NFPA 80 requires every fire door assembly to be inspected and tested at least once a year. A qualified person checks the door, frame, hardware, glazing and seals against a fixed list. They close the door to confirm it shuts and latches, then sign a written record. Keep that record for at least three years for the fire marshal or building official.
The standard becomes law where the local fire code adopts it. US fire codes usually do this through the International Fire Code or NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code. So for a property manager the practical rule is simple. Assume the annual check applies, then confirm the edition and any local extras with your authority having jurisdiction.
The NFPA 80 annual inspection checklist
These are the items an inspector checks on each swinging fire door. Print one sheet per door. A door passes only when every line passes.
- Labels. The door and frame labels are clearly visible and legible. Paint over a label is a common fail.
- Holes and breaks. No open holes or breaks in the door or frame surfaces, including old hardware holes.
- Glazing. Glass, vision light frames and glazing beads are intact and fastened.
- Door, frame and hardware. The door, frame, hinges, hardware and threshold are secure, aligned and working, with no visible damage.
- Missing parts. No parts are missing or broken.
- Clearances. Gaps are within the limits in the standard. For a typical steel door, that means about 1/8 inch between door and frame, and no more than 3/4 inch at the bottom.
- Closer. The self closing device works. From fully open, the door closes all the way on its own.
- Coordinator. On a pair of doors with a coordinator, the inactive leaf closes before the active leaf.
- Latch. The latch engages and holds the door shut.
- Extra hardware. No added hardware stops the door from working, such as a kick down stop or a hook.
- Field changes. No changes made on site that void the label, such as cutting the door for a new lock.
- Gaskets and seals. Where required, gaskets and edge seals are present and intact.
- Signs. Any sign on the door meets the standard's limits on size and fixing.
Some doors need extra checks. Rolling fire doors and doors on hold open devices, for example, have their own test steps. Your inspector should know which ones apply.
Who can inspect, and what the record must show
NFPA 80 calls for a person with knowledge and understanding of the operating parts of the doors being inspected. It does not name a single required certificate. Many owners still use certified inspectors, because a recognised credential is easy to show to a fire marshal.
The record is part of compliance. Without it, the inspection is hard to prove. Each record should show:
- The door's location and ID, matched to a door schedule or floor plan.
- The date of the inspection and the inspector's name and signature.
- A pass or fail result for each checklist item.
- Each defect, the repair made and the date it was closed.
Keep inspection records for at least three years, unless your local code says longer. Inspect again after any repair or hardware change on a fire door, not only at the annual visit.
Why fire doors fail between inspections
Fire doors are rarely made badly. They fail because of how buildings are used day to day. A door works only when every part works, and any part can wear or be changed without anyone noticing.
Propped and wedged doors
Staff and residents prop doors for deliveries and moves. A wedge left in place stops the closer. A hook or a kick down stop added to make propping easy is a fail in its own right.
Paint, drilling and new hardware
Painters cover labels. Contractors drill holes for access control, signs or coat hooks. A new lock fitted without the right listing can void the door's rating.
Wear and settling
Closers lose strength. Hinges sag. Frames move as a building settles. Gaps grow past the clearance limit, and the door stops latching on its own.
Each of these starts as normal work. That is why the annual check matters, and why work orders on rated doors need extra care.
Worked example: a 48 door office building
A fictional six storey office building has 48 rated fire doors: stairwells, corridors and plant rooms. The property manager books the annual inspection for the first week of March 2026.
The inspector finds 9 doors that fail:
| Failure | Doors | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Closer does not close the door fully | 3 | Adjust two closers, replace one |
| Latch does not engage | 2 | Realign strike plates |
| Bottom gap over 3/4 inch | 2 | Repair to listing or replace the door |
| Label painted over | 1 | Restore legibility, or have the door relabelled by an approved service |
| Kick down stop fitted | 1 | Remove the stop and fill the holes with listed methods |
That is a pass rate of 39 out of 48, or 81%. The manager opens one work order per failed door, not one for the whole building. Seven doors are fixed within two weeks. The two doors with large bottom gaps need new doors, which take six weeks to arrive.
Each repaired door is inspected again after the work and the result is added to its record. By late April all 48 doors pass. The file now holds 48 signed sheets, 9 work orders and 9 reinspection results. That file is what the fire marshal will ask to see.
The manager makes one more change. Every work order on a door marked as rated now carries a note: "Rated fire door. No drilling or new hardware without approval." The propping problem also gets a fix: two delivery doors get listed hold open devices tied to the fire alarm.
Building the annual cycle into your maintenance plan
Fire door inspection fits best inside your wider life safety calendar. Our life safety inspection schedule shows how it sits beside alarm, sprinkler and emergency lighting checks.
- Build a door schedule: every rated door, its location, rating and hardware.
- Book the inspection on a fixed month each year.
- Book a walk through at mid year to catch wedges, paint and damage early.
- Open a separate work order for each failed door.
- Close each work order only after reinspection. Our work order closeout checklist covers what a closed record needs.
Keeping fire door records in RIOO
RIOO's maintenance planning and scheduling puts recurring inspections on the same calendar as other planned work. The annual fire door visit can be set as a recurring task with a vendor or a technician assigned.
RIOO's property compliance software keeps a register of inspections and statutory deadlines, with reminders before each one is due. The signed inspection report can be uploaded as evidence, and failed items become work orders. The inspection itself is done by your qualified inspector. RIOO holds the schedule, the work and the record.
Fire door inspection questions
How often must fire doors be inspected under NFPA 80?
At least once a year, plus after installation and after any maintenance work on the door.
Who is responsible for fire door inspections?
The building owner or the owner's designated representative. The work can be given to staff or an inspection service, but the owner stays responsible for making sure it is done and defects are fixed.
How long must fire door inspection records be kept?
At least three years, unless the local code sets a longer period.
What is the maximum gap under a fire door?
For a typical swinging door, NFPA 80 sets 3/4 inch at the bottom. Check the edition your jurisdiction has adopted and the door's listing.
Can I paint a fire door?
Painting the door is generally allowed. Painting over the labels is not. Keep labels clean and legible.
