Fire Door Regulations: FD30, FD60, Signage & Inspection Requirements

Summary

Fire doors save lives. The specific guidance on where they are needed, what specification they must meet, and how they must be installed has become significantly more detailed following the Grenfell Tower inquiry and subsequent changes to Building Regulations. The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced new accountabilities for higher-risk buildings, but the requirements affecting everyday domestic and commercial building work have also been tightened.

For most residential building work — loft conversions, garage conversions, HMO fitting out — fire doors are a regulatory requirement, not an option. Getting this wrong doesn't just affect building control sign-off; in the event of a fire, an incorrectly fitted or maintained fire door can fail, potentially with fatal consequences.

The critical points are: the door and frame must be a tested assembly (not a fire door leaf fitted in a standard lining); the intumescent seals and smoke seals must be intact and correctly specified; the hinges must be fire-rated; and the door must be correctly adjusted to close fully against the stop without being held open.

Key Facts

• FD30 — 30 minutes fire resistance; minimum standard for most domestic applications
• FD30S — FD30 with smoke control seal (suffix S); required in all domestic situations under current Part B
• FD60 — 60 minutes fire resistance; required in some commercial and higher-risk residential situations
• Tested assembly — fire doors must be tested as a system: door leaf, frame, ironmongery, seals; substituting components can invalidate the fire rating
• Third-party certification — from 2023, new buildings must use third-party certified fire door products (Certifire, BWF-Certimark); this ensures the product has been independently tested
• Intumescent strip — expands on heat to seal the gap around the door during a fire; must be fitted in the door or frame (or both) as specified in the test certificate
• Smoke seal — brush pile or rubber blade seal that prevents cold smoke infiltration; required in domestic (FD30S)
• Hinges — minimum three fire-rated hinges (CE marked to BS EN 1935, Grade 11 or above); two-hinge fire doors are not acceptable
• Door closers — self-closing device mandatory on all fire doors (except in dwellings where hold-open devices with automatic release may be used)
• Gap tolerance — maximum 3mm gap around the door leaf (top and sides); maximum 10mm at the bottom (if cold smoke seal fitted)
• Signage — "Fire Door Keep Shut" (or "Keep Locked Shut" for locked fire doors) must be displayed on both sides of all fire doors in non-domestic settings; not mandatory in private dwellings but recommended
• Inspection frequency — Regulation 10 (Fire Safety Regulations 2022) requires quarterly visual inspection of fire doors in higher-risk residential buildings (over 11m)
• Glazing in fire doors — only fire-resistant glazing (to BS 476 Part 22 or BS EN 1364-1) is permitted; maximum sizes depend on test evidence

Quick Reference Table

Detailed Guidance

Where Fire Doors Are Required — Domestic

Building Regulations Approved Document B (Volume 1, Dwellings) sets out the specific requirements:

Loft conversions (creating a third storey): When a loft is converted to create a habitable storey at more than 4.5m above ground level, an automatic fire detection system (mains-wired Grade D1, LD2 as a minimum) AND fire doors are required to protect the escape route. Every door opening onto the staircase from a habitable room on the intermediate floors must be an FD30S door.

Integral garages: The wall and ceiling between an integral garage and the house must have 30 minutes' fire resistance. The door between the garage and the house must be an FD30S fire door. This applies to new builds and any conversion work connecting an existing garage to the living space.

Houses converted to flats: When a house is converted to self-contained flats, fire doors are required to each flat entrance (minimum FD30S) and at high-risk rooms (kitchens, if opening onto escape routes).

HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation): Full guidance from the local authority (housing department, not building control) applies. Typically FD30S to all habitable rooms opening onto the means of escape; FD30S to kitchen in all HMOs.

What Constitutes a Compliant Fire Door Assembly

A fire door is not just a door leaf — it is a system that must be installed exactly as tested. The test certificate for any certified fire door will specify:

• Door leaf material and construction (solid core, mineral core, timber composite)
• Frame species and profile
• Maximum and minimum door sizes covered by the test
• Approved ironmongery (or types of ironmongery acceptable)
• Intumescent seal specification (position, dimensions, product reference)
• Smoke seal specification
• Glazing sizes and specifications (if any)

You cannot:

• Substitute the door leaf into a standard door lining (the lining is part of the tested assembly)
• Use hinges not covered by the test certificate
• Fit larger glazed panels than the test evidence allows
• Omit the smoke seal on an FD30S door

You can (in most cases):

• Trim the door leaf within the limits stated in the test certificate (usually maximum 10mm per edge)
• Use any CE-marked Grade 11+ hinge from a different manufacturer if it is cited as an acceptable substitute in the certificate
• Choose from a range of approved closers

Gap Tolerances

The gap around the door leaf is critical. Too large a gap allows hot gases and flames to pass before the intumescent seal has expanded enough to close it.

