Egress doors in Louisville commercial and multi-family buildings must allow free escape without keys, special knowledge, or tools under the Kentucky-adopted International Building Code and IFC; LFD enforces compliance during fire inspections.
Means-of-egress hardware on required exit doors must operate with a single motion and no more than fifteen pounds of force. Deadbolts that require keys from the inside, slide bolts, padlocks on exit doors during occupancy, and chained doors are prohibited in commercial and multi-family settings. Panic hardware is required on doors serving assembly occupancies above certain occupant loads. Electrified locks must be on listed access-control hardware that releases on fire alarm and power loss. Louisville Fire Department prevention staff document violations during routine inspections, and corrections are typically required within short re-inspection windows. Residential single-family rules are less strict but still prohibit double-cylinder deadbolts on bedroom egress paths.
LFD notices of violation, daily fines, and immediate orders to remove unlawful hardware; willful blocking of exits can lead to occupancy revocation and criminal charges after a fire.
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