Fire Prevention Design Bulletin #0002-CODE REQUIRED EGRESS, BUILDING SECURITY, & ELECTRONICALLY LOCKED EGRESS Revised: January 2026

The California Building and Fire Codes mandate the number of required exits from a room in a building, from a floor withing a building, and from the building itself. The number of required exits depends on:  

• How many people are in a room, floor, and the building
• How far someone travels before there is a choice between two independent egress paths
• How far someone travels to reach an exit
• Special hazards within a space, such as electrical rooms with high amperage equipment, mechanical rooms with high BTU equipment, etc.  

The required number of exits must be available to all occupants the exits serve. Doors in any of the required egress paths must be openable from the egress side without:  

• The use of a key (metallic key, card for a card reader, or other tool needed to open the door)
• Special knowledge (combination lock, hidden location of the opening mechanism, the use of an opening mechanism that is not readily obvious in its function, etc.)
• Special effort (excessive force, an opening device that requires multiple physical operations, climbing on a ladder to reach the opening device, etc.) 

The California Building and Fire Codes do allow for limited securing of doors in the egress path in some non-institutional occupancies (including Group B occupancies). The options are: 

Delayed Egress: Delayed egress allows some doors to be locked from the egress side provided the door opens within 15 seconds after an occupant pushes on a panic hardware device. When used, the entire building must be equipped with a smoke detection system and must also be protected by a fire sprinkler system. If the fire alarm system does activate, the doors must unlock immediately, without the 15 second delay. Occupants are not allowed to go through more than one door equipped with delayed egress before an exit is reached. [Note: The Code has additional criteria when delayed egress is utilized. Contact UCSF Fire Prevention to discuss details.] 

Interior Rated Stairway Doors: In some instances, the code allows doors to rated stairways to be locked from the inside, preventing occupants from re-entering the building once they are inside the stairs. Additional safeguards are required, including an unlocking device located at a central location that unlocks all stair doors. Contact UCSF Fire Prevention to discuss details. 

Doors from Elevator Lobbies in High-Rise Buildings: In some situations, doors from elevator lobbies to suites in high-rise buildings may be locked to prevent entry into a suite. However, several criteria must be met including the provision of an emergency override mushroom button to unlock the door and a tie-in to the fire alarm system. Additionally, required egress for the rest of the floor cannot be through the elevator lobby. 

Strategic Design: When designing a facility, floor, or space within a building, it is critical for the designer to understand the security needs of the end-user. Floor plans can then be designed to accommodate free egress and security needs. 

Can an egress door be locked if it is connected to the fire alarm system and unlocks when the fire alarm activates? 

No. An occupant may need to exit a building for reasons other than a fire. The closest option in the code is the “Delayed Egress” strategy discussed above. Delayed egress allows one door in an egress path to remain locked for 15 seconds after someone pushes on a panic hardware device to open the door. This accommodates emergencies other than fire while giving some notice to the building occupants the door is going to open. Should the fire alarm be activated, the door must unlock immediately, without the 15 second delay. 

Can doors in an egress path be fitted with an alarm that sounds if someone opens the door without badging in?   

Yes. This is a common strategy to notify personnel that someone without proper credentials opens a door. Other notifications, such as flashing lights or notification at a security desk are also allowed. 

How is security provided if doors in the egress path cannot be locked? 

The requirement to not lock doors in the egress path is a design parameter when determining the floor plan of a space. The end-user must be consulted to see which areas are to be secured. Those areas must then be located so the egress path is not interrupted. Another option is to provide additional egress routes. Delayed egress, if utilized, will require fire alarm features that are not required if delayed egress is not utilized. This underscores the necessity of correctly determining the occupancy classification of a building and the needed security measures when designing an egress system. It is difficult to reconfigure spaces or to add smoke detection, fire sprinklers, smoke compartments, or additional stairwells at the end of construction to accommodate security concerns. However, if discussed upfront, these features can be incorporated into the design to provide code-complaint egress while meeting the security needs of the occupants.

Are there any circumstances where exit doors can be locked on the egress side? 

Yes. Jails, prisons, mental institutions, and other buildings that house occupants with restricted freedoms may have locked egress doors. These buildings have higher construction and safety standards to compensate for the lack of free egress. Buildings that house people not capable of self-preservation, such as surgery units, intensive care units, etc. may also restrict egress in some circumstances. They too have additional safeguards not found in other occupancies. 

