Ankeny, IA Building Safety: Door Locking Hardware (2026)

Ankeny Code of Ordinances Section 175.44 adds a sentence to IBC Section 1010.2.2, which sits in Chapter 10, Means of Egress, and governs the hardware allowed on egress doors, stating simply that thumb turn locks shall not be allowed. It is one of several local tightenings of the same egress chapter: Section 175.42 requires exterior walking surfaces at exits be concrete, asphalt or another approved hard surface, Section 175.43 narrows the two-way communication exception for certain two-story elevators, and Section 175.45 tightens the handrail exception for interior stairs of four or more risers in Group R-2 and R-3 units.

Section 1010.2.2 hardware requirements exist so that people can operate an egress door without special knowledge, a key, or unusual effort, and a thumb turn lock can be harder to release quickly or can be left engaged by mistake, defeating that purpose. Compliance is checked at the Building Official's required inspections before work can be covered or approved under Section 175.13, and appeals over hardware calls go to the Ankeny Board of Examiners and Appeals created under Section 175.21 instead of the standard IBC appeals board.