• Top and sides: Maximum 3mm in all circumstances; ideally 2–3mm
• Bottom of door: Maximum 10mm above the floor when a cold smoke seal is fitted; maximum 3mm if no cold smoke seal (but smoke seal is always required for FD30S)
• Threshold strip: Where a threshold strip is fitted, ensure it is fire-rated and part of the door assembly specification

Check gaps when the door is closed against the stop. A 3mm gap check card (often included in installation kits) makes this quick to verify.

Ironmongery Requirements

Every piece of ironmongery on a fire door must be compatible with the door certification:

Hinges: Minimum three CE-marked, Grade 11 hinges (ball-bearing for heavy fire doors). The Grade 11 classification covers fire performance under BS EN 1935. Steel butt hinges with steel ball bearings are standard; avoid iron or non-ferrous hinges.

Door closers: Grades 1–7 under BS EN 1154 govern closing force. Grade 3 is typical for domestic fire doors; Grade 4 for larger, heavier commercial doors. The closer must ensure the door closes fully from any open position (including against the draught created by opening a window in the room). Concealed overhead closers are acceptable; floor springs are acceptable for heavy doors.

Locks and latches: All locks and latches must be fire-rated (BS EN 12209 fire test). Standard tubular latches are generally not fire-rated — replace with a rated mortice latch or confirm with the test certificate.

Panic hardware: If fitted, must meet BS EN 1125 (for key-free exit) or BS EN 179 (for key-operated devices).

Inspection and Maintenance (Regulation 10)

For higher-risk residential buildings (over 11m in height), the Building Safety Act 2022 and associated Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require:

• Quarterly visual inspection of all fire doors in communal areas (all flat entrances visible from the outside)
• Annual inspection of all flat entrance doors (including knocking on resident's doors)
• Records of all inspections and remedial work

For domestic dwellings not in higher-risk buildings, regular inspection is best practice but not legally mandated. Checks should include:

• Door closes fully without assistance and latches correctly
• Seals are intact, not damaged or missing
• No gaps greater than 3mm around the leaf
• Hinges are tight and functional
• Door closer operates correctly
• No modifications have been made that could affect the fire rating

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I fit a cat flap in a fire door?

No. Any penetration of the fire door leaf that is not covered by the test certificate invalidates the fire rating. A cat flap creates an unprotected aperture. If a cat flap is required, a non-fire-rated door must be used, and alternative means of compartmentalisation must be considered. This is a common enquiry, and the answer is always no.

Does a fire door need to be a specific colour?

No. Fire doors come in a wide range of finishes, veneer faces, and paint finishes. The colour does not affect the fire performance. However, the door must be identifiable as a fire door — typically by its Certifire label (inside the top edge or top corner) and by the "Fire Door Keep Shut" sign in non-domestic situations.

Can I use a magnetic hold-open device on a fire door?

Yes, in domestic settings (Houses) — a hold-open device with automatic release via the fire alarm is acceptable under Part B. In flats and commercial settings, hold-open devices are only permitted if the device releases and the door self-closes automatically upon activation of the fire alarm. Wedges, props, or furniture holding fire doors open are never acceptable.

Do all fire doors need a self-closer?

In domestic dwellings (single family homes), self-closing devices are required on fire doors in certain configurations (notably loft conversions and garage doors). In flats, HMOs, and commercial buildings, all fire doors must have self-closers. Where a closer would cause problems (e.g., for disabled access), a hold-open device with automatic release via the fire alarm is the accepted alternative.

How do I check if an existing door is a fire door?

Look for: a certification label on the top edge or in the rebate (Certifire, BWF-Certimark, or similar); a solid, heavy feel (FD30 cores are denser than hollow-core doors); intumescent strips visible in the door edge or frame rebate; at least three hinges. If none of these are present, assume it is not a fire door and cannot be relied upon as such.

Regulations & Standards

• Building Regulations Approved Document B (Volumes 1 and 2) — fire safety; specifies where fire doors are required

• BS 476 Part 22 — fire tests for non-loadbearing elements; door and shutter fire resistance

• BS EN 1634-1 — fire resistance and smoke control tests for door and shutter assemblies

• BS EN 1935 — single axis hinges — classification; Grade 11 required for fire doors

• BS EN 1154 — building hardware — mechanically operated door closers; performance classification

• BS 8214 — timber fire door assemblies — code of practice; installation guidance

• Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 — Regulation 10 inspection requirements for higher-risk buildings

• The Building Safety Act 2022 — accountability framework for higher-risk buildings

• Approved Document B: Fire Safety — MHCLG official Building Regulations guidance

• FDIS: Fire Door Inspection Scheme — fire door inspectors training and guidance

• BM TRADA Q-Mark / Certifire — third-party fire door certification schemes

• HSE: Fire Safety in the Workplace — HSE fire safety guidance for employers

• glazing regs — fire-rated glazing in critical locations

• door hanging — standard internal door installation

• building control — notifiable work and building control process

• asbestos — fire door frames in older buildings may contain asbestos