SEC. 91.6709. SWINGING DOORS.
Los Angeles Building Code — LAMC Chapter IX · 2026-08 edition · updated 2026-09-09 · Los Angeles
(Added by Ord. No. 171,175, Eff. 7/25/96.)
91.6709.1. Swinging wood doors which are openable from the inside without the use of a key shall be of one of the following constructions or shall be of a construction having equivalent forced entry resistance:
Solid core doors not less than 1-3/8 inches in thickness.
Wood panel type door with panels fabricated of lumber not less than 9/16–inch thickness, provided shaped portions of the panels are not less than 1/4-inch thick. Individual panels shall not exceed 300 square inches in area. Stiles and rails shall be of solid lumber with overall dimensions of not less than 1-3/8 inches in thickness and three inches in width. Mullions shall be considered a part of adjacent panels unless sized as required herein for stiles and rails, except mullions not over 18 inches long may have an overall width of not less than two inches. Carved areas shall have a thickness of not less than 3/8-inches. Dimensional tolerances published in recognized industry standards may be utilized.
Hollow core doors or doors less than 1-3/8 inches in thickness either of which are covered on the inside face with 16 gauge sheet metal attached with screws at six inches maximum centers around the perimeter. Glazing in doors shall be as set forth in Section 91.6713.
91.6709.2. A single swinging door the active leaf of a pair of doors, and the bottom leaf of Dutch doors shall be equipped with a deadbolt and deadlocking latch. The deadbolt and latch may be activated by one lock or by individual locks. Deadbolts shall contain hardened inserts to repel cutting tools. The lock or locks shall be keyoperated from the exterior side of the door and openable from the interior side by a device which does not require a key, special knowledge, or special effort to operate.
EXCEPTIONS:
The latch may be omitted from doors in Group B, F, M, S Occupancies.
In other than residential buildings, locks may be key operated on the inside when not prohibited by the provisions of CBC Section 402.8.8 or CBC Chapter 10. (Amended by Ord. No. 184,692, Eff. 12/30/16.)
A swinging door greater than five feet in width may be secured as set forth in Section 91.6711.
A straight deadbolt shall have a minimum throw of one inch and an embedment of not less than 5/8 inch into the holding device receiving the projected bolt. A hookshaped or an expanding-lug deadbolt shall have a minimum throw of 3/4-inch. All deadbolts of locks which automatically activate two or more deadbolts shall embed at least 1/2-inch into the holding devices receiving the projected bolts.
91.6709.3. (Amended by Ord. No. 185,587, Eff. 7/16/18.) The inactive leaf of a pair of doors and the upper leaf of Dutch doors shall be equipped with a deadbolt or deadbolts as set forth in LAMC Subsection 91.6709.2.
EXCEPTIONS:
The deadbolt or bolts need not be key operated, but shall not be otherwise activated from the exterior side of the door.
The deadbolt or bolts may be engaged or disengaged automatically with the deadbolt or by another device on either the active leaf or the lower leaf.
Manually operated hardened bolts at the top and bottom of the leaf which embed a minimum of 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) into the receiving device may be used when not prohibited by Division 10, Article 1, Chapter IX of the LAMC.
91.6709.4. Door stops of in-swinging doors shall be of one-piece construction with the jamb, or joined by rabbet to the jamb.
91.6709.5. All pin-type hinges which are accessible from outside the secured area when the door is closed shall have non-removable hinge pins. In addition, such hinges shall have jamb studs which project through both hinge leaves and prevent removal of the door if the pin is removed from the hinge. Jamb studs shall be not less than 1/4-inch-diameter steel and shall project into the door and jamb not less than 1/4 inch.
EXCEPTION: Jamb studs are not required for hinges which are shaped to prevent removal of the door if the hinge pin is removed.
91.6709.6. Cylinder guards shall be installed on all mortise or rim-type cylinder locks whenever the cylinder projects beyond the face of the door or is otherwise accessible to gripping tools.
91.6709.7. In wood construction, the metal strike plate for latches shall be secured to the jamb with screws and the holding device for projecting dead bolts shall be secured to the jamb and wall framing with at least two screws not less than 2-1/2 inches (64 mm) in length which penetrate the wall framing. In aluminum construction, the strike plate and dead bolt holding device shall be secured in an area of reinforced heavy gage jamb material. (Amended by Ord. No. 171,858, Eff. 1/23/98.)
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Ask AI about this code▸Contents — Los Angeles Building Code — LAMC Chapter IX
- Chapter IX
- Chapter IX — BUILDING REGULATIONS
- Division 1
- Division 2
- Division 3
- Division 4
- Division 5
- Division 6
- Division 7
- Division 8
- Division 9
- Division 10
- Division 11
- Division 12
- Division 13
- Division 14
- Division 15
- Division 16
- Division 17
- Division 18
- Division 19
- Division 20
- Division 21
- Division 22
- Division 23
- Division 24
- Division 25
- Division 26
- Division 27
- Division 28
- Division 29
- Division 30
- Division 31
- Division 32
- Division 33
- Division 34
- Division 35
- Division 61
- Division 62
- Division 63
▸Division 67
Overview- SEC. 91.6701. PURPOSE.
- SEC. 91.6702. GENERAL.
- SEC. 91.6703. LIMITATIONS.
- SEC. 91.6704. ALTERNATE SECURITY PROVISIONS.
- SEC. 91.6705. DEFINITIONS.
- SEC. 91.6706. ENTRY VISION.
- SEC. 91.6707. APPURTENANT ACCESS.
- SEC. 91.6708. DOORS – GENERAL.
- SEC. 91.6709. SWINGING DOORS.
- SEC. 91.6710. SLIDING GLASS DOORS.
- SEC. 91.6711. OVERHEAD AND SLIDING DOORS.
- SEC. 91.6712. METAL ACCORDION-GRATE OR GRILLE-TYPE DOORS.
- SEC. 91.6713. GLAZED OPENING – GENERAL.
- SEC. 91.6714. GLAZING.
- SEC. 91.6715. WINDOWS.
- SEC. 91.6716. OPENINGS OTHER THAN DOORS OR GLAZED OPENINGS.
- SEC. 91.6717. TESTS – GENERAL.
- Division 70
- Division 71
- Division 72
- Division 82
- Division 83
- Division 85
- Division 88
- Division 89
- Division 90
- Division 91
- Division 92
- Division 93
- Division 94
- Division 95
- Division 96
- Division 5 — REGISTRATION
- Division 16A
- Division 17
- Division 18
- Division 19
- Division 20
- Division 21
- Division 17
- Division 18
- Division C
- Division D