With recent updates to legislation, particularly in the wake of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, staying compliant with fire door regulations is more important than ever. This guide offers a comprehensive breakdown of the current legal requirements, responsibilities, installation standards and maintenance practices around fire doors in the UK.

Why Fire Door Regulations Matter

Fire doors are not ordinary doors. Designed to resist the passage of fire and smoke, they buy valuable time during emergencies—ensuring safe evacuation routes and containing fire spread. Properly installed and maintained fire doors can mean the difference between a minor incident and a devastating tragedy.

Recent changes in fire safety law have made fire door checks a legal requirement in many buildings, particularly those that are multi-occupied or high-rise. These changes reflect lessons learned from real-world disasters and aim to improve safety for all building occupants.

The Legal Framework: UK Fire Door Legislation

Understanding the legal landscape is the first step in compliance. Several key pieces of legislation govern fire door responsibilities in England:

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

This foundational law applies to all non-domestic premises and communal areas in multi-occupied residential buildings. It requires the appointment of a “Responsible Person” to ensure that fire safety measures—including fire doors—are appropriately maintained.

The Fire Safety Act 2021

The Fire Safety Act 2021 was introduced to clarify and strengthen fire safety responsibilities in multi-occupied residential buildings. It confirmed that fire risk assessments must now include the building’s external walls—such as cladding and balconies—as well as flat entrance doors that open onto communal areas. This closed previous legal loopholes and ensures that all parts of a building that could impact fire spread or escape are properly assessed. The Act laid the groundwork for the more detailed duties set out in the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.

Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

The 2022 Fire Safety Regulations came into force on 23 January 2023, implementing recommendations from the Grenfell Inquiry. These regulations make it a legal requirement for responsible persons to:

• Undertake quarterly checks on all fire doors in communal areas.
• Carry out annual checks—on a best endeavour basis—of flat entrance doors.
• Provide residents with information about fire doors and their role in building safety.

Approved Document B (Building Regulations)

Approved Document B outlines the fire safety requirements for buildings in England, including the use of fire doors in both new builds and material alterations. It specifies where fire doors must be installed—such as along escape routes, between high-risk areas, and at flat entrances—and sets out minimum fire resistance ratings like FD30 or FD60, depending on building type and layout. The document also covers correct signage, door hardware, and installation methods to ensure fire doors perform as intended in the event of a fire.

Who Is the “Responsible Person”?

The Responsible Person is legally accountable for fire safety in a building. This may be:

• The freeholder or landlord
• A managing agent or facilities manager
• A residents’ management company

In law, the term may refer to either a natural person or a legal entity. Their duties include ensuring fire risk assessments are up to date, fire doors are correctly installed and maintained, and residents are informed about fire safety.

Where the Responsible Person struggles to gain access for annual inspections (e.g. if a resident does not cooperate), they are still expected to use best endeavours—such as offering flexible appointments, written notices, or legal escalation if needed.

Where Are Fire Doors Required?

Fire door regulations apply differently depending on the building type, layout and purpose. Here’s a breakdown of where they must be installed:

Residential Buildings (Flats, HMOs, Conversions)

• Flat entrance doors must be fire doors with a minimum FD30 rating, fitted with self-closing devices and smoke seals. These prevent the spread of fire and smoke from individual flats into shared corridors and stairwells.
• Internal fire doors are required in flats located above 4.5 metres (approximately 1st floor and above) between habitable rooms and escape routes.
• In loft conversions, every habitable room that opens onto a stairwell must have a fire door. This is particularly important where the staircase serves as the main escape route.
• Communal areas must include certified fire doors at key locations such as lobbies, stairwells and corridor junctions.

Houses

• Three or more storeys (including lofts) require fire doors between habitable rooms and stairwells.
• Any door connecting the home to an integral garage must be fire-rated to at least FD30 and include a self-closing mechanism to prevent fire spread from high-risk utility areas.
• Single-storey homes may not require internal fire doors if multiple escape routes are available.

Commercial and Public Buildings

• Fire doors are required along escape routes and between high-risk rooms (e.g. kitchens, server rooms, boiler rooms).
• All fire doors must meet the relevant British and European standards and be installed in accordance with Approved Document B.
• Depending on the building’s function and risk profile, higher-rated doors such as FD60 or FD90 may be needed to provide longer protection.
• All fire doors in non-residential settings must comply with Approved Document B, be tested to BS 476-22 or BS EN 1634-1, and be installed by a competent person.

Fire Door Specifications: What Makes a Door Compliant?

Fire doors must meet strict design, installation and certification requirements. A compliant fire door set includes the door leaf, frame, glazing, seals and hardware—all tested and approved as a unit.

Fire Door Ratings

Fire doors are given an FD (Fire Door) rating based on the number of minutes they can resist fire under test conditions. The most commonly used is FD30, which provides 30 minutes of protection and is typically installed in residential settings such as flat entrances and along escape routes. FD60 doors offer 60 minutes of fire resistance and are often used in commercial or public buildings with higher footfall or more complex evacuation needs. FD90 and FD120 doors provide 90 and 120 minutes of protection, respectively, and are typically reserved for high-risk environments such as plant rooms, service risers, or large-scale commercial facilities.

To be compliant, fire doors must be tested and certified to recognised standards—either BS 476-22 (a British Standard) or BS EN 1634-1 (a harmonised European standard). These tests assess the complete door set, including the frame, glazing, seals, and hardware, to ensure that the system as a whole maintains its fire integrity for the rated duration. Proper installation and maintenance are critical to preserving this performance in real-world conditions.

