What are the shelter building standards in Latvia?

Short answer. Latvia has a binding shelter building standard, LBN 210-25, adopted as Cabinet Regulation No. 451 of 22 July 2025 and in force since 25 July 2025 ¹. The law defines three shelter categories (I, II and III) ². Among the requirements: at least 0.75 m² per user, a minimum area of 20 m², and equipment for 12 hours of continuous use ¹. VUGD adds non-binding guidelines for category III ³.

What are the three shelter categories?

What does LBN 210-25 require?

Key requirements of the standard ¹:

• Duration: equipment so the shelter can be used continuously for 12 hours, with CO₂ not above 2,000 ppm and temperature not below +10 °C.
• Exits: at least one emergency exit (the entrance does not count) and at least one accessible exit.
• Surroundings: no explosive structures, and no above-ground tanks of explosive liquid over 10 m³, within 100 m.
• Space: at least 0.75 m² per user, excluding technical rooms; minimum total area 20 m². In the standard's words: "Patvertnes platība, neierēķinot tehnisko telpu platību, ir ne mazāka kā 0,75 m2 uz vienu būves lietotāju."
• Height: minimum clear ceiling height of 2.00 m.
• Inside the shelter: no transformer substation, water main or main heating pipes.
• Doors: at least 900 mm wide for fewer than 500 people, 1,200 mm for 500 or more; two entrances for 1,000 people or more; doors open outward and operate manually from both sides.
• Water: a water point inside, and storage for at least 5 litres of drinking water per person.
• Toilets: one cubicle per 50 people, or per 20 people for dry toilets; each cubicle at least 1.2 × 1.1 m.
• Power and light: connected to the grid, with fixed lighting in all rooms and passages.

These figures describe what the standard requires. Applying them to a building is engineering work for a qualified professional.

What guidance does VUGD publish?

VUGD publishes, as recommendations ³:

• Vadlīnijas par minimālajām prasībām telpu pielāgošanai III kategorijas patvertnes izveidošanai (guidelines on the minimum requirements for adapting rooms into a category III shelter);
• a recommended equipment catalogue for category III shelters;
• instructions for the shelter sign.

How do the standards relate to the law?

The Civil Protection and Disaster Management Law defines the categories and says which new buildings need which category ²; LBN 210-25 sets the technical requirements for new-build shelters ¹; and VUGD's guidelines cover voluntary category III shelters in existing buildings ³. See build a shelter for the legal side and /guides/shelter-ventilation and /guides/nbc-filtration for background.

Frequently asked questions

Is LBN 210-25 binding?

Yes. It is a Cabinet regulation (No. 451 of 22 July 2025), in force since 25 July 2025 ¹.

How much space per person does a Latvian shelter need?

At least 0.75 m² per user, excluding technical rooms, with a minimum total area of 20 m² ¹.

How much water must a shelter store?

At least 5 litres of drinking water per person, with a water point inside ¹.

Are VUGD's category III guidelines mandatory?

They are published as recommendations ³.

Sources

1. Ministru kabinets (likumi.lv) — Ministru kabineta noteikumi Nr. 451 "Patvertņu būvnormatīvs LBN 210-25" — https://likumi.lv/ta/id/362052-patvertnu-buvnormativs-lbn-210-25 (accessed 2026-10-20)
2. Saeima (likumi.lv) — Civilās aizsardzības un katastrofas pārvaldīšanas likums (7.1 pants "Patvertnes", grozījumi 05.06.2025, spēkā 03.07.2025; konsolidētā redakcija no 10.07.2026) — https://likumi.lv/ta/id/282333 (accessed 2026-10-20)
3. Valsts ugunsdzēsības un glābšanas dienests (VUGD) — Patvertnes — https://www.vugd.gov.lv/lv/patvertnes (accessed 2026-10-20)