Fire Door Maintenance Checklist
Keep fire doors fit to hold back smoke and fire — gap, seal, closer, hinge, and glazing checks with the inspection frequencies set by the Fire Safety Regulations.
What is a fire door maintenance checklist?
A fire door maintenance checklist is a structured list of the 10 preventive maintenance tasks — covering visual, functional and record-keeping checks — that keep a fire door running safely and reliably. It groups routine checks by frequency, from daily inspections to annual servicing, so FM teams and building engineers can plan and evidence preventive maintenance.
Core fire door checks
- Check the gap around the leaf is even and within tolerance (typically ~3 mm)
- Verify the door closes fully onto the latch from any open position
- Record inspections, defects, and remedial actions against each door reference
What is a fire door?
A fire door is a tested door assembly — leaf, frame, intumescent and smoke seals, hinges, closer, and any glazing or hardware — that resists the passage of fire and smoke for a rated period (commonly FD30 or FD60). In England, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 require responsible persons in higher buildings to check flat entrance fire doors annually and communal fire doors quarterly. Effective maintenance is largely inspection: confirming gaps, seals, closers, and certification are all correct, because a single propped-open or damaged door can defeat a building's compartmentation.
This checklist is one of 16 in our fire safety maintenance checklists, covering fire dampers, alarms, emergency lighting, sprinklers, risers and fire doors — the statutory checks and their records.
Typical Fire Door maintenance checklist
A practical starting point for planned preventive maintenance. Always refer to the manufacturer's O&M manual and site-specific requirements.
Visual Checks
- Check the gap around the leaf is even and within tolerance (typically ~3 mm)
- Confirm intumescent and smoke seals are intact, continuous, and undamaged
- Inspect hinges (typically 3) for security, wear, and correct fixings
- Confirm glazing, beading, and any vision panels are intact and fire-rated
- Check 'Fire door keep shut/locked' signage is present on both faces as required
- Inspect the leaf and frame for damage, splitting, or unauthorised alterations
Functional Checks
- Verify the door closes fully onto the latch from any open position
- Check the self-closing device operates correctly and is not disconnected
- Verify the door is not wedged, propped, or held open without an approved device
Record Keeping
- Record inspections, defects, and remedial actions against each door reference
Download the free Fire Door maintenance checklist PDF
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Typical maintenance frequency
Suggested intervals for fire door maintenance. Actual frequencies should follow manufacturer guidance and site-specific risk assessments.
Quarterly
- •Inspect communal fire doors (Fire Safety (England) Regs 2022)
- •Check closers, gaps and seals
- •Log each door
Annually
- •Inspect flat entrance fire doors
- •Full assembly check including glazing and hardware
- •Review remedial works
Common faults and issues
Issues to be aware of when maintaining fire door equipment.
Safety and compliance notes
Key safety considerations for fire door maintenance. This is general guidance only — always follow OEM instructions, statutory requirements, and your organisation's safe systems of work.
Reference standards and frameworks
- United Kingdom
- The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the relevant BS 5306 / BS 9999 parts
- North America
- The applicable NFPA standards (e.g. NFPA 10, 25, 72, 80)
Frameworks commonly referenced when planning fire door maintenance programmes. Always confirm the requirements that apply to your site and jurisdiction.
Managing Fire Door documentation with PM Assist
PM Assist helps FM and building operations teams search their O&M manuals and building drawings in seconds. Upload your fire door documentation and ask questions like “What fire rating is this door set (FD30/FD60)?” or “When were the communal fire doors last inspected?” — and get source-cited answers instantly.
See PM Assist answer questions about a real fire door manual — try the live demo, no signup needed.
Take this checklist with you
Download the branded PDF, generate a custom version for your asset, or run AI search across all your building documentation.
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Inspection checklists for this asset
Maintenance keeps the asset working; a statutory inspection records whether it currently passes. Both usually apply.
Further reading on fire door maintenance
Compliance topics for fire door maintenance
Frequently asked questions
How often must fire doors be checked?
What gap should a fire door have?
Can I repair a fire door or must it be replaced?
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