Read the statutory guidance, run an in-scope audit, classify each site as standard or enhanced, designate the senior individual where required.
November to December 2026: Complete risk assessments, draft public protection procedures (evacuation, invacuation, lockdown, communication), read the SIA's final Section 12 guidance when published, and start staff training.
January to February 2027: Finish training, agree coordination arrangements for shared spaces, finalise the enhanced-tier compliance document narrative. Order any physical or AV technology now; equipment lead times and installer availability tighten as commencement approaches.
March 2027: Complete installation, run live drills and confirm SIA notification readiness ahead of commencement.
Next steps
With statutory guidance now published and Spring 2027 the working commencement date, the time for "watch and wait" has effectively passed. By identifying in‑scope venues, conducting risk assessments, training staff, developing emergency plans, and engaging with local authorities, you build resilience, protect your community and avoid a last-minute scramble before commencement.
For more comprehensive information about Martyn's Law, including who it applies to, tier requirements, special considerations for education settings, and how AV technology can support compliance, see our complete guide to Martyn's Law. Meanwhile, Strive AV's Martyn's Law Compliance service offers consultation, risk‑assessment support and technology solutions to help you meet these obligations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.When does Martyn's Law need to be complied with?
Martyn's Law received Royal Assent on 3 April 2025. Commencement is now consistently being signalled as Spring 2027 (likely April 2027), subject to formal Parliamentary confirmation. The Section 27 statutory guidance was published on 15 April 2026, and the SIA's Section 12 enforcement consultation closed on 12 June 2026, with final guidance due in autumn 2026. With guidance live and the commencement window narrowing, organisations should now move from awareness into structured preparation rather than waiting for enforcement to begin.
Q.Who enforces Martyn's Law?
The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is the regulator responsible for Martyn's Law enforcement. Responsible persons must notify the SIA that they control qualifying premises or events. Enhanced-tier venues must provide the SIA with a compliance document, risk assessments, training records and details of public protection measures upon request. Standard tier non-compliance carries financial penalties of up to £10,000; enhanced tier non-compliance carries the greater of £18m or 5% of global revenue, with daily penalties for continuing breaches, restriction notices and criminal liability for designated senior individuals where breaches involve consent, connivance or neglect.
Q.What documents do enhanced-tier venues need to keep?
Enhanced-tier venues must maintain documented risk assessments, public protection procedures (covering evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communication), staff training records, emergency plans and details of any physical security measures implemented. The April 2026 guidance is explicit that the compliance document is a narrative, not a checklist; it must explain what is in place, why each measure is expected to reduce harm, and where the approach differs from what would normally be expected, why. Records should be accessible to the regulator and demonstrate ongoing compliance.
Q.What is the first step in Martyn's Law compliance?
The first step is determining whether your venue or event is in scope. Identify all premises and events you operate, calculate peak expected capacity (including staff and visitors), and classify each as standard tier (200 to 799 people) or enhanced tier (800+ people). Then assign a responsible person for each in-scope venue.
Q.How should venues structure their preparation before April 2027?
With Spring 2027 (likely April 2027) the working commencement date, about six months remain from October 2026. A reasonable phasing: October 2026, read the statutory guidance, audit in-scope sites, classify standard vs enhanced and designate senior individuals; November to December 2026, complete risk assessments, draft public protection procedures, read the SIA's final Section 12 guidance (due autumn 2026) and start staff training; January to February 2027, finish training, agree coordination for shared spaces, finalise the enhanced-tier compliance document and order any technology; March 2027, complete installation, run live drills and confirm SIA notification readiness.
