Why Specify Certified PAS 24 Security Front Doors for Residential and Mixed-Use Buildings?

The front door is one of the most important security points in any residential building. Whether it serves a private house, apartment, build-to-rent development or a mixed-use scheme, the entrance door is a critical part of the building envelope—and its security performance should be treated as a specification priority rather than an afterthought.

For developers, architects and contractors, specifying a PAS 24-certified doorset provides a clear, independently assessed benchmark for enhanced security. It can help demonstrate compliance with relevant building requirements, support Secured by Design objectives and, importantly, give occupants greater confidence in the security of their homes.

But why is certification so important, and what should specifiers consider when selecting security front doors?

What is PAS 24?

PAS 24 is a Product Assessment Specification covering the enhanced security performance of doorsets and windows. It is a British Standard published by the British Standards Institution (BSI) The current edition is PAS 24:2022+A1:2024, which superseded PAS 24:2022. It sets out test methods and acceptance criteria for products intended to resist attacks associated with casual or opportunistic burglary.

Crucially, PAS 24 assesses the complete doorset, rather than simply considering an individual lock, cylinder, handle or door leaf. The specification covers a range of doorset configurations, including single and double-leaf, hinged, sliding and pivot doors, with or without integral side panels and fanlights.

This whole-system approach is important. A door may have a high-quality lock, for example, but that does not necessarily mean the complete entrance assembly provides an equivalent level of security.

1. Independent testing provides greater confidence

One of the strongest reasons to specify a certified PAS 24 doorset is the independent assessment behind the certification.

PAS 24 testing is designed to assess how a security front door performs against simulated methods of attack associated with opportunistic burglars. Certification bodies can operate accredited product certification schemes that provide assurance that doorsets meet the requirements of PAS 24.

For a project team, this is considerably more meaningful than relying solely on marketing descriptions such as “high security”, “security door” or “enhanced protection”.

A certified product provides evidence that the specified doorset has been assessed against a recognised security specification.

2. The doorset—not just the door leaf—is what matters

A common mistake when specifying entrance doors is to focus on individual components.

In practice, security depends on the interaction between the door leaf, frame, hardware, locking arrangements, glazing and other elements of the complete assembly.

PAS 24 is specifically concerned with the performance of the steel security front door as a complete product. BSI notes that the specification applies to new doorsets as manufactured and prior to installation.

For specifiers, this reinforces an important principle:

Specify the certified doorset as a complete system, rather than assembling supposedly secure components and assuming the finished installation will achieve the same performance.

This is particularly relevant on apartment developments, where large numbers of identical entrance doors may be installed across a scheme.

3. PAS 24 can support Building Regulations compliance

For projects in England and Wales, PAS 24 has an important relationship with Approved Document Q, which addresses security in dwellings.

BSI identifies PAS 24 as a reference within Approved Document Q and explains that certification to PAS 24 is one way a front doorset or window can demonstrate the relevant enhanced security performance.

For developers and design teams, specifying a current PAS 24-certified front doorset therefore, provides a recognised route towards satisfying the relevant security provisions.

However, PAS 24 certification should not be treated as a blanket statement that an entire project complies with every aspect of Building Regulations. The overall building design, installation and other regulatory requirements still need to be considered separately.

4. It supports a consistent specification across large developments

Residential developments often contain dozens or hundreds of individual dwelling entrances.

Without a defined security standard, there can be significant variation in the products being considered, with different combinations of locks, frames, glazing and door construction.

Specifying PAS 24 provides a clear minimum performance benchmark.

This can simplify procurement by allowing the project team to state that the required entrance doorsets must hold appropriate, current certification rather than attempting to define security entirely through a long list of individual components.

It can also help contractors and subcontractors understand precisely what level of security is expected.

5. Particularly valuable in mixed-use buildings

Mixed-use developments introduce additional security considerations because residential accommodation may sit alongside retail, offices, hospitality or other commercial uses.

The building can therefore have several different categories of entrance:

• Main residential entrances
• Individual apartment entrance doors
• Shared access doors
• Commercial entrances
• Back-of-house and service entrances
• Doors separating residential and commercial areas

The security requirements for each location may differ, but residential entrances deserve particular attention because they provide the boundary between a resident’s private space and potentially busy communal areas.

In a mixed-use scheme, a certified PAS 24 residential doorset can form part of a broader access-control and security strategy, helping the design team establish a clearly defined performance level for dwelling entrances.

