Martyn's Law starts with knowing who is on site.
The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 sets public protection duties for qualifying UK premises and events. Here is where a sign-in kiosk helps, and where it does not.
- Staff sign inAmelia taps her name at the office kiosk
- Contractor arrivesTicks the contractor rules, prints a CONTRACTOR badge
- Visitor with a codeTypes 5 digits, host emailed
- Evacuation drill declaredKiosk shows the alert and the room's exit route
- On-site list to roll call42 staff, 6 visitors, 2 contractors
- Assembly pointTeam reconciles the list, follows up missed sign-outs
- Stood downResolved by an authorised person; kiosk back to Welcome
How does visitor sign-in relate to Martyn's Law?
The standard duty asks for procedures for evacuation, invacuation, lockdown and communicating with people on site. A sign-in record of staff, visitors and contractors gives those procedures a starting list. It does not make you compliant on its own.
- Standard tier
- Usually 200 to 799 people
- Enhanced tier
- Usually 800 or more
- Schools
- Standard tier at any size
- Duties start
- Expected spring 2027, date TBC
- Checked
Two tiers, set by expected occupancy.
Count the people reasonably expected at the same time, including staff. Scope also depends on use and exclusions.
Standard duty
Usually 200 to 799 people. Appropriate public protection procedures, so far as reasonably practicable, and notifying the SIA once that duty starts.
Enhanced duty
Usually 800 or more people. Further public protection measures and documentation duties.
Summary of the Mass Coms Martyn's Law guide, checked October 2026. The Home Office and SIA are the authoritative sources.
Where a sign-in kiosk helps, and where it stops.
Each procedure depends on knowing who is in the building. The right-hand column is still yours.
| Procedure | What MassVisit provides | What you still do |
|---|---|---|
| Evacuation | On-site list of staff, visitors and contractors, shared with roll call | Reconcile it at the assembly point |
| Lockdown and invacuation | Alert on the reception kiosk, record of who was signed in | Decide and run the procedure |
| Communicating | Email to signed-in staff, texts to visitors with a phone number | Set up SMS and email, agree wording |
| Controlling entry | Rules ticked and a badge issued at reception | Staff the entrance, check ID where needed |
| Practising | Drills with the kiosk in place | Review missed sign-outs and gaps afterwards |
| Staff roles | Signed-in staff on the list | Assign and train incident roles |
Martyn's Law questions.
Emergency roll callDoes visitor management make us compliant with Martyn's Law?
No. It can support procedures such as evacuation, lockdown and communicating with people on site, but your organisation is responsible for assessing its duties. The Act does not require you to buy any software.
When do the Martyn's Law duties start?
When we checked in October 2026 the venue and event duties were not yet in force, and the SIA expected them to start in spring 2027 with the date to be confirmed. Check the Home Office and SIA for the current position.
Which tier applies to a school?
Qualifying early years, primary, secondary and further education premises stay in the standard tier at any size. Universities follow the usual thresholds.
Talk through your procedures.
Bring your site, your expected occupancy and your current visitor process to a demo.