Fire Rated Doors

Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2018 · 352 posts · 176 votes

Getting close to call for CO on a multi-unit gut rehab and realized that I neglected to use 1 hr fire rated doors for unit entry doors. Just used regular steel entry doors. Is this something that's going to 100% get flagged and need to be rectified? Is there any work around?

I've already trimmed and painted the doors in questions. Total of 12 doors that could be affected, so it will be a significant cost to remedy all of them.

Any suggestions/advice would be appreciated.

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Bruce WoodruffPro Member

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

Yeah, that sucks.....typically you'll need that fire rating sticker/paperwork.

My first thought was to see if you can get a 'special inspection' maybe? Have a private inspector come out and verify that they are indeed metal, and are minimum thickness?

Then I looked it up and it seems as though it is a bigger deal than that. Maybe go down to the CIty Building Dept and talk to a Building Inspector. Go humble, hat-in-hand and see if they have any leeway...I mean this can't be the first time this has happened, right?

https://safti.com/articles/fire-rated-doors-standards-testing-and-glazing-requirements/

Fire ratings (20/45/60/90/180 minutes) are granted by third-party testing agencies and are labeled on the products.
Fire rated door assemblies must meet the requirements of the applicable building or life safety code, such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 80: Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, NFPA 101: Life Safety Code, the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Fire Code (IFC).
Fire doors are required to be self-closing and positive latching.
The fire rating of the wall dictates the fire rating of the door.

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Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
2w
Yeah, that sucks.....typically you'll need that fire rating sticker/paperwork.
My first thought was to see if you can get a 'special inspection' maybe? Have a private inspector come out and verify that they are indeed metal, and are minimum thickness?
Then I looked it up and it seems as though it is a bigger deal than that. Maybe go down to the CIty Building Dept and talk to a Building Inspector. Go humble, hat-in-hand and see if they have any leeway...I mean this can't be the first time this has happened, right?
https://safti.com/articles/fire-rated-doors-standards-testing-and-glazing-requirements/
- Fire ratings (20/45/60/90/180 minutes) are granted by third-party testing agencies and are labeled on the products.
- Fire rated door assemblies must meet the requirements of the applicable building or life safety code, such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 80: Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives, NFPA 101: Life Safety Code, the International Building Code (IBC) and the International Fire Code (IFC).
- Fire doors are required to be self-closing and positive latching.
- The fire rating of the wall dictates the fire rating of the door.
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Divin KanyamaBusiness Member
Accountant · Seattle, WA · Member since 2025 · 403 posts · 166 votes
2w
@Michael K. I would assume this may be flagged, especially if the unit entries open into a rated corridor or other required fire-resistance assembly. The exact rating may not necessarily be one hour—it depends on the adopted code, approved plans, building configuration, and sprinkler system—but ordinary steel doors are not automatically fire rated. Inspectors generally look for a listed and labeled assembly, including the door, frame, hardware, closer, latch, seals, glazing, and proper installation. Before replacing all 12, check the approved door schedule and ask the architect or code consultant to confirm the required rating, then discuss it with the inspector and a certified fire-door supplier. The manufacturer may be able to verify whether the installed doors and frames already qualify or whether an approved field-labeling path exists, but adding a label or coating to a standard door is not a reliable workaround. If they are noncompliant, correcting them before the CO inspection will likely be less costly than delaying the certificate. This is a life-safety item, so I would get the acceptable solution in writing from the authority having jurisdiction rather than hoping it passes.
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Amit PatelBusiness Member
Property Manager · Bartlett, IL · Member since 2025 · 158 posts · 64 votes
2w
Hey Michael,
On a multi unit gut rehab in Chicago going for a CO, unit entry doors that open to a corridor are very likely to get flagged if they are not labeled fire rated assemblies. Regular steel entry doors, even if they look solid, usually do not count unless they carry the required label and hardware.
For most apartment corridor openings the common requirement is a 20 minute fire door assembly with a closer. Stair doors are a different and higher rating. Because this is new work on a gut rehab, inspectors tend to apply current code rather than give existing door credit.
There is not a clean workaround once the doors are already trimmed and painted. Some owners ask the inspector or their expediter whether a labeled 20 minute slab in the same opening will pass, but counting on a waiver for 12 doors is risky. Budget the replacement now so it does not stall the CO.
Have your architect or permit expediter confirm the exact rating on your approved drawings before you order anything. That is faster than guessing and cheaper than failing the inspection twice.
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Jonathan KlemmBusiness Member
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Contractor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2016 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
2w
Hey @Michael K. - Congrats getting as close as you are to the finish line I know how much work that is!