6. It can support Secured by Design objectives

For projects seeking recognition under the UK Police initiative Secured by Design, PAS 24 is particularly relevant.

BSI states that PAS 24 certification is one route by which a doorset or window can meet the requirements of the Secured by Design scheme.

For developers, this can be useful because Secured by Design provides a recognised framework for incorporating crime prevention measures into building design.

However, it is important not to assume that simply specifying PAS 24 automatically means a project achieves Secured by Design approval. The project must meet the applicable scheme requirements as a whole.

7. Current certification matters

Specifiers should be careful when reviewing manufacturers’ literature because PAS 24 has been revised over time.

PAS 24:2016 was withdrawn in September 2022, while PAS 24:2022 has subsequently been superseded by PAS 24:2022+A1:2024.

The 2024 amendment reflects changes in criminal methodologies and updates referenced industry documents.

Consequently, a good specification should not simply state “PAS 24” without considering the edition and certification status.

Where the project requires current certification, the specification should clearly identify the applicable standard and require appropriate evidence from the manufacturer or supplier.

8. Don’t overlook installation

A certified doorset is only part of the security equation.

BSI makes an important distinction: PAS 24 assesses the security performance of the doorset, but the PAS itself is not a test of installation requirements.

This means the project team should consider installation quality alongside product selection.

The specification should address matters such as:

• Installation in accordance with the manufacturer’s certified requirements
• Appropriate fixing and substrate conditions
• Correct installation of frames and hardware
• Compatibility of hardware and access-control equipment
• Correct glazing and infill specification
• Maintaining the certified configuration
• Appropriate inspection and handover procedures

This is particularly important on large residential developments, where installation may be carried out by multiple teams over an extended construction period.

9. Security should be considered alongside fire and life safety

Apartment entrance doors often have to perform several functions simultaneously.

Depending on their location and the building design, they may need to provide security, fire performance, smoke control, acoustic performance, thermal performance, accessibility and ease of operation.

This is why a door should not be selected on security credentials alone.

For example, in England, the Fire Safety Act clarified that the Fire Safety Order applies to individual flat entrance doors between domestic premises and common parts. The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 also introduced inspection duties relating to flat entrance doors in certain multi-occupied residential buildings.

The correct approach is therefore to specify a coordinated doorset solution that satisfies all relevant performance requirements rather than treating security as an isolated characteristic.

10. Certification gives the design team an auditable benchmark

One of the biggest practical benefits of specifying certified products is documentation.

For a developer or main contractor, a recognised certification provides something tangible to request, check and retain within the project documentation.

Instead of relying on an informal statement that a door is “secure”, the project team can ask for evidence of the relevant certification and verify that the proposed product corresponds to the required configuration.

This can make design reviews, procurement and quality assurance more straightforward.

What should a PAS 24 security front-door specification include?

A robust specification should go beyond simply writing “PAS 24 door”.

Consider stating:

• The required edition of PAS 24, where applicable
• That the complete doorset must be certified
• The required doorset configuration
• Door, frame and glazing/infill requirements
• Compatible locking and hardware arrangements
• Any access-control requirements
• Fire and smoke performance where required
• Acoustic and thermal requirements where applicable
• Accessibility and ease-of-egress requirements
• Installation in accordance with the certified manufacturer’s requirements
• Requirements for certification documentation and traceability
• Any Secured by Design requirements applicable to the project

This approach reduces the risk of a compliant-looking specification being undermined by substitutions or incompatible components later in the procurement process.

A better approach to residential security

Security should be designed into a residential or mixed-use project from the beginning.

For the architect, PAS 24 provides a recognised performance benchmark. For the developer, it provides greater confidence in the products being procured. For the contractor, it creates a clearer requirement to work to. And for residents, it contributes to a more secure and reassuring home environment.

Most importantly, PAS 24 encourages a whole-doorset approach to security rather than treating a front door as a collection of unrelated components.

For residential and mixed-use buildings, specifying a currently certified PAS 24 doorset is therefore a sensible way to establish an independently assessed level of enhanced security while supporting the wider regulatory, design and crime-prevention objectives of the project.

To sum it up:

Don’t simply specify a “security door”. Specify a complete, appropriately certified PAS 24 doorset, verify the current certification, and ensure that the installation and other required performance characteristics are addressed as part of the overall building design.

For new residential and mixed-use developments, that approach provides a clearer, more defensible and more consistent basis for specifying secure front doors.