Coon Rapids, MN Building Safety: Door Locking Hardware (2026)

Section 12-306(9) of the Building Maintenance and Occupancy Code makes door hardware an occupancy requirement: no person may occupy or allow occupancy of a dwelling unit unless all exterior and exit doors carry safe, functioning locking devices. For residential common-interest and rental facilities that share a common entrance, the code adds two further layers. Under subsection (a), any building constructed after June 20, 2000 must have an approved security system controlling access, consisting of locked building entrance or foyer doors and locked doors from hallways into individual units; the dead-latched entrance locks must use lever or door knobs on the inside and key cylinders on the outside, with entrance latches permanently locked from the outside and permanently unlocked from the inside.

Any security system already in place on the date of the ordinance must stay in good working order, and any upgrade must meet the same standard. Under subsection (b), every door providing ingress or egress to a dwelling unit within a common-interest or rental facility must have an approved lock with a dead-locking bolt that cannot be retracted by end pressure, while still opening from the inside without a key or special knowledge. The Compliance Official, the City Manager or a designated agent under section 12-304(6), enforces the requirement, and section 12-303(1) directs that where this Chapter conflicts with another Code provision, the most restrictive standard governs. Property owners are the responsible party under section 12-303(4), and associations are jointly responsible for common-area violations.