Every building with a fire door has someone legally responsible for keeping it working. Here are the laws and standards that apply, what each one asks of you, and where they differ across the UK.
In short: the Responsible Person must keep fire doors maintained and in good repair under the Fire Safety Order. In England, residential blocks over 11 metres must also check communal fire doors every three months and flat entrance doors every year under Regulation 10.
Correct as of October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
The Responsible Person must carry out a fire risk assessment and keep fire safety measures, including fire doors, maintained and in good repair. Applies to almost every non-domestic building and the common parts of residential blocks.
Confirmed the Fire Safety Order covers a block's structure, external walls and flat entrance doors opening onto common parts.
Since 23 January 2023: in residential buildings over 11 metres, quarterly checks of communal fire doors and "best endeavours" annual checks of flat entrance doors. All multi-occupied residential buildings must give residents fire door information.
Higher-risk buildings (18 metres or more, or 7+ storeys) need an Accountable Person, a safety case and a "golden thread" of digital building information, which fire door records feed into.
Worth knowing: the law does not require a specialist for routine Regulation 10 checks. Home Office guidance says Responsible Persons should be able to do them with simple instruction. A full inspection against each door's test evidence is different, and needs a competent inspector.
| Document | What it covers |
|---|---|
| BS 8214:2026 | Code of practice for fire and smoke control doors. Published 20 March 2026, replacing the timber-only 2016 edition. Now covers timber, steel, aluminium and composite doors. |
| BS 9999 and BS 9991 | Fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings (BS 9991 for residential). |
| Approved Document B | Building Regulations guidance on fire safety, including where fire doors are needed. |
| The door's own test evidence | Each door's test and certification evidence. It always overrides general rules of thumb. |
The Building Regulations decide where fire doors go in the first place. The Fire Safety Order then decides how they're looked after once the building is in use.
Fitting and replacing fire doors: see fire door installation and regulations.
Fire and rescue services enforce the Fire Safety Order. They can issue notices and prosecute, and fines can be unlimited. The Building Safety Regulator, independent of the HSE since 27 January 2026, oversees higher-risk buildings.
In England, residential buildings over 11 metres must have communal fire doors checked every three months and flat entrance doors checked at least once a year on a “best endeavours” basis, under Regulation 10 of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 (in force since 23 January 2023).
For other buildings, the frequency should be set by your fire risk assessment. Many buildings use a professional inspection every six months with routine visual checks in between. Busy or high-traffic doors may need checking more often.
Last reviewed October 2026
The Responsible Person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, usually the freeholder, a residents’ management company or right-to-manage company, often acting through a managing agent. They must keep fire doors maintained and in good repair.
The Fire Safety Act 2021 confirmed that this duty covers flat entrance doors opening onto common parts, as well as communal doors. Who owns and pays for an individual flat door depends on the lease.
Last reviewed October 2026
The law does not require a specialist for routine Regulation 10 checks: Home Office guidance says Responsible Persons should be able to carry them out with simple instruction. A full inspection is different. It needs someone competent to judge gaps, seals, hardware and alterations against the door’s test evidence and BS 8214:2026.
Recognised qualifications include FireQual qualifications, the ABBE Level 3 Award in Fire Door Inspection and Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) certification. Burnham’s inspections are carried out by FireQual-qualified inspectors.
Last reviewed October 2026
Only with a suitable hold-open device that releases the door automatically when the fire alarm sounds. Wedges, fire extinguishers and door stops are never acceptable.
Hold-open devices need to be included in your fire risk assessment and tested along with the alarm.
Last reviewed October 2026
Where a building’s fire strategy or the Building Regulations call for fire doors, yes. Once they’re there, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the Responsible Person to keep them maintained and in good repair. Not every door in a building needs to be a fire door.
Last reviewed October 2026
Fire and rescue services enforce the Fire Safety Order. They can issue enforcement notices and prosecute, and fines can be unlimited. Poorly maintained doors can also cause problems with insurers and, most importantly, may not protect people in a fire.
Last reviewed October 2026
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