Kent County, DE Building Safety: Door Locking Hardware (2026)

Kent County's Housing Code addresses door security as part of Chapter 143's 'Exterior structure' standards. O specifically requires every exterior door, door hinge and door latch to be maintained in good condition, and it singles out dwelling-unit locks: they must be in good repair and capable of tightly securing the door, so a rental unit cannot be occupied with a lock that no longer latches or that has been removed. P, covering basement and cellar hatchways. J requires that every door available as an exit be capable of being opened easily from the inside, so a landlord cannot compensate for a weak exterior lock by installing hardware that traps occupants inside during a fire or other emergency.

The code official inspects for these conditions under § 143-26 and, if a lock defect renders a unit unsafe, may issue a correction order under § 143-28 or, in severe cases, condemn the structure under § 143-27. There is no separate deadbolt, chain-lock or peephole mandate in the Kent County code; the standard is functional rather than a specification of hardware type.