Madison, WI Building Safety: Door Locking Hardware (2026)
Key Facts
- Door type required
- Self-closing with keyed locking hardware
- Applies to
- Shared basement/storage doors in residential buildings
- Inside knob rule
- Must always release for immediate exit
- Older buildings
- Same standard applies under Sec. 29.23(10)(b)2
- General penalty
- $10-$1,000 forfeiture per day, Sec. 29.20
Summary
Madison's building code requires self-closing, locking doors on shared basement storage rooms in residential buildings, under Section 29.23(10)(b)1, MGO. The lock must let occupants exit freely from inside while staying secured from outside, and Section 29.23(10)(b)2, MGO extends the same self-closer and locking-hardware standard to buildings built before July 14, 1972.
The door shall be equipped with an approved self-closing device and lock. The lock shall satisfy the functions as follows:a.A rotating inside knob that will retract a live bolt;b.An outside knob permanently fixed;c.Lock to open from outside with key;d.Inside knob always free for immediate exit; ande.Latch bolt returns to locked position when door is closed... Doors leading to the basement shall be equipped with self-closers and locking hardware, as described in Section 29.23(10)(b)1, MGO.
Full Breakdown
23(10)(b)1, MGO sets specific hardware requirements for doors into shared basement or tenant storage areas of residential buildings built on or after July 14, 1972, requiring 'an approved self-closing device and lock' whose functions include a rotating inside knob that retracts the live bolt, a permanently fixed outside knob that opens only by key, an inside knob always free for immediate exit, and a latch bolt that returns to locked position when the door closes. The design balances security against fire-exit safety: the inside knob must always release the latch for anyone leaving, while the outside stays keyed and self-locks the moment the door closes.
23(10)(b)1, MGO,' whether the owner isolates storage lockers with fire-rated gypsum board walls or instead protects the whole floor with heat and smoke detectors. The requirement sits alongside the sprinkler and detector rules in the same 'Isolation of Fire Hazards' subsection of Chapter 29, all enforced by the Director of the Building Inspection Division.
Violations & Fines
This hardware requirement carries no standalone fine in Chapter 29; noncompliant storage-area doors are cited under the general Chapter 29 penalty in Section 29.20(2), MGO: a forfeiture of $10 to $1,000, with each day the violation continues charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of lock does Madison require on basement storage doors?
Does the storage-door lock rule apply to older Madison apartment buildings?
What happens if a Madison storage room door doesn't have the required lock?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madison
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Door Locking Hardware in Nearby Cities
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