Building Code Glossary
Entrance Door: Building Code Definition
How the IECC 2009 define entrance door, where the wording differs, and which chapters depend on the term.
On this page
Last updated September 7, 2026 · Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The [ICC code library](https://codes.iccsafe.org/codes) publishes the current model text and the [ICC adoption maps](https://www.iccsafe.org/advocacy/code-adoption-maps/) show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Direct answer
Entrance door is a defined term in the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) 2009, in Definitions. The code's own words are: “Fenestration products used for ingress, egress and access in nonresidential buildings, including, but not limited to, exterior entrances that utilize latching hardware and automatic closers and contain over 50-percent glass specifically designed to withstand heavy use and possibly abuse.” No other I-Code in this corpus defines it, so the IECC 2009 definition is the one to work from. The term is used in 7 chapters of this corpus, most often in Commercial Energy Efficiency (IECC 2009), Means of Egress (IFC 2009), Explosives and Fireworks (IFC 2009). These pages transcribe the 2009 model text; verify the definition against the edition and amendments your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
Content and cited inputs reviewed by Scott Barrington, Harth founder and architectural technology specialist · Published 2026-09-07 · Updated 2026-09-07.
What does this term mean?
Entrance Door — IECC 2009, Definitions:
Fenestration products used for ingress, egress and access in nonresidential buildings, including, but not limited to, exterior entrances that utilize latching hardware and automatic closers and contain over 50-percent glass specifically designed to withstand heavy use and possibly abuse.
What must be verified before using this guidance?
Entrance Door is defined once in this corpus, in the Definitions chapter of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) 2009:
Fenestration products used for ingress, egress and access in nonresidential buildings, including, but not limited to, exterior entrances that utilize latching hardware and automatic closers and contain over 50-percent glass specifically designed to withstand heavy use and possibly abuse.
Where entrance door is used in the code
The term appears in 7 chapters of the 2009 I-Codes hosted here. The chapters that lean on it hardest are the ones to read next.
| Chapter | Code | Mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Energy Efficiency | IECC 2009 | 9 |
| Means of Egress | IFC 2009 | 9 |
| Explosives and Fireworks | IFC 2009 | 4 |
| Means of Egress | IBC 2009 | 3 |
| Plastic | IBC 2009 | 3 |
| Interior Environment | IBC 2009 | 1 |
| Definitions | IECC 2009 | 1 |
The terms entrance door is built out of
The definition above leans on 2 other defined terms. Each carries its own code definition, and a local amendment to any of them changes what entrance door covers:
- Fenestration — IRC 2009: Skylights, roof windows, vertical windows (whether fixed or moveable); opaque doors; glazed doors; glass block; and combination opaque/glazed doors.
- Automatic — IBC 2009: As applied to fire protection devices, a device or system providing an emergency function without the necessity for human intervention and activated as a result of a predetermined temperature rise, rate of temperature rise or combustion products.
Entrance Door: what to open, and in what order
Every row is a document this term depends on. The ICC code library and the ICC adoption maps cover the middle rows.
| Check | Where | Confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Read the definition in the adopted IECC | Definitions | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Commercial Energy Efficiency (IECC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Means of Egress (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Explosives and Fireworks (IFC 2009) | |
| Re-check the requirement that uses it | Means of Egress (IBC 2009) | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Fenestration | |
| Confirm the dependent definition | Automatic | |
| Local amendment to any of the above | Jurisdiction's amendment list |
A research aid, not a code determination. The authority having jurisdiction decides which edition and which amendments apply.
Where can you explore related guidance?
- Explore all glossary guidance
- Fenestration: Building Code Definition
- Automatic: Building Code Definition
Sources and method
Definitions quoted from the 2009 International Codes as transcribed in this site's building-codes collection, with the source chapter linked for each quotation. Usage counts are computed over the chapters hosted here, one copy per code. The ICC code library publishes the current model text and the ICC adoption maps show which edition a jurisdiction has adopted; those sources control.
Source links
Frequently asked questions
What is the code definition of entrance door?
The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) 2009 defines it in Definitions as: “Fenestration products used for ingress, egress and access in nonresidential buildings, including, but not limited to, exterior entrances that utilize latching hardware and automatic closers and contain over 50-percent glass specifically designed to withstand heavy use and possibly abuse.” The 2009 model text is reproduced here; the definition that binds your project is the one in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted, as amended locally.
Which parts of the code depend on entrance door?
In this corpus the term is used across 7 chapters, led by Commercial Energy Efficiency in the IECC 2009. Those are the sections whose scope moves if the definition is amended locally, so read them together with Chapter 2 rather than on their own.
What is an entrance door?
In the 2009 I-Codes hosted here it is a defined term rather than a description. The IECC 2009 states, in Definitions: “Fenestration products used for ingress, egress and access in nonresidential buildings, including, but not limited to, exterior entrances that utilize latching hardware and automatic closers and contain over 50-percent glass specifically designed to withstand heavy use and possibly abuse.” It is defined in IECC 2009. Because it is a defined term, whatever the adopted edition says it means is what every section using it means — so check Chapter 2 of that edition and any local amendment before relying on this wording.
What are the requirements for exterior doors in the North Carolina building code?
Building is a separate defined term. The IBC 2009 defines it as: “Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.” That is not the same as entrance door, which the IECC 2009 defines as “Fenestration products used for ingress, egress and access in nonresidential buildings, including, but not limited to, exterior entrances that utilize latching hardware and automatic closers and contain over 50-percent glass specifically designed to withstand heavy use and possibly abuse.” — read both before applying either, and confirm the wording in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted.
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