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Milwaukee Code of Ordinances ch. 217, subch. 2
in effect

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 217-11 Applicability of Subchapter.

217-11. Applicability of Subchapter. 1. This subchapter applies to all residential building classifications, apartment buildings and one and 2-family dwellings constructed prior to June 24, 1989, except licensed rooming houses as regulated in ch. 275, and hotels and motels. 2. This subchapter applies to all residential buildings and additions and alterations of buildings except: Buildings which have an operating a. security alarm system in all dwelling uni ts capable of detecting the presence of an intruder or penetration of all doors and windows and activating a bell, horn or other alarm on the interior or exterior of the dwelling unit. A dwelling unit occupied by the b. owner of a residential building. 3. Existi ng doors, windows, locks, fram es or hardware which are not in compliance with the requirements of this subchapter shall be brought into compliance within 90 days after the effective date of this subchapter or at the time the door, window, lock, frame or hardware is replaced for any reason, including normal wear and tear, whichever date is earlier.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 217-13 Swinging Doors.

217-13. Swinging Doors. 1. APPLICABILITY. T his section applies to all interior doors between dwel ling units and multiple access tenant corridors and to all exterior swinging doors accessible to grade by stairs or permanently fixed ladders or within 10 feet of grade, except: Screen and storm doors which do a. not provide the primary closure for the doorway opening. b. Doors from the exterior into a vestibul e where a door meeting the requirements of this subchapter separates the vestibule from the building interior. c. Exit doors which are monitored on a 24-hour basis for security purposes by a security guard stationed at the door or at a television monitor where the lock is protected from being shimmied or is a deadlatch or an electronically controlled latch. Exit doors which are electronically d. controlled from the dwelling units and where the entrance doors and dwelling units are connected by voice or signal communications. Common exit doors to hallways e. which are less than 25 feet in length and which do not connect with any other unsecured hallway or unsecured basement. 2. DOORS. All doors covered by this section shal l be maintained in good condition. 3. HINGES. All doors covered by this section which have hinge pins on the exterior side of the building or dwelling uni t shall have nonremovable hinge pins, or the pins or hi nges shall be modified to prevent removal of the door without the use of special tools or equipment. 4. LOCKS. a. All doors covered by this section shall have a cylinder lock in addition to a latching device. The lock shall be either a deadbolt type, either surface-mounted or mortised into the door, with a minimum 1/2 inch bolt, or a surface-mounted vertical bolt lock. The lock cylinders shall be flush-mounted on the exteri or or be protected by a cylinder guard plate or be tapered or rotated to prevent wrenching. Locks shall be openable with the use of a key from the exterior side of the door. In dwelling uni ts which have b. more than one exterior access door, all exterior access doors shall be equipped with a l ock meeting the requirements of this section. c. All common exit doors covered by this section shall be provided with a pry-resistant or tamper-resistant locking device with a minimum 1/2" throw or be protected by a tamper-resistant plate. d. All doors to dwelling units shall be protected by a deadbolt lock with a minimum 1/2" bolt. In dwelling units with more than one i nterior door between the dwelling unit and the public hallway or more than one exterior exi t door, only one door shall be required to be equipped with a lock which is openable with a key from the exterior side of the door. FRAMES AND STRIKES. a. All 5. strikes for surface-mounted locks covered by this section shall be attached to 2 sides of the frame and shall be installed with screws through the face of the jamb perpendicular to the door in a closed position. All strikes in wood frames for b. deadbolts i nside of or mortised into doors covered by this section shall be attached to the frame with at least 2 screws. c. All door frames for doors covered by this section shall be constructed of hardwood, pressed wood, softwood or steel and be maintained in good condition.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 217-15 Sliding Doors.

217-15. Sliding Doors. 1. APPLICABILITY. This section applies to all exterior glass sliding door units accessible to grade by stairs or permanently fixed ladders or within 10 feet of grade. CONSTRUCTION. All doors 2. covered by this section shall be constructed to prevent the removal of the panels from the exterior. 3. LOCKS. All doors covered by this section shall have a locking device which pins the fixed and sliding panels together where they overlap. The pins shall be 3/16 inch minimum diameter. The panels need not be pinned together if the sliding panel i s prevented from sliding by a charley bar or a one inch diameter minimum bar between the edge of the sliding panel and the door frame.

Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 217-17 Windows.

217-17. Windows. 1. All wooden double-hung windows accessibl e to grade by stairs or permanently fixed ladders or within 10 feet of grade shall be equipped with a lock or latch which when in the locked position will prevent the window from being opened from outside the building. Every such window shall also be provided with a device which will allow the window to be fixed in an open position of not less than 4 inches and not more than 6 inches, and which when in the locked position will prevent the window from being moved to a m ore open position from the outside. Such device shall be moveable to permit the window to be fully opened from the inside of the building. 2. In lieu of the requirements specified in sub. 1, wooden double-hung windows accessible to grade by stairs or permanently fixed ladders or within 10 feet of grade may be equipped with bars or security screens removable from the interior. 3. Latching or locking devices on storm sashes or screen frames shall not be deemed to meet the requirements of this section.
Source: City of Milwaukee Legislative Reference Bureau, Milwaukee City Charter and Code of Ordinances (city.milwaukee.gov master PDFs)URL: https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/ccClerk/Ordinances/Volume-2/CH217.pdf#page=1Fetched: 10/26/2026

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