TL;DR: Colorado’s adopted fire codes point to NFPA 80, which requires every fire door assembly to be inspected and tested at least once a year by a qualified person. The building owner has to keep a signed written record for the fire code official. Doors held open by magnets have to release when the fire alarm activates, so door checks and fire alarm testing should be planned together.
Fire door inspection requirements in Colorado come from NFPA 80, which your local fire code adopts by reference. Every fire door assembly must be inspected and tested at least once a year. A signed written record has to be kept for the fire code official. The building owner is responsible, and doors must also be checked after installation or repair.
This guide covers where the rule comes from in Colorado, which doors it applies to, who can do the work, and how fire doors connect to your fire alarm system.
Where do fire door inspection requirements come from in Colorado?
The requirement comes from your adopted fire code, which sends you to NFPA 80. The state Division of Fire Prevention and Control adopts the International Fire Code and its referenced standards as minimum standards for the buildings it oversees. Cities with their own fire prevention programs adopt and enforce their own editions.
Denver is the clearest example. The city adopted the 2024 International Fire Code with local amendments as the 2025 Denver Fire Code. The IFC says opening protectives in fire-resistance-rated walls must be inspected and maintained under NFPA 80. NFPA 80 sets the schedule: at least once every 12 months.
This is not a new rule. Since the 2009 editions of the IBC, IFC, and NFPA 101, the model codes have required fire door inspections and pointed to NFPA 80 for the details. Nearby cities such as Aurora and Arvada may be on a different code edition or have their own amendments. Confirm with your local fire code official before you plan your inspection cycle.
Which doors count as fire doors, and how do they differ?
A fire door is any door in a fire-rated wall that carries a label from a testing lab. The label lists the maker, the lab, and the rating. Common ratings are 20, 45, 60, 90, or 180 minutes. You will find labels on the door edge and on the frame.
In most commercial buildings, fire doors show up at stairwells, rated corridors, electrical and mechanical rooms, and walls that separate a warehouse from offices. Access panels in rated walls fall under NFPA 80 as well, and they are easy to miss because they don’t look like doors. Each type of door is checked a little differently.
| Door type | Where you usually find it | What the annual check focuses on | Common problem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swinging fire door with closer | Stairwells, corridors, electrical rooms | Self-closing, positive latching, gaps, labels | Propped open, or latch does not catch |
| Pair of doors with coordinator | Wide corridor openings, cross-corridor doors | Leaves close in the right order, astragal intact | Coordinator missing or out of adjustment |
| Door on magnetic hold-open | School, healthcare, and office corridors | Releases and closes fully when the alarm activates | Wedge added, or release not wired to the alarm |
| Rolling steel fire door | Warehouse fire walls, dock areas, service counters | Drops and closes fully on its own | Bent guides or a blocked closing path |
Rolling steel fire doors have their own rule. The 2024 IFC requires them to be inspected and tested annually by a trained rolling steel fire door technician, and the records must be kept. That matters for the distribution and industrial sites around Commerce City and Aurora, where forklifts and dock traffic can bend guides and damage curtains. Business owners there can learn more about local fire safety inspections in Commerce City.
Who is responsible, and who can do the inspection?
The building owner is responsible for making sure the inspection gets done and that any problems get fixed. NFPA 80 requires the work to be done by a qualified person, meaning someone who knows how the type of door being inspected actually works. The standard does not name one required credential. Training like the Door and Hardware Institute’s Fire and Egress Door Assembly Inspector program is a common way to show you’re qualified. Ask your fire code official what they will accept.
NFPA 80 also requires inspection and testing after a door is installed and after maintenance or repair work, according to the Steel Door Institute. Any deficiencies have to be corrected without delay. For your records, include the date, the inspector’s name, the location of each door, and the result for each item checked.
Healthcare facilities need to be especially careful. Facilities inspected by the Joint Commission have to provide documentation of their fire door assembly inspections. Schools and clinics under state oversight should expect the same questions during an inspection.
How do fire doors connect to your fire alarm system?
Many fire doors stand open on magnetic hold-open devices. When the fire alarm activates, they are supposed to release and close. If the relay, the wiring, or the smoke detector fails, the door stays open and smoke spreads through the corridor. The IFC requires smoke-activated doors to be kept in working order so they close automatically when smoke is detected. It also says fire doors must not be blocked or made inoperable.
That means your door inspection and your fire alarm inspection share one weak point. A door can pass a visual check and still fail to close because the alarm never told it to. Plan the two inspections together:
- Keep a list of every door on a hold-open device and the alarm relay or detector that controls it.
- During the annual fire alarm test, confirm that each door releases and closes and latches fully.
- Write down any door that releases but does not latch. That is a closer or hardware problem, not an alarm problem.
- Never swap a failed magnet for a wedge or a kickdown holder.
Denver’s taller buildings add a winter wrinkle. When the heat is running, pressure differences in stairwells and corridors can push against a weak closer, so a door that latches in July may not latch in January. Testing during the heating season can catch it. For what the rest of a city inspection covers, see our guide to Denver commercial fire inspection requirements.
What are the signs a fire door will not pass?
Most failures are visible from the hallway. Call a professional if you see any of these:
- A wedge, doorstop, or kickdown holder keeping a fire door open
- A door that does not close and latch on its own from fully open
- Labels that are painted over, removed, or unreadable
- Gaps larger than about 1/8 inch at the top and sides or 3/4 inch at the bottom
- Holes left by old hardware, or new card readers and locks cut in the field
- Missing or torn gaskets and edge seals
- Bent guides or a damaged bottom bar on a rolling steel door
- A magnetic hold-open that does not release during an alarm test
Why Pre Action Fire is a fit for Front Range facilities
Pre Action Fire, Inc. is a family-owned commercial fire protection company based at 2921 W 38th Ave in Denver. We have served businesses across the Denver metro and the Front Range since 2009. All of our technicians are NICET certified. We are licensed with the Colorado State Fire Marshal and work to NFPA standards, including NFPA 72. We are an NFPA member. Our services include fire safety inspections, NFPA compliance inspections, and fire alarm installation and repair. Same-day service and 24/7 emergency fire protection are available.
To schedule a fire safety inspection or have your door releases tested along with your fire alarm system, call (303) 682-0113 or book an estimate at preactionfire.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prop a fire door open on a hot day for airflow?
No. Fire doors cannot be wedged or blocked open. If a door needs to stay open, it has to use a listed hold-open device that releases when the fire alarm activates.
Does painting over a fire door label cause a problem?
Yes. The inspector needs to read the label to confirm the rating, so a painted-over or missing label is one of the most common reasons a door fails. Mask the labels on the door and frame before painting.
What happens if a fire door fails its annual inspection?
NFPA 80 requires deficiencies to be corrected without delay. Serious problems, like a door that will not latch or close, should be fixed right away, and your fire code official can cite doors that stay out of compliance.
Is a fire door inspection part of my sprinkler or fire alarm inspection?
Not automatically. Sprinkler inspections fall under NFPA 25 and door assemblies fall under NFPA 80, while the fire alarm test covers the devices that release held-open doors. Ask your providers exactly what each inspection includes.
Recommended Reads
- NFPA 25 Inspection Requirements Explained for Colorado Commercial Property Owners
- Commercial Fire Extinguisher Inspection Requirements in Colorado: What You Must Know
- Denver Commercial Fire Inspection Requirements: What to Expect and How to Prepare