NFPA 80 Fire Door Inspection Requirements

Covered fire door assemblies are inspected and tested at least annually. In health care occupancies, CMS directs facilities to perform annual inspection and testing under the 2010 edition of NFPA 80, as incorporated through the 2012 Life Safety Code.

Read CMS Survey & Certification Letter 17-38. Your adopted code edition and the authority having jurisdiction determine the exact requirements for a specific facility.

The annual requirement applies to fire door assemblies that protect openings in fire-resistance-rated construction. Not every door in a facility is automatically a fire door.

Start with life-safety drawings, door schedules, labels, and prior inspection records. Confirm uncertain openings with the authority having jurisdiction rather than assigning a rating from appearance alone.

The adopted edition controls the exact checklist. Later editions of NFPA 80 organize the visual inspection and operational test around these 13 items:

1. Labels are present and legible.
2. The door and frame have no open holes or breaks.
3. Glazing, vision-light frames, and glazing beads are intact and secure.
4. The door, frame, hinges, hardware, and noncombustible threshold are secured, aligned, and working.
5. No parts are missing or broken.
6. Door clearances are within the limits of the adopted standard.
7. The self-closing device closes the door completely from the fully open position.
8. On pairs with a coordinator, the inactive leaf closes before the active leaf.
9. Latching hardware secures the door in the closed position.
10. Auxiliary hardware does not interfere with operation.
11. No field modifications void the label or exceed permitted work.
12. Required gasketing and edge seals are present, continuous, and intact.
13. Signage is properly attached and within applicable size limits.

NFPA 80 calls for a qualified person with demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the operating components being tested. Qualification should be based on relevant training, knowledge, and experience—not simply a job title. Ask how the inspector documents qualifications and applies the code edition adopted for your facility.

Maintain written inspection and testing records that identify the assembly, date, inspector, results, and deficiencies. CMS states that these records must be available for review.

Useful facility records also connect each finding to a location, supporting evidence, corrective work, and closeout status. See how compliance reporting keeps that history organized.

Review life-safety issues promptly, separate maintenance work from replacement needs, and document completed corrections. FireDoor Nation can connect the original inspection record with fire door repair recommendations and closeout documentation.