Fire Door Inspection ChecklistInspected the Automate Way
A complete UK fire door inspection checklist covering every component - frame, leaf, hinges, closer, seals, glazing and gaps - and how Automate Fire Door OS turns each check into evidence on the door’s live record, flags defects automatically and tracks every remedial to closure.
Complete a fire door recording worksheet
A mobile-friendly aid for recording observations, evidence gaps and follow-up. It does not replace a competent inspection or supply product-specific acceptance limits. Select a status for each item; you can explicitly record what was not checked.
Entries stay only in this page while it is open; they are not sent to Automate or saved to a shared record. Download the completed worksheet before leaving. Use references rather than confidential personal information.
Move from this worksheet to connected inspection recordsFrom a Checklist to a Connected Process
A fire door is only a fire door if every component is present, correct and working. The purpose of a checklist is to make sure no component is missed - because the one part that is overlooked is usually the one that fails in a fire.
A printed checklist does that first job well. Where it stops is the second: it records what was found and does nothing with it. Defects stay on paper, the register is not updated and the next inspection starts from scratch. Automate Fire Door OS takes the same checklist and connects it - each check lands on the door’s live record, defects are flagged automatically and remedials are tracked until the door is back within its tested configuration.
This page sets out the genuine checklist an inspection should cover, then shows how the app turns that checklist into a managed, evidenced process rather than a one-off form.
Inspect against the door’s live record on site by QR - so the inspector sees the rating, configuration and history before they start, not after.
Move beyond the checklist. Connect the evidence.
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Save 20% on the licence annuallyRoutine checks, technical assessment and maintenance
In England, Regulation 10’s routine-check duties apply to qualifying residential buildings with common parts where the top storey is more than 11 metres above ground level: communal fire doors at least every three months, and flat entrance doors at least every twelve months on a best-endeavours basis. The resident-information duty is not limited to buildings above that height.
These simple checks are distinct from the suitability assessment made through the fire risk assessment. Do not apply this timetable as a UK-wide rule for every door or building. Set other inspection and maintenance arrangements from the applicable duties, assessed risk, usage, condition and product instructions.
Measure and record the actual door condition. Threshold, head and side gaps are different interfaces; hinge numbers, seal details and component substitutions must be checked against the applicable evidence. A generic checklist cannot establish compatibility or certify safety.
There is no universal “recertification expiry date” for all installed fire doors. Maintain and assess the asset, record repairs and arrange appropriate follow-up. Any specific certificate or scheme conditions must be checked separately.
The Complete Fire Door Inspection Checklist
Exactly what an inspection should check on every fire door. In Automate Fire Door OS, each of these components already sits on the door record - so the inspector checks against the certified specification, not against memory or a separate sheet.
Frame
- Frame is intact with no cracks or damage
- Frame is securely fixed and plumb
- Record the frame-to-wall joint system and compare with the applicable installation detail
- No oversized gaps or missing packers
Leaf
- Leaf is flat, not warped or bowed
- No cuts, holes or damage exceeding permitted limits
- Facings and lippings are firmly bonded
- Door thickness matches the certified construction
Hinges
- Hinge type, number and positions match the applicable doorset detail
- Check hardware references and suitability, not marking alone
- Fixings match the instructions and are secure
- Record wear, movement, binding or a dropped leaf
Self-closing device
- Closer is fitted and functioning
- Door closes and latches from any open position
- Closer arm and power are correctly set
- No signs of leakage or damage
Locks & latches
- Hardware references and suitability match the applicable doorset evidence
- Latch engages fully into the strike
- No modifications that invalidate certification
- Escapement hardware operates freely
Intumescent & smoke seals
- Seals are present, continuous and correctly located
- Seals are undamaged and not painted over
- Smoke seals make contact when the door is closed
- Correct seal type for the door rating
Glazing
- Glass is fire-rated and intact
- Glazing beads, seals and fixings match the applicable system detail
- No cracks or compromise to the glazed aperture
- Glazing system matches the certified detail
Gaps & clearances
- Record the threshold gap separately from head and side gaps
