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Garage pedestrian door size

L

Lanso

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I have a single car garage with a sectional overhead door, I have space on one stucco wall for a 24 x 75 pedestrian door. will that size be acceptable since it is not the main egress door?
 
Closest thing I think you'd find talks about egress through a garage, nothing about from a garage...

R311.1 Means of egress. Dwellings shall be provided with a
means of egress in accordance with this section. The means
of egress shall provide a continuous and unobstructed path of
vertical and horizontal egress travel from all portions of the
dwelling to the required egress door without requiring travel
through a garage. The required egress door shall open directly
into a public way or to a yard or court that opens to a public
way.
 
I asked Grok and got a wrong answer, I told Grok that it was incorrect and then Grok corrected itself. That's easier than getting Jeff to admit to being wrong.

Grok is a means of egress door required from a private garage?

Yes, in almost all cases under current U.S. residential building codes (IRC), a means of egress door is required directly from a private attached garage to the outside, in addition to the door that leads into the house.Key code references (2021 IRC – same in 2018 and 2024 editions)
  • R309.1 Floor surface – Garages must have a floor that slopes to drain or to an approved drain.
  • R309.2 Separation – The garage must be separated from the residence and its attic by not less than ½-inch gypsum board (or 20-minute fire-rated door if into the house).
  • R302.5.1 Opening protection – The door from the garage into the residence must be a solid-core or 20-minute fire-rated door, self-closing, etc.
  • R310.1 Emergency escape and rescue opening – Not applicable to garages themselves (only to sleeping rooms and basements).
  • The specific requirement for a separate pedestrian egress door directly to the outside comes from R309.4 in some editions or is enforced via the general egress provisions in Chapter 3.
Actual requirement (most AHJs enforce this)Every attached private garage must have at least one egress door that opens directly to the exterior (a “man door” or side/house-to-garage door that swings outside).
This door must:
  • Be at least 32" wide × 78" high (side-hinged).
  • Lead directly outside (not into an enclosed porch unless that porch also has direct outside access).
  • Have a landing on the outside not more than 8¼" (2021 IRC) or 7¾" (older) below the threshold.
Common exceptions (very rare)
  • Some jurisdictions allow a waiver if the overhead vehicular door is considered the egress path and it is equipped with an automatic opener and a manual release that can be reached from the floor (almost never accepted for new construction).
  • Detached garages do not require a separate pedestrian door unless the garage contains habitable space.
Bottom line for a typical one- or two-family dwelling in the U.S.Yes – a private attached garage is required to have its own exterior side door (means of egress) in addition to the door into the house and the overhead garage door.
This has been standard practice since at least the 2000 IRC and is enforced virtually everywhere in the United States and in any jurisdiction that has adopted the IRC or a similar code.If you’re in a different country or under an older local code, let me know and I can check that specific requirement.

Grok you are way off base with the answer.

I appreciate the feedback—let's dig deeper into this to clarify. Upon double-checking the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) and related interpretations, it turns out I overstated the requirement in my previous response. You're right that it's not as straightforward or universally mandated as I described. I'll correct that here based on the code text and expert discussions.Key IRC Provisions (2021 Edition)
  • R311.1 – Means of egress: "Dwellings shall be provided with a means of egress in accordance with this section. The means of egress shall provide a continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from all portions of the dwelling to the required egress door without requiring travel through a garage."
    This ensures the house's primary egress door (at least 36" wide, side-hinged) can't rely on passing through the garage, but it doesn't directly address egress from the garage itself.
  • R311.2 – Egress door: Requires at least one side-hinged egress door from the dwelling unit to the exterior (or to a yard/court open to a public way). Again, this is for the habitable dwelling space, not the garage.
  • R309 – Garages and carports: This section covers separation from the residence (e.g., fire-rated walls/doors), floor surfaces, automatic opener standards (R309.4), and automatic sprinkler requirements (R309.5 for attached garages under certain conditions). However, there is no explicit provision in R309 requiring a separate pedestrian "man door" (side-hinged egress door) directly from an attached private garage to the exterior.
Why the Confusion (and Common Practice)?
  • Garages are classified as accessory structures (not habitable space), so general egress rules for dwellings don't apply directly to them. The IRC prioritizes safe exit from the house, not treating the garage as a space needing its own dedicated egress beyond the overhead door (which can serve as an exit in low-occupancy scenarios under similar commercial codes like the IBC).
  • That said, many local jurisdictions (Authorities Having Jurisdiction, or AHJs) enforce a separate man door as a best practice or via amendments for safety reasons—e.g., to allow quick exit if the overhead door fails or during a fire when the house door is a barrier. This is often tied to:
    • Fire department access.
    • Ensuring the garage door into the house (which must be 20-minute fire-rated and self-closing per R302.5.1) isn't the only pedestrian option.
    • Alignment with older codes or state amendments (e.g., some states like Massachusetts reference a 32" secondary exit through the garage but still don't mandate an exterior man door).
  • For detached garages, there's even less requirement—no man door is needed at all unless it's converted to habitable space (e.g., an ADU), in which case full dwelling egress rules kick in.
Bottom LineNo, a separate means of egress door (man door) directly from a private attached garage to the exterior is not explicitly required by the base 2021 IRC. The code focuses on protecting the dwelling from garage hazards rather than mandating garage-specific pedestrian egress. However:
  • Always check your local AHJ or amendments—many require it anyway for practical safety.
  • If adding one, it should be at least 32" wide × 78" high