Fire Door Ratings and Requirements: What the Code Requires by Wall
Fire door ratings run from 20 minutes to 3 hours, and the rating a door needs is set by the wall it sits in. A fire rated door is a tested and labeled door assembly, the door, frame and hardware together, that holds back fire for a set time so an opening in a fire-rated wall does not become a weak spot. For example, a 2-hour stair enclosure needs a 90-minute door, a 1-hour corridor needs a 20-minute door. Here is the full table from the 2025 Oregon building code, what the label must show, and the closing, latching and glass rules.
| Where the door is | Wall rating | Minimum door rating |
|---|---|---|
| Fire wall or fire barrier | 4 hours | 3 hours |
| Fire wall or fire barrier | 3 hours | 3 hours |
| Fire wall or fire barrier | 2 hours | 1-1/2 hours (90 min) |
| Exit stair, shaft or exit passageway enclosure | 2 hours | 1-1/2 hours (90 min) |
| Exit stair, shaft or exit passageway enclosure | 1 hour | 1 hour (60 min) |
| Other fire barriers | 1 hour | 3/4 hour (45 min) |
| Corridor walls (fire partitions) | 1 hour or 1/2 hour | 1/3 hour (20 min) |
| Other fire partitions | 1 hour | 3/4 hour (45 min) |
| Smoke barriers | 1 hour | 1/3 hour (20 min) |
| Exterior walls | 3 / 2 / 1 hours | 1-1/2 / 1-1/2 / 3/4 hours |
From Table 716.1(2) of the 2025 Oregon Structural Specialty Code. Two 1-1/2-hour doors on opposite sides of the same fire wall opening count as one 3-hour door.
Planning a build-out? Modern Northwest is a commercial general contractor licensed in Oregon (CCB #198582) and registered in Washington (L&I MODERNI888R7). Call (360) 326-2747 or see our office build-out services.
Why the door rating is lower than the wall
Notice that a 2-hour wall gets a 90-minute door and a 1-hour corridor gets a 20-minute door. Doors are tested to a different standard than walls, and the code sets door ratings for the opening, not to match the wall hour for hour. What it does require is that the door be the right rating for the specific wall it is in, which is why the type of wall matters as much as its hours. Our guide to fire walls, fire barriers and fire partitions explains which wall is which.
The label
A fire door is only a fire door if it is labeled. Section 716.2.9 requires:
- A label from an approved agency, complying with NFPA 80 and permanently fixed to the door or the frame.
- What the door label shows: the manufacturer (or an identification traceable back to it), the third-party inspection agency, and the fire protection rating.
- A separate frame label, with the manufacturer and the inspection agency.
Because the label covers a tested assembly, fire doors are ordered with their frames and hardware worked out together, through the submittal process.
Closing and latching
- Self-closing or automatic-closing. Every fire door has to close on its own: a closer, or an automatic closer that releases in a fire. Automatic-closing assemblies follow NFPA 80.
- Positive latching. Single swinging fire doors, and both leaves of a pair, need an active latch bolt that secures the door when it is closed.
- Open doors close in a fire. A fire door that has to stay open in daily use needs an automatic-closing assembly that closes it in a fire, not a wedge.
Glass in fire doors
Fire doors can have vision panels, within the limits of the same table. Glazing is marked with letters that say what it was tested for:
- D meets fire door criteria, H passes the door hose stream test, T meets the 450°F temperature rise limit for 30 minutes, W meets wall criteria, and OH meets fire window criteria. The number is the rating in minutes.
- Stair and shaft doors. In 1-hour and 2-hour enclosures, a vision panel up to 100 square inches can be marked D-H-60 or D-H-90; anything larger must be fire-resistance-rated glazing marked D-H-T-W.
- Corridor and smoke barrier doors. Glazing is allowed up to the maximum size tested, marked D-20.
Corridor and smoke barrier doors
The 20-minute doors in rated corridors and smoke barriers are a special case. Under Section 716.2.2.1 they are tested to NFPA 252 or UL 10C, and they also have to meet smoke and draft control requirements, since their main job is keeping smoke out of the exit path. In a tenant build-out, these are often the fire doors you see most.
Fire doors in existing buildings
Remodels and conversions bring their own door questions. When a building changes use, such as the 23,000 square foot former Rite Aid we turned into an Ace Hardware in Washougal, the rated walls the new use needs may not match the old ones, and the doors in those walls have to match the new requirements. Existing fire doors should be checked for labels, closers and latches before they are reused, and any new opening cut into a rated wall needs a door rated for that wall. Our guide to change of use permits covers when a new use triggers these upgrades.
What owners should check
- The door schedule matches the walls. Every door in a rated wall should show its required rating on the construction documents.
- Labels are in place at closeout, on doors and frames, and not painted over.
- Hardware is listed for the door, including closers, latches, hold-opens and any access control added later.
- The wall around the door is sealed, including any pipes and cables above it; see firestopping.
Frequently asked questions
What is a fire rated door?
A door, frame and hardware assembly tested and labeled to hold back fire for a set time, such as 20, 45, 60, 90 or 180 minutes. It goes in an opening in a fire-rated wall so the opening does not undo the wall's rating.
How do I know if a door is fire rated?
Look for the label. The code requires a permanent label on the door or frame from an approved agency, showing the manufacturer, the third-party inspection agency and the rating. The frame has its own label too.
Does a fire door need a closer?
Yes. The Oregon code requires fire doors to be latching and self-closing or automatic-closing. Single swinging fire doors, and both leaves of a pair, need an active latch bolt that holds the door shut.
Can a fire rated door have glass?
Yes, within limits. In a 1-hour stair or shaft enclosure, a vision panel up to 100 square inches can use the standard door glazing; bigger glass has to be fire-resistance-rated glazing. Corridor and smoke barrier doors can have glazing up to the maximum size tested, marked D-20.
Is a 20-minute door a fire door?
Yes. Doors in rated corridor walls and smoke barriers usually need a 20-minute rating, tested for fire and smoke and draft control, rather than the longer ratings used in fire barriers.
The bottom line
A fire rated door is a labeled assembly of door, frame and hardware, rated for the wall it sits in: 3 hours in the heaviest fire walls, 90 minutes in 2-hour stair enclosures, 60 minutes in 1-hour ones, 45 minutes in other 1-hour barriers and 20 minutes in corridors and smoke barriers. It has to close and latch on its own, keep its labels, and use only glass and hardware within its listing.
Modern Northwest has built commercial projects across Portland and Southwest Washington since 2005. More construction terms are in our commercial construction glossary. Tell us about your project.
Planning a build-out?
Tell us about the space and the building it is in. We will talk through the schedule, the permits and what the code will ask for.
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