Free checklist NFPA 80 annual fire door inspection checklist
The thirteen things to check on every swinging fire door, the clearance limits, who may inspect and what the signed record has to include. In plain words, with the section of NFPA 80 each part comes from.
When fire doors are inspected
- At least once a year, every fire door assembly, with a signed written record (NFPA 80 §5.2).
- After installation and after maintenance work on the door (since the 2013 edition).
- A performance-based program can set a different interval where the authority having jurisdiction accepts it (NFPA 80 §5.2).
- Health care facilities are surveyed on it under CMS tag K761, enforced since January 1, 2018.
Jurisdictions adopt different editions of NFPA 80, from 2007 to 2025. Check which one applies to the building.
The 13-item checklist for swinging doors
For swinging doors with builders' hardware (NFPA 80 §5.2). Items 12 and 13 were added in the 2013 edition; item 8 applies to pairs of doors with a coordinator.
| # | Check | Common failures | OK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fire labels on the door and frame are present and readable | Labels painted over, removed or worn so the rating cannot be read; a frame without its label. | |
| 2 | No holes or breaks in the door or frame | Holes left by removed hardware or signs, unfilled screw holes, broken edges. | |
| 3 | Glass, vision-light frames and glazing beads intact and firmly fixed | Cracked or broken glass, loose or missing glazing beads. | |
| 4 | Door, frame, hinges, hardware and threshold secure, aligned and working, with no visible damage | Loose hinge screws, a sagging door, a bent frame, a damaged threshold. | |
| 5 | No missing or broken parts | Missing screws, a broken closer arm, a missing strike plate. | |
| 6 | Clearances around the door within the allowed limits | Gaps at the head, jambs, meeting edges or bottom beyond the limits below. | |
| 7 | The closer shuts the door fully from the full open position | The door stops short of latching, the closer is disconnected or leaking. | |
| 8 | The coordinator closes the inactive leaf before the active leaf (pairs of doors) | The active leaf closes first and the pair does not latch; coordinator missing. | |
| 9 | The latch engages and holds the door closed | The latch bolt does not reach the strike, the strike is taped over, the latch is held back. | |
| 10 | No added hardware that keeps the door from closing or latching | Kick-down door stops, wedges, hooks or other hold-opens that are not part of the listed assembly. | |
| 11 | No field changes (holes, cut-outs, added parts) that void the label | Holes cut for added hardware, or parts not allowed on the listed door, without the manufacturer's or listing lab's approval. | |
| 12 | Gasketing, edge seals and meeting-edge protection present and intact where required | Missing or torn gasketing or intumescent seals. Added in the 2013 edition. | |
| 13 | Signs on the door within the size allowed and fixed without screws or holes | Oversized signs, signs screwed or nailed into the door. Added in the 2013 edition. |
Clearance limits
Measured between the door and the frame, and between meeting edges on pairs. Figures from NFPA 80 (2022 edition); confirm them in the edition adopted for the building.
| Where | Hollow metal doors | Wood doors (rated over 20 minutes) |
|---|---|---|
| Head, jambs and meeting edges | ⅛ in ± 1/16 in (1/16 to 3/16 in) | ⅛ in maximum |
| Bottom (under the door) | ¾ in maximum | ¾ in maximum |
Who may inspect
Someone who understands how that type of door and its hardware work. NFPA 80 does not require a certification; some authorities and building owners prefer inspectors who hold DHI's FDAI or CFDAI credential.
What the signed record should include
- Date of the inspection
- Facility name and address
- Inspector's name, company name and address, and signature
- A separate record for each door: opening number and location, and the type of door
- Confirmation of the visual and functional checks
- Every deficiency found
Keep the records for at least three years. Paper or electronic is fine if it lasts that long. Repair deficiencies without delay and re-inspect the repaired doors.
Smoke doors and egress doors
Smoke doors that must comply with NFPA 105 are inspected with criteria based on NFPA 80, plus a check that the smoke seals are continuous and the door closes tight against its stops.
Egress doors with panic or fire exit hardware, exit enclosure doors, electrically controlled egress doors and doors with special locking have their own signed annual inspection under NFPA 101 §7.2.1.15, where the occupancy chapter requires it: clear floor on both sides, normal opening force, one-motion release, hardware that releases across its width, and locks and signs that work as designed.
Questions
How often do fire doors have to be inspected?
NFPA 80 calls for every fire door assembly to be inspected and tested at least once a year, with a signed written record. Since the 2013 edition, doors are also inspected after installation and after maintenance work. Where the authority having jurisdiction accepts it, a performance-based program can set a different interval.
Who can do a fire door inspection?
NFPA 80 asks for a person who understands the operating components of the type of door being inspected. It does not require a certification, although some authorities and owners prefer an inspector with DHI's FDAI or CFDAI credential.
How many items are on the NFPA 80 checklist?
Thirteen for swinging doors with builders' hardware since the 2013 edition. The 2007 and 2010 editions had eleven; gasketing and edge seals, and signage, were added in 2013. Use the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
How long do fire door inspection records have to be kept?
Keep inspection records for at least three years. Paper or electronic records are both acceptable as long as they last for the retention period.
What happens when a fire door fails the inspection?
Record each deficiency against the door, have it repaired without delay, and inspect the repaired door again. In health care facilities, surveyors check fire door inspections and repairs under CMS tag K761.
Does the checklist cover smoke doors and egress doors?
Smoke door assemblies that must comply with NFPA 105 are inspected with criteria based on NFPA 80, plus a check of the smoke seals. Egress doors with panic or fire exit hardware, exit enclosure doors and doors with special locking have their own annual inspection under NFPA 101 §7.2.1.15 where the occupancy chapter requires it.
The item names are our own summary of NFPA 80 §5.2, not the standard's text. Read the edition adopted by the authority having jurisdiction before relying on any figure here.