Swinging Doors and Adjacent Sidelights.
Milwaukee Code of Ordinances § 217-3
in effect217-3. Swinging Doors and Adjacent Sidelights.
1. APPLICABILITY. This section applies to all interior doors between dwelling units and multiple access tenant corridors and to all exterior swinging doors accessible to grade by stairs of permanently fixed ladders or within 10 feet of grade, except:
a. Screen and storm doors which do not provide the primary closure for the doorway opening.
Doors from the exterior into a
b. vesti bule where a door meeting the requirements of this subchapter separates the vestibule from the building interior.
c. Entrance 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 shi mmed or is a deadlatch or an electronically controlled latch.
d. Entrance doors which are electronically controlled from the dwelling units and where the entrance doors and dwelling units are connected by voice or signal communications.
2. CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS. All doors shall be constructed of 1-3/4 inches (minimum) wood with a solid core, 1-1/2 inches (minimum) metal with a solid or insulating core for exterior doors, 1-3/4 inches plastic laminate with a sol i d or insulating core or 1/4 inch (minimum) solid or lam i nated safety glazing material. All glazed panels within 40 inches of the lock shall be constructed of solid or laminated safety glazing material and shall be protected by a steel security screen with wires not less than 1/8 inch in diameter, a laminated security glazing panel or high security plastic (polycarbonate) panel. All protective panels or screens shall be at least one inch larger than the glazed opening they protect and be secured so that they cannot be removed from the exterior side of the door, or shall be built into the door.
3. HINGES. All doors covered by thi s section shall have hinges wi th nonrem ovable hinge pins or be mounted so that the doors swing into the interior of the dwelling unit. Hinges in wood frames shall be attached with screws which are a minimum of 2-1/2 i nches long or extend a minimum of 1/2 inch into the wall studs.
4. LOCKS. All doors covered by this section shall have a cylinder lock in addition to the latching device. The lock shall either be a deadbolt type with a minimum one-inch bolt, mounted into the door, or a surface mounted vertical bolt lock. The lock cylinders shall be high-security type with a minimum of 5 pin tumblers and be flush mounted on the exterior or be protected by a cylinder guard plate or be tapered or rotate to prevent wrenching. Locks shall be openable with the use of a key from the exterior side of the door. The bolts shall be designed to resist sawing and cutting.
5. FRAMES. All door frames for doors covered by this section shall be constructed of hardwood or metal. Soft wood frames may be used provided the frame at the lock strike plate is reinforced with a steel angle 18 inches by 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch by 1/8 inch fastened to the frame with one inch screws or is reinforced by another technique approved by the commissioner.
STRIKES. Al l doors covered by
6. this section shall have high-security strikes for the locks required by this chapter. Strikes in wood frames for surface-mounted vertical-bolt locks shall be fastened with screws through 2 sides of the jamb. The screws through at least one side of the jamb shall be 2-1/2 inches minimum and extend into the wall studs a minimum of 1/2 inch. Strikes in wood frames for deadbolts mounted within the door shall have a metal box for the bolt and both the strike plate and the strike box shall be fastened to the wall studs with 2-1/2 inch minimum screws or metal lugs.
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