It's probably a 50/50 chance of it going through....did your guys paint the interior door labels sometimes thats a dead give way and they do not like when you paint them either.
I'd switch them either way - ultimately, it's a fire life safety item, which you want correct as the owner of the building.
It got brought up at our client's Bronzesville, Chicago property, and we had to switch them out after the fact.
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James Irvine
Lender · Las Vegas · Member since 2026 · 25 posts · 7 votes
2w
Oopsie,
Well I guess that depends on how sharp your inspector is and what level of professional integrity you have? If you don't get caught now and make it through, get your money, how will you deal with consequences of a future fire causing the loss of life? I am not trying to bust your chops brother. I still do flips and Commercial work once in a while as a break from my Commercial and Business Lending. Personally, it is only 12 doors. Replace them and save them for another job or sell them on FB Marketplace. If you need some extra funds, go to my website. As a fellow brother that has worked with his hands most of my life, do the right thing. Best wishes to you.
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Alan F.
Flipper/Rehabber · CA · Member since 2023 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
2w
There's been lots of good suggestions on workarounds, but what happens when theres a fire & the adjusters, inspectors et al are involved?
"Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the face" Iron Mike
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Chris SeveneyBusiness Member
Moderator
Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes
2w
You are going to have to bite the bullet and change them out. Also if you don’t and there was an issue insurance would not cover you and you could be personally responsible - so you can replace 12 doors or run the risk of prison worst case….
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John Leland
Specialist · I give advice - [email protected] - I focus on states where investing is profitable, reasonably safe & secure · Member since 2026 · 94 posts · 23 votes
2w
Quote from @Michael K.:
Getting close to call for CO on a multi-unit gut rehab and realized that I neglected to use 1 hr fire rated doors for unit entry doors. Just used regular steel entry doors. Is this something that's going to 100% get flagged and need to be rectified? Is there any work around?

I've already trimmed and painted the doors in questions. Total of 12 doors that could be affected, so it will be a significant cost to remedy all of them.

Any suggestions/advice would be appreciated.
You may have an insurance problem if you can't prove the rating. You'd certainly have a lawsuit if a fire broke out.
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Stuart UdisPro Member
Attorney · Philadelphia · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
2w
The building code requires a specific fire rating for the door for a reason. The only thing worse than knowing the fire rating is not met, is posting about how to get around replacing the door on a public forum. I can assure you we are not far off from carriers using AI once the claims are filed to uncover this forum and deny coverage. Install the proper door, and go back through the plans and make sure the proper fire separation is met elsewhere between units. For instance, It's become common for 2 layers if 5/8x drywall to be required as well. If something like that is missed, you could be in big trouble.
If you used a GC, the contract should include the architectural plans as an exhibit and as long as the contract was drafted properly you should have grounds to require the contractor to address this. If you purchased the doors, or were responsible for sourcing the doors, that avenue likely wouldn't be available.
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Bruce WoodruffPro Member
Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes
1w
Yes, I'll jump back in and agree that this is not something you want to find a 'work-around' for. You want to find a way to get these legally and properly Fire-Rated without having to replace them all. Insurance/Liability/Etc, are too important to screw with....
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Ryan ThomsonBusiness Member
Real Estate Agent · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2018 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
2d
Ran into this exact situation on a commercial job a few years back. The short answer: yes, it will almost certainly get flagged, and there's no shortcut that substitutes for proper fire-rated assemblies on unit entry doors.
The fire rating isn't just about the door itself. It's the whole assembly including the frame, hardware, and the label. That UL or Intertek label is what the inspector is looking for, and a steel door without it doesn't pass regardless of gauge.
Your best move before the inspection is to go talk to the building department directly. Bring the door specs if you have them. Some jurisdictions will work with you if you can demonstrate the doors meet the material requirements, but most won't accept a substitute for the labeled assembly on a code-required opening.
If you're replacing them, the cost hit is real but contained. Fire-rated steel door assemblies for unit entries typically run $400-$800 per opening installed depending on your market and whether the frames need to be replaced too. On 12 doors you're looking at $5k-$10k range. Painful, but it's a known number.
One thing worth asking the building department: whether a third-party special inspection could get you any credit. Some inspectors will accept documentation showing the door meets the underlying spec even without the label. It's jurisdiction-specific and not guaranteed, but it costs nothing to ask before you start ordering replacements.
Get ahead of it before the inspector shows up. Walking in proactively with a remediation plan almost always goes better than getting caught at final.
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Amit PatelBusiness Member
Property Manager · Bartlett, IL · Member since 2025 · 158 posts · 64 votes
2d
Better to catch it now than at the final. In my experience, yes, inspectors check unit entry doors on a gut rehab, especially in Chicago, so I wouldn’t count on it slipping through. Before you replace all 12, though:
- Check the hinge edge of the doors and the frames for a fire label. Some steel doors are rated from the factory and nobody noticed.
- Go back to your approved plans. Confirm what rating is actually required. It’s not always 1 hour, and the drawings are what the inspector will hold you to.
- Talk to your architect. If the building is sprinklered or there’s another path, they may be able to propose an alternate to the city. Don’t hide it, raise it upfront.
- Remember the rating covers the whole assembly: door, frame, self-closer and latching hardware. If the frames are rated, you may only need to swap slabs and hardware, which is a lot cheaper than full replacement.
Painful, but much easier to fix now than after a failed inspection.
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