1010.2.10 Door Hardware Release of Electrically Locked Egress Doors

Door hardware release of electric locking systems shall be permitted on doors in the means of egress in any occupancy except Group H where installed and operated in accordance with all of the following:

• The door hardware that is affixed to the door leaf has an obvious method of operation that is readily operated under all lighting conditions.
• The door hardware is capable of being operated with one hand and shall comply with Section 1010.2.1.
• Operation of the door hardware directly interrupts the power to the electric lock and unlocks the door immediately.
• Loss of power to the electric locking system automatically unlocks the electric lock.
• Where panic or fire exit hardware is required by Section 1010.2.8, operation of the panic or fire exit hardware also releases the electric lock.
• The locking system units shall be listed in accordance with UL 294 or UL 1034.

1010.2.11 Sensor Release of Electrically Locked Egress Doors

Sensor release of electrical locking systems shall be permitted on doors located in the means of egress in any occupancy except Group E, H or L where installed and operated in accordance with all of the following criteria:

• The sensor shall be installed on the egress side, arranged to detect an occupant approaching the doors and shall cause the electrical locking system to unlock the electric lock.
• Upon a signal from a sensor or loss of power to the sensor, the electrical locking system shall unlock the electric lock.
• Loss of power to the electric lock or electrical locking system shall automatically unlock the electric locks.
• The doors shall be arranged to unlock the electric lock from a manual unlocking device located 40 inches to 48 inches (1016 mm to 1219 mm) vertically above the floor and within 5 feet (1524 mm) of the secured doors. Ready access shall be provided to the manual unlocking device and the device shall be clearly identified by a sign that reads "PUSH TO EXIT." When operated, the manual unlocking device shall result in direct interruption of power to the electric lock—independent of other electronics—and the electric lock shall remain unlocked for not less than 30 seconds.
• Activation of the building fire alarm system, where provided, shall automatically unlock the electric lock, and the electric lock shall remain unlocked until the fire alarm system has been reset.
• Activation of the building automatic sprinkler system or fire detection system, where provided, shall automatically unlock the electric lock. The electric lock shall remain unlocked until the fire alarm system has been reset.
• Emergency lighting shall be provided on the egress side of the door.
• The electromechanical or electromagnetic locking device shall be listed in accordance with either UL 294 or UL 1034.

1010.2.11.1 Access-Controlled Elevator Lobby Doors in High-Rise Office Buildings

For elevator lobbies in high-rise office buildings where the occupants of the floor are not required to travel through the elevator lobby to reach an exit, when approved by the fire chief, the doors separating the elevator lobby from the adjacent occupied tenant space that also serve as the entrance doors to the tenant space shall be permitted to be equipped with an approved entrance and egress access control provided all of the following requirements are met:

• The building is provided throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.
• A smoke detector is installed on the ceiling on the tenant side of the elevator lobby doors along the center line of the door opening, not less than 1 foot and not more than 5 feet from the door opening, and is connected to the fire alarm system.
• A remote master switch capable of unlocking the elevator lobby doors shall be provided in the fire command center for use by the fire department.
• Locks for the elevator lobby shall be UL and California State Fire Marshal listed fail-safe type locking mechanisms. The locking device shall automatically release on activation of any fire alarm device on the floor of alarm (waterflow, smoke detector, manual pull stations, etc.). All locking devices shall unlock, but not unlatch, upon activation.
• A two-way voice communication system, utilizing dedicated lines, shall be provided from each locked elevator lobby to the 24-hour staffed location on site, annunciated as to location. Operating instructions shall be posted above each two-way communication device.
• Exception: When approved by the fire chief, a two-way voice communication system to an off-site facility may be permitted where means to remotely unlock the access controlled doors from the off-site facility are provided.
• An approved momentary mushroom-shaped palm button connected to the doors and installed adjacent to each locked elevator lobby door shall be provided to release the door locks when operated by an individual in the elevator lobby. The locks shall be reset manually at the door. Mount palm button so that the center line is 48 inches above the finished floor.
• Provide a sign stating:
  • "IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, PUSH PALM BUTTON, DOOR WILL UNLOCK AND SECURITY ALARM WILL SOUND."
  • The sign lettering shall be 3/4-inch-high letters by 1/8-inch width stroke on a contrasting background.
• Loss of power to that part of the access control system which locks the doors shall automatically unlock the doors.

For questions, please call EH&S at 476-1300 or email [email protected]