Does an HDB main door need to be fire-rated?

Side-by-side comparison

The table compares what the Ministry of National Development (MND), HDB and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) say about each type of main door.

Does an HDB main door have to be fire-rated?

Only where the Fire Code requires it. MND says that since 1996, the Fire Code has required the main doors of selected HDB flats, such as those facing fire escape routes, to be fire-rated. For flats built before 1996, HDB carried out a one-off replacement exercise, at no cost, for flats that needed them. So it depends on your flat's position, not on every flat.

To check, look for the serial label near the hinges of the door or frame. SCDF says it shows the fire rating, for example 30 or 60 minutes. If you are unsure, check with HDB.

What the rules require

HDB's building works guidelines say replacing the main entrance door or frame along a fire escape route, meaning a door opening onto a passageway such as a staircase or lift lobby, needs a permit. Before you replace a fire-rated door, HDB also requires that:

• The replacement door is half-hour fire-rated.
• The frame has a self-closing device.
• The fire-rated door has an accreditor's label.

For upkeep, HDB suggests oiling locks, hinges and other moving parts and tightening loose hinge screws, the usual cause of a door that is hard to open or close. If fluid leaks from the closer and the door cannot shut on its own, replace the closer. For help, compare door and window repairs in the directory.

Replacing the door and gate

To replace a main door, HDB's rules depend on whether it is fire-rated. For a fire-rated door, HDB's renovation permit page says you need a contractor listed in the Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC), as for all renovations, and works needing a permit start only after it is granted. The guide to HDB renovation permits covers the process.

A main door that is not fire-rated can be replaced without a permit, under HDB's guidelines. Such works must still follow HDB's guidelines, or they are unauthorised works, and HDB will require you to discontinue, correct or remove them and reinstate the flat.

Main gate

HDB lets you replace the main entrance metal gate without a permit if it keeps the same width, number of panels and swing. The swing must not obstruct public escape, and units along a common corridor need at least 0.6m clearance from the gate to the corridor parapet when the gate opens perpendicular to it.

Home Improvement Programme

Under the Home Improvement Programme (HIP), a new entrance door and a new grille gate are Optional Improvements. HDB first determines, based on the Fire Code, whether your flat needs a fire-rated or non-fire-rated main door. A flat that needs one can opt for a fire-rated door, and a home fire alarm device is installed as part of that work.

Lock changes that affect fire rating

SCDF says uncertified hardware on a fire door may affect its ability to minimise fire spread. Since 2024, a digital lockset installed on a fire door must be certified for fire resistance, either with the door or on its own. If you have an uncertified digital lock on a residential fire door installed before 2024, SCDF encourages you to replace it with a certified one.

Ask the supplier for the Certificate of Conformity (CoC) and check, as SCDF lists, that:

• The brand and model match.
• The lock's fire rating is at least the door's: a 30-min door can take a 30, 60 or 120-min lock.
• The product details state a mechanical fail-safe feature, so you can unlock the door to leave if the battery dies.
• It was tested to SS 332 or EN 1634-1.

SCDF's FAQ adds that the fail-safe must let you open the door from inside without electrical power, so it does not impede escape in a fire. A digital lockset is not mandatory: you may keep the original lockset supplied with the door.

To weigh up a digital or mechanical lock, see the comparison page. Price depends on the lock and the job; see the guide to digital lock cost.

Which one should you choose?

You do not choose freely: your door type follows your flat's position and the Fire Code. If yours is fire-rated, replace it like for like or with a fire door of equal or higher fire rating, with an HDB permit. If it is not fire-rated, you may replace it without a permit.

For the lock, keep the original or fit a certified digital one. Compare door lock replacement or handyman services for quotes. Prices depend on the job; see handyman rates.

Questions