- Compare each measured gap with applicable product evidence and instructions
- Record warping, binding and uneven clearances
- Check closing and latching where required
Signage
- “Fire Door Keep Shut” sign on the closing face
- “Fire Door Keep Locked” where applicable
- “Automatic Fire Door Keep Clear” where applicable
- Signage is legible and correctly positioned
Threshold
- Threshold gap is within permitted limits
- No combustible seals or strips that invalidate rating
- Threshold is intact and not damaged
- Floor finish meets the door without compromise
Operation
- Door opens and closes freely through its full arc
- Door latches securely on closing
- No binding, rubbing or obstruction
- Hold-open devices (if fitted) release correctly
Evidence
- Photograph of the door and any defects
- Record the result against the door ID
- Note the inspector and date
- Capture the door’s rating and configuration
Remedial action
- Record every defect with category and severity
- Assign the remedial to a responsible party
- Set a target completion date
- Track the remedial through to evidence of completion
Evidence an inspection must capture
- A photograph of the door as found
- Photographs of any defect or damage
- The door’s identity, rating and location
- The inspector and the date
- The result - pass, fail or pass with defects
Captured straight to the door record by QR, so every photograph lands on the right door and stays there for the next inspection.
Evidence That Belongs to the Door, Not a Clipboard
An inspection is only useful if it is recorded. Every check should be captured against the door’s identity, with photographs of the door and any defect, so the result is evidence - not an opinion.
In Automate Fire Door OS, the inspector opens the door’s record by QR scan and captures photographs, measurements and the result directly against it. Nothing lives only on a clipboard or in a site office drawer - the moment the inspection is saved, the evidence is attached to the door and visible to anyone who opens the record next.
Defects Flagged, Remedials Tracked to Closure
When a defect is found, the checklist should drive a remedial action: a category, a severity, a responsible party and a target date. A defect that is logged but never tracked to completion is no better than a defect that was never found.
That is where a static checklist breaks down and where Automate Fire Door OS takes over. A failed check does not sit in a report - it creates a remedial action against the door, flagged and categorised automatically, assigned to a responsible party with a target date, and tracked until there is evidence the work is complete and the door is back within its tested configuration.
What a flagged defect triggers
- A defect record against the door, with category and severity
- A responsible party and a target completion date
- Automatic reminders before the target slips
- Closure only when evidence of completion is logged
The same defect, found on the same door at the next inspection, is a sign the loop never closed. The app keeps that loop closed by default.
Why a Static Fire Door Checklist Is No Longer Enough
A printed checklist is a good starting point, but it stops at the inspection. Defects stay on paper, the register is not updated and there is no link between the inspection and the remedial that fixes the door. The gap between finding a defect and closing it is where fire door safety actually fails.
Defects Get Lost on Paper
A static checklist records a defect, but does nothing with it. Consequently, defects are found repeatedly across inspections and nothing closes the loop until an incident forces it.
The Register Drifts From Reality
By the time a printed checklist is filed, the door’s record in the fire door register is already out of date. The two documents are never the same.
No Memory Between Inspections
Each inspection starts from scratch. The inspector cannot easily see the door’s history, its previous defects or its certificate - so the same problems are re-found instead of resolved.
The AI-Assisted Alternative
A digital, AI-assisted inspection works against the door’s live record, flags defects automatically, suggests remedials and tracks them to closure. Fire door inspection software turns a checklist into a managed, connected process.
In short, a checklist is a tool - and the right tool is one that connects the inspection to the record, the defect to the remedial and the door to its full history. That is what AI-assisted fire door inspection delivers.
See how AI-assisted inspection worksFrom Checklist to AI-Assisted Inspection
The inspection checklist above is exactly what an inspector should look at. The question is how the result is captured and used. A static checklist ends at the door. An AI-assisted inspection begins there.
Automate Fire Door OS inspects against the door’s live record, so the inspector sees its rating, configuration, certificate and history before they start. Photographs are captured to the record. Defects are flagged and categorised automatically, remedials are assigned with target dates, and the fire door register updates itself the moment the inspection is saved.
