Kokomo, IN Building Safety: Door Locking Hardware (2026)

Section 160.20(N), part of the exterior-of-structures standards in the Rental Housing Code, requires that every door connecting a rental unit with any area exterior to the unit have a functioning locking device, door hinge, and door latch, maintained in good condition, and that door locks be capable of tightly securing the door. This sits alongside Section 160.20(K), which requires every window and exterior door to be fitted in its frame, weather tight, and kept in sound condition and repair, and Section 160.21(H), which requires that every interior exit door be capable of being opened easily from the inside without a key.

The Rental Housing Officer, the city Building Inspector under Section 160.09, inspects for this hardware during rental inspections under Section 160.05 and can order repairs, with up to six months to comply under Section 160.20(A)(2) for non-life-threatening exterior violations, though no extension is available where the Officer finds the violation life threatening in nature. Because a failed lock can also be a life-safety issue, the Officer may instead require immediate correction, or issue an emergency order under Section 160.08 where the condition endangers occupants, and may deny continued registration of the unit until the hardware is repaired.