What is an egress door?

Author: Mr. Osvaldo Roberts DDS  |  Last update: Thursday, December 18, 2025

An egress door is designed to allow an easy escape from a building in the case of an emergency or during an evacuation. But, the term egress door does not apply to only the door at the exit. All doors along the path of egress are also considered egress doors and must meet the same safety standards.

What makes a door an egress door?

Unlike regular doors, which can come in various sizes and shapes, egress doors must adhere to specific standards. They are usually between 32 and 48 inches in width and designed to open outward to allow for quick and unobstructed exits.

What is the difference between exit door and egress door?

In conclusion, understanding the difference between exit and egress is essential for ensuring building safety and compliance with regulations. While exits are specific pathways designated for evacuation, egress encompasses all means of leaving a building.

Can egress doors be locked?

Doors in means of egress are required to be opened without the "use of a tool or key from the egress side". Occupant movement cannot be restricted during an emergency; however, locking certain doors may be necessary for the safety of the patient in certain situations.

What is the difference between an egress and ingress door?

The difference between ingress and egress might seem obvious: ingress refers to an entrance, and egress refers to an exit. And generally that's true. Of course, it's very common for many access points to be used for both ingress and egress—you come in the same door you go out.

Egress Doors Code Requirements Explained

Do egress doors swing in or out?

Swinging doors designated as a means of egress are not always required to swing out, especially for smaller rooms. However, if the room serves more than 50 people or is a high hazard occupancy room, the doors must swing out.

What does an egress look like?

An egress window looks just like a regular large window, but opens fully to allow a building's inhabitants to escape in the event of an emergency like a house fire. Egress windows are required in all finished basements before they can be legally converted into a living space.

Are deadbolts allowed on egress doors?

Key-Operated Locks – Doors equipped with key-operated locks, such as a deadbolt, are an exception to the rule that locks and latches cannot require the use of a key, a tool, or special knowledge or effort to operate from the egress side to open.

Does a basement door count as egress?

Basements are required to have a certain number of exit points in the event of an emergency if you intend to use them as living spaces. Egress basement doors don't just fit the bill, they also help make your basement somewhere people would want to live, too.

Can a door swing into an egress corridor?

Door leaves are required to swing in the direction of egress travel only if any one of the following three conditions exist: The door serves a room or area with an occupant load of 50 or more, The door assembly is used in an exit enclosure, The door opening services a high-hazard contents area.

How much does an egress door cost?

The cost of installing a bulkhead door typically ranges from $500–$3,000, depending on the size of the opening, what type of door you choose, and any necessary landscaping or drainage work. These factors influence the overall expense.

Is a sliding door an egress door?

In other than Group H occupancies, manually operated horizontal sliding doors are permitted in a means of egress from spaces with an occupant load of 10 or less.

What does free egress mean?

A condition under which free movement is allowed from sleeping areas and other spaces where access or occupancy is permitted to the exterior via means of egress that meet the requirements of NFPA 101. [

Is a bathroom door an egress door?

Doors serving a bathroom within an individual sleeping unit in Group R-1. 9.In other than Group H occupancies, manually operated horizontal sliding doors are permitted in a means of egress from spaces with an occupant load of 10 or less.

What is the difference between an exit door and an egress door?

An egress door is designed to allow an easy escape from a building in the case of an emergency or during an evacuation. But, the term egress door does not apply to only the door at the exit. All doors along the path of egress are also considered egress doors and must meet the same safety standards.

Can an egress door swing both ways?

For double egress doors, or cross-corridor doors as they are frequently called, the handing is a bit different than your typical pair of doors. A double egress pair will have a unique jamb and head profile that allows the doors to swing the way they do, in opposite directions.

Can you put a bedroom in the basement with no windows?

No, you can't. According to Section R310 of the International Building Code (and most other building codes), every bedroom needs an operable window that can act as a second means of egress during an emergency—so landlords can't count windowless rooms as bedrooms.

How do you calculate door egress?

To determine the egress capacity of a door, or how many people a door will accommodate, divide the clear opening width of the door by 0.2 inches per occupant or 0.15 inches per occupant (see previous page to choose which factor to use).

Can a bedroom egress through a bathroom?

Egress from a room or space shall not pass through adjoining or intervening rooms or areas, except where such adjoining rooms or areas and the area served are accessory to one or the other, are not a Group H occupancy and provide a discernible path of egress travel to an exit.

Is a double keyed deadbolt illegal?

While there is no federal law prohibiting deadbolts requiring two keys, you could violate local codes if you upgrade to a double-keyed deadbolt on even just one door in your home.

Which unit qualifies as an egress door?

Often, but not necessarily, it's the front door of the home. It must be side hinged, have a net clear opening width of at least 32 inches and a net clear opening minimum height of 78 inches from top of threshold to bottom of the stop on the head jamb.

Can pocket doors be used for egress?

Yes, sliding pocket doors can be fire-rated!

Fire-rated doors are designed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke and provide a safe means of egress in the event of a fire.

What is an egress violation?

Egress laws refer to the accessibility to rooms as well as the ability to exit a room, often in an emergency situation. One of the biggest comments we see, especially from those who have never seen The Boot, or The LockOut System, is, “You can't install that system, it violates fire codes!”.

What is the point of egress?

A means of egress is an unobstructed path to leave buildings, structures, and spaces. A means of egress is comprised of exit access, exit, and exit discharge. Components of a Means of Egress. U.S. ACCESS BOARD TECHNICAL GUIDE. Exit Access.

What is the difference between egress and non egress?

An egress window is similar to a regular window, but it's large enough to act as an escape opening in case of an emergency. Egress windows are great for basements and kitchens, bedrooms, and living rooms.

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