Doors are considered a "hazardous location” for the purpose of where safety/tempered glass is required in a home, and all door glazing is required to be safety/tempered with only two exceptions: a glass panel so small that a 3” ball cannot go through it or if the glass is categorized as decorative. All standard French doors would not pass the 3” ball test and must be safety/tempered. 

    It makes sense because doors are in the center of the traffic path and often get both slammed and banged into. Here’s the citation from the 2017 Residential Edition of the Florida Building Code (FBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC) is similar.

    A definition for decorative glass is also provided by the code.

    The entry door shown above is an example of the decorative glass exemption. Code for when safety/tempered glass is necessary for windows is not as straight-forward, and you can read about it at our blog post Where is safety/tempered glass required for the windows of a house? And for links to all of our articles about safety glass, go to 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •  

  To learn more about doors and windows, see these other blog posts:

• What causes sweating (condensation) on the inside of windows in the winter? 

• Is every exterior door of a house required to have a landing outside? 

• What are the small slots at the bottom of the outside of my window? 

• Why does condensation form on the outside of some windows and not others in the morning? 

• Why is the garage door track a white tube? 

• What is the raised metal plate on the floor under the garage door?

• Why do I have to hold down the button to close the garage door? 

• How can I tell if a window or glass door is safety glass? 

• Should a front door swing in or out? 

• Why is pressure washing double pane windows an expensive mistake? 

• How many exit doors are required for a house?

• How many exit doors are required for a mobile/manufactured home? 

• Are openable windows required to have window screens? Will windows with no screens pass a home inspection? 

• Can a bedroom door open into the garage?

• What are the building code requirements for a door from the garage to the house?

• What is "low-E" window glass? 

• What does ANSI 297.1 on glass mean?

• Why is a double cylinder deadbolt lock on an exterior door a safety hazard?

• How can I check my garage door to make sure it is safe?  

• What is an egress window?

• Does a home inspector test all the windows and doors in a home? 

• How difficult is it to change a window to french doors or a sliding glass door?

• How do you determine if a door is left-handed or right-handed?

• Why are window security bars dangerous? 

• What are the common problems you find inspecting windows?

• What is causing a foggy haze on my windows? 

• What do those numbers on the manufacturer's stickers in new windows mean?

• What does a home inspector check on an electric garage door? 

• What is the tempered label on glass at windows and sliding glass doors called?

• Do I need to have two exterior exit doors in my house? 

• When is safety glass required for windows at stairs and stair landings?

   Visit our DOORS AND WINDOWS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.