Every business wants its doors locked tight. The trouble is that the same steps that keep intruders out can trap the people inside. Under the 2025 California Building Code (CBC), in effect since January 1, 2026, an egress door must open from the inside without a key, special knowledge, or extra effort.
Fire inspectors check this on every visit, and the failures look remarkably similar from building to building. Here are the problems we run into most, and how to fix them before they become a citation or something worse.
Deadbolts on exit doors. A thumb-turn deadbolt above a lever means two motions to get out. The CBC requires a single motion to release every latch and lock on an egress door, and it bans manual bolts outright. The deadbolt exception covers individual dwelling and sleeping units in residential buildings, not your shop, office, or warehouse.
Chains, padlocks, and bars. A chain looped through the push bars at closing time is one of the most dangerous things an inspector can find. Chains, padlocks, hasps, and drop bars all require a key or extra effort, so they can't be on an exit door while anyone is inside.
Doors that swing the wrong way. A door serving a room or area with 50 or more occupants must swing in the direction of egress travel. Tenant improvements often raise occupant load without anyone revisiting the door. A breakroom that becomes a training room can cross that line overnight.
Hardware in the wrong spot. Handles, pulls, and latches belong between 34 and 48 inches above the floor. Exit doors also can't be hidden behind curtains or decorations, or finished with mirrors.
Both are push-bar exit devices, and they look nearly identical. The difference is the door they're allowed on.
Panic hardware is listed to UL 305 and belongs on doors that aren't fire rated. It usually includes dogging, a key or hex-tool feature that holds the latch retracted so the door works as a simple push/pull during business hours.
Fire exit hardware carries the UL 305 listing plus a UL 10C fire listing. Fire doors have to latch every time they close to hold back smoke and flame, so fire exit hardware has no mechanical dogging. Electric latch retraction is allowed, as long as the latches project automatically when the fire alarm goes off.
Putting panic hardware on a rated door, or removing the dogging to "convert" it, doesn't make the opening compliant. The hardware label has to match the door label.
The CBC requires one or the other on swinging doors serving Group H spaces and rooms with 50 or more occupants in assembly and educational occupancies, with additional California-specific cases. Either way, the push bar must span at least half the door width and release with no more than 15 pounds of force.
Most violations don't start as shortcuts. They start as reasonable security decisions that nobody checked against the code.
Mag locks without a proper release. An electrically locked exit door must unlock when power fails. Motion-sensor systems also need a "PUSH TO EXIT" button 40 to 48 inches high, within 5 feet of the door, that keeps it unlocked for at least 30 seconds.
Delayed egress where it isn't allowed. These locks require a fully sprinklered building with an approved detection system. Even then, the door must release within 15 seconds of a 3-second push.
Key-locking the wrong door. Many businesses can key-lock the main entrance, but only with a sign reading "THIS DOOR TO REMAIN UNLOCKED WHEN THIS SPACE IS OCCUPIED." Rear and side exits don't qualify.
You shouldn't have to choose between a safe building and a compliant one. During our commercial door inspections, we’ll walk all of your exits and check doors and hardware against the current CBC: hardware type and labels, swing direction, mounting height, electrified locks, and signage. You'll get a clear list of what needs attention, plus options to keep your building locked down without trapping anyone inside.
Schedule your commercial door inspection today and get peace of mind knowing your buildings’ most important pieces are safe and functional.
