How Often Should Fire Doors Be Inspected?

No matter the type of building you own, work, or live in, fire doors play an important role in fire safety, specifically passive fire protection. They work by containing and preventing the spread of fire and smoke, which protects lives, assets, and property. With regular fire door inspections, you can ensure that they function as they should and comply with UK fire regulations. But how often should fire doors be inspected?

If you’re responsible for a building, you’ve probably heard different answers to this question. Some say every three months, some say every six, and others say once a year. Each answer can be right, but it depends on the building’s use, its height, and where it is in the UK.

In this blog, we take a closer look at what the law requires when it comes to fire door inspection frequency, what British Standards recommend, and who should carry out the work. 

Fire door inspection frequency at a glance

Building or door	Minimum frequency	Requirement or recommendation?	Relevant UK fire safety regulations or guidance
Communal fire doors in residential buildings over 11m (England)	At least every 3 months	Legal requirement	Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, regulation 10(6)
Flat entrance doors in residential buildings over 11m (England)	At least every 12 months, using best endeavours	Legal requirement	Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, regulation 10(4)
All other doors covered by the Fire Safety Order	No fixed interval; a suitable system of maintenance	Legal requirement	Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 17
All fire doors	Every 6 months	British Standard guidance	BS 9999:2017
High-traffic doors and escape routes	Every 3 to 6 months	Our recommendation	Based on BS 8214:2016 and site use

It’s important to note that the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 apply to multi-occupied residential buildings in England only. Wales follows the Fire Safety Order without the 2022 Regulations, and Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own fire safety legislation.

What is a fire door inspection and why is it important?

A fire door is part of a building’s passive fire protection. It’s designed to hold back fire and smoke for a set period, usually 30 or 60 minutes (FD30 or FD60), which protects escape routes and keeps a fire inside its compartment.

A fire door only performs as tested if every component works together. Daily use, impact damage, and well-meant alterations wear that performance down. A door wedged open, a closer that has been adjusted, or a smoke seal painted over can all stop it doing its job.

A fire door inspection checks each component against the door’s tested specification, and this includes:

• The door leaf, frame, and surrounding wall, for damage or alterations
• Gaps between the door and frame, which should generally be no more than 4mm
• Intumescent strips and smoke seals, which should be intact and not painted over
• Hinges, locks, letterboxes, and other ironmongery
• Fire-resisting glass and glazing
• The self-closing device, which should close the door fully from any angle
• Fire door signage

Any findings should be recorded so the ‘Responsible Person’ has evidence of regular fire door maintenance. These records matter if the building is ever inspected by the fire and rescue authority.

What are the current fire door inspection regulations?

Fire door inspection rules are centred around UK fire safety legislation and British Standards. The law sets the minimum, and British Standards give guidance on good practice. Here are some key pieces of legislation to be aware of:

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

The Fire Safety Order applies to non-domestic premises and the common parts of multi-occupied residential buildings in England and Wales. Article 17 requires the Responsible Person to keep fire safety measures, including fire doors, under “a suitable system of maintenance” and “maintained in an efficient state”.

Article 17 doesn’t set an inspection interval. The Responsible Person should decide how often doors are checked, and the fire risk assessment will usually state this. The Fire Safety Act 2021 also confirmed that flat entrance doors in multi-occupied residential buildings fall within the Order’s scope.

The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022

The 2022 Regulations came into force on 23rd January 2023. Regulation 10 applies to buildings in England with two or more sets of domestic premises and shared common parts.

In all of these buildings, the Responsible Person must give residents information about fire doors. Residents must be told to keep fire doors shut when not in use, not to tamper with self-closers, and to report any fault or damage straight away.

In buildings over 11 metres, the Responsible Person must also:

• Check communal fire doors at least every three months
• Use best endeavours to check flat entrance doors at least every 12 months
• Confirm self-closing devices work as part of every check
• Keep a record of the checks, including any flats where access was refused

British Standards

BS 9999:2017 covers fire safety in the design, management, and use of buildings. It recommends that fire doors are inspected every six months.

BS 8214:2016 is the code of practice for timber-based fire door assemblies. It covers inspection and maintenance and links the frequency to the door’s use and the findings of the fire risk assessment. For example, a door on a busy corridor will need checking more often than a riser cupboard door that’s rarely opened.

How often should fire doors be checked between inspections?

It’s important to remember that a fire door check and a fire door inspection aren’t the same thing. Checks are quick visual reviews carried out by trained building staff. Inspections are detailed surveys carried out by a competent person and recorded against the relevant standard.

Government guidance on the 2022 Regulations says the three-monthly and 12-monthly checks are visual and don’t need a specialist. Caretakers, managing agents, and maintenance staff can carry them out with the right instruction.

At Fire Industry Specialists (FIS), we typically advise weekly checks on doors along busy escape routes in between inspections. Each check should confirm that:

• The door closes fully and latches from fully open
• It isn’t wedged or held open, unless fitted with an approved hold-open device
• Seals, glazing, and ironmongery show no visible damage
• Signage is in place and readable

Any faults found should be reported and repaired by a competent contractor – like FIS –  as soon as possible.

How often do we recommend fire doors are inspected?

At FIS, we recommend a professional fire door inspection every six months as a baseline, and never less than once a year. You should inspect more often where doors take heavy use, such as in hospitals, schools, student accommodation, and communal escape routes.

We also recommend an inspection after any of the following:

• Damage to a door, frame, or surrounding wall
• Building works that cut through a fire door or its frame
• A change to how the building or area is used

Who should carry out a fire door inspection?

The Fire Safety Order requires the Responsible Person to appoint a competent person to help them meet their duties. A competent person should have sufficient training and experience or knowledge to carry out the task.

Building staff can carry out routine visual checks, but a full inspection should be carried out by a specialist who can assess each door against its tested specification and BS 8214:2016.

At FIS, our fire door surveyors hold the Diploma in Fire Doors (DipFD) and have completed the FDIS course. During inspection, every door is photographed, measured, and logged with a clear pass or fail. If any issues are found, we’ll provide expert guidance and actions so you can rectify them promptly.

Book a fire door inspection today

Fire door inspection frequency is dependent on the building, its use, and where it’s located in the UK. In England, residential buildings over 11 metres need communal door checks every three months and flat entrance door checks every 12 months. Everywhere else, the law requires fire doors to be maintained, and British Standards point to six-monthly inspections.

Whatever your building, a clear schedule and a written record are how you show the duty is being met.

Here at FIS, we provide expert fire door inspections to ensure your building remains compliant with UK fire safety regulations. Our certified team can thoroughly assess your fire doors, identify any issues, and provide any necessary actions through our fire door maintenance services to maintain optimal safety. We’ll work closely with you to understand your specific fire safety requirements, allowing us to advise you on the recommended frequency for inspecting your fire doors.

Be sure to contact us today to arrange a professional and certified fire door inspection at your property and have peace of mind that your fire doors will continue to work as intended and that they meet legal safety standards.