Lauderhill, FL Building Safety: Door Locking Hardware (2026)

Sec. 9-9 of the Lauderhill Code requires the installation of a key box in new and existing buildings, other than single-family residential buildings, whenever the fire chief or police chief determines that access to or within a structure is unduly difficult because of secured openings, or that immediate access is needed for life-saving, police emergencies or firefighting. The fire chief specifies the type of box required, and it must hold keys to locked points of ingress (interior or exterior), locked mechanical rooms, locked electrical rooms, elevator controls, and any other area the fire chief designates as unduly difficult to access.

The fire chief and police chief jointly approve where the box is mounted on the building. Enacted by Ord. No. 85-100 on February 11, 1985 and amended by Ord. No. 97O-100 in 1997, the section places an ongoing duty on the building owner or manager: whenever the keys stored in the box change, the owner or manager must notify both the fire department and the police department and supply the new keys to the fire chief and police chief so the box stays current. The rule is designed for multifamily, commercial and institutional buildings where locked lobbies, gates or elevator rooms would otherwise force firefighters or police to force entry during an emergency; the Code says twice that it does not apply to the construction, improvements or renovations of any single-family residential building.