The same checklist - but connected, evidenced and tracked to completion. That is the difference between inspecting fire doors and actually managing them. You can walk the full AI-assisted flow - capture photos, run evidence checks, set pass / minor / major and add notes - in the live demo on the inspection page.
Inspects against the live record
The inspector sees the door’s rating, configuration, certificate and history before they start.
Evidence captured to the door
Photographs and measurements attach to the record the moment the inspection is saved.
Defects flagged automatically
Defects are categorised and remedials assigned with target dates - no manual handoff.
The register updates itself
The fire door register reflects reality as soon as the inspection is complete, not weeks later.
Explore the Platform
Related Resources
An inspection checklist is the foundation. Explore how it connects to inspection software, the register and the wider lifecycle.
Fire Door Inspection Software
How AI-assisted inspection turns a checklist into a managed process.
Explore inspection softwareFire Door Register
The continuously updated record every inspection should feed.
Explore the fire door registerFire Door Maintenance
How defects become remedials, and remedials become closed records.
Explore fire door maintenanceFire Door Regulations
The inspection requirements set by current fire door regulations.
Read the regulations guideFire Door Golden Thread
The connected evidence history that recorded inspections contribute to.
Explore the Golden ThreadFire Rated Doors
What a fire rated doorset actually is - the basis of any inspection.
Read the fire rated doors guideFire Door Inspection Checklist FAQ
Find answers to common questions about our fire door software and compliance solutions.
What is a fire door inspection checklist?
A fire door inspection checklist is the set of components and conditions an inspector examines on every fire door - frame, leaf, hinges, self-closing device, locks, seals, glazing, gaps, signage, threshold and operation. A good checklist also captures evidence and the remedial action required for any defect found.
What are the legal requirements for fire door inspections?
Requirements depend on the jurisdiction and building. Regulation 10 in England imposes specified routine-check intervals for qualifying residential buildings with common parts and a top storey more than 11 metres above ground level. Routine checks are distinct from the fire risk assessment’s assessment of suitability. Other arrangements should follow applicable duties, assessed risk and product instructions.
How often should fire doors be inspected?
For qualifying residential buildings in England with common parts and a top storey more than 11 metres above ground level, communal fire doors require checks at least every three months, and flat entrance doors at least every twelve months on a best-endeavours basis. This is not a universal UK schedule. Set other checks and follow-up from assessed risk, usage, condition, applicable duties and instructions.
What is the fire door inspection procedure?
A fire door inspection procedure identifies the door, checks each component against its certified specification, records the condition, photographs any defect, categorises the defect and assigns a remedial action with a target date. The result is then recorded against the door so the next inspection builds on the last.
What are the gap requirements for fire doors?
Measure threshold, head and side gaps separately and compare them with applicable product evidence and installation instructions. Smoke-control requirements affect the under-door detail. There is no single threshold limit that applies to every FD30 doorset, and a generic measurement alone does not establish suitability.
What are the hinge requirements for fire doors?
Use the hinge type, number, positions, fixings and any protective detail specified in the applicable doorset evidence and instructions. Marking alone does not establish compatibility. Record loose or missing fixings, wear, movement, binding and any unapproved substitutions.
What signage is required on a fire door?
Check the signage required by the applicable building arrangements and guidance, including whether the door must be kept shut, kept locked or kept clear. Requirements and exceptions depend on the location and use; do not apply one signage rule indiscriminately to every residential entrance door.
Why is a static checklist not enough?
A static, printed checklist records what was found but does nothing with it. Defects stay on paper, the register is not updated, and there is no link between the inspection and the remedial that fixes the defect. A digital, AI-assisted inspection approach captures the result directly to the door’s record, flags defects automatically and tracks them to closure.
Turn Your Checklist Into a Connected Process
Inspect against the live record, capture evidence, flag defects automatically and track remedials to closure - with AI-assisted fire door inspection from Automate Fire Door OS.