Hinges and Ironmongery

All fire door hardware—also known as ironmongery—must be suitable for use in high temperatures and tested to recognised fire safety standards. Specifically:

• Fire doors must be hung on a minimum of three hinges, constructed from steel or another material with a melting point above 800°C. This ensures that the door remains fixed in place even under intense heat.
• Hinges must be CE marked and compliant with BS EN 1935, the European standard for single-axis hinges used in fire and smoke control doors.
• Door closers—a vital component—must automatically return the door to the closed position every time it is opened. Closers must be correctly adjusted so the door latches fully without slamming or sticking. Closers should also comply with BS EN 1154.
• Locks, latches, handles and letterplates must be made from non-combustible materials, and must not compromise the fire door’s integrity. They should be CE marked, tested to BS EN 12209 for mechanical durability and fire performance, and installed strictly in line with the manufacturer’s test evidence.

Improper or untested ironmongery can void a fire door’s certification, making the entire door set non-compliant. Only compatible components listed in the door manufacturer’s certification data should be used.

Glazing and Vision Panels

Fire doors may incorporate glazed panels or vision panels to allow visibility, especially in corridors, stairwells or communal areas. However:

• Only fire-rated glass must be used—typically wired glass, ceramic glass or glass treated with intumescent interlayers. Standard glazing is not suitable, as it will shatter under heat.
• All glass must be tested to withstand heat for the same duration as the door’s fire rating (e.g. 30 or 60 minutes).
• The glazing must be installed using a tested and approved glazing system, including intumescent glazing tape and beading, following the manufacturer’s specifications.
• Any modifications to glazing apertures must be carried out by a certified fabricator or under test-based evidence—retrofitting or altering glass in fire doors is not permitted unless approved.

Intumescent Strips and Smoke Seals

Intumescent materials are critical to fire door performance. These are heat-sensitive components designed to expand and seal gaps when exposed to temperatures above 200°C.

• Intumescent strips are fitted around the edges of the door leaf or frame and expand in the event of a fire, helping to seal the gap between the door and frame to prevent flames and heat from spreading.
• Cold smoke seals, often combined with intumescent strips, block the passage of smoke during the early stages of a fire—when smoke, rather than flames, poses the greatest risk to life.
• Strips and seals must be undamaged, continuous, and not painted over. Painting can prevent them from reacting properly during a fire.
• Where seals are missing, damaged, or incorrectly fitted, the fire door may fail its fire resistance rating entirely and must be remediated or replaced.

Correct specification and maintenance of these components are essential to ensuring the door set performs as tested under real-world fire conditions.

Inspection and Maintenance: Your Legal Duties

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 outline new minimum standards for inspections. The frequency depends on the door’s location:

Communal Fire Doors (over 11m high buildings)

• Must be inspected at least once every 3 months
• Checks can be conducted by trained caretakers, housing officers or managing agents

Flat Entrance Doors

• Annual checks required on a best endeavour basis
• Inspection access must be arranged with residents
• A record of inspection attempts and outcomes must be kept

What to Check

• Door closes fully and unaided
• Hinges, seals, and closers are undamaged and securely fixed
• No excessive gaps or warping
• No unauthorised alterations (e.g. changed locks or glazing)
• Intumescent strips are not painted over or missing

Where doors are damaged or fail to meet standards, repairs or replacements must be arranged promptly by a competent contractor.

Installation Standards and Competent Fitters

Fire doors must be installed as part of a certified set, using all components specified by the manufacturer. We recommend using installers accredited by the Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) or similarly recognised schemes.

Improper installation voids certification and severely compromises safety. Installation should always be documented, and the certification should be retained for compliance checks and audits.

Signage, Access, and Emergency Wayfinding

Fire door signage is a regulatory requirement and must be clearly visible. Common examples include:

• “Fire Door Keep Shut”
• “Fire Door Keep Locked”
• “Automatic Fire Door Keep Clear”

Signs must comply with BS 5499 Part 4:2000 and be installed at eye level. For commercial premises, signage must also support wayfinding in line with escape route planning.

Fire doors should never be obstructed, propped open, or locked (except with fail-safe systems approved for fire escape).

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Failing to comply with fire door regulations carries serious consequences:

• Fines of up to £5,000 per offence in Magistrates’ Court
• Unlimited fines or imprisonment if the case proceeds to Crown Court
• Prosecution if non-compliance causes death or serious injury

Notable cases have included major fines for retailers and property management firms where inspections found wedged-open or faulty fire doors.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Do all flats need fire doors?

Yes. Every flat entrance door that leads onto a communal area must be a certified fire door with at least FD30 protection.

How often must fire doors be inspected?

Communal fire doors: every 3 months.

Flat entrance doors (in buildings over 11m): every 12 months.

Who is legally responsible for fire doors?

The Responsible Person—usually the building owner, landlord, managing agent, or management company.

Can fire doors have glass panels?

Yes, but only if the glazing is fire-rated and installed to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Do I need to replace old fire doors?

Only if they are no longer effective or damaged. Doors that still provide adequate resistance may remain in use.

Final Thoughts from MosaicGT

Quarterly communal-door inspections and annual flat-entrance checks are now non-negotiable under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. The Building Safety Act goes one step further: every inspection, repair and photo must live inside a digital golden thread that can be shared with the Building Safety Regulator—and with residents—at a moment’s notice.

MosaicGT makes that admin effortless.

Book a 20-minute MosaicGT demo or drop us a line at hello@mosaicgt.com and see how seamlessly safety documentation can run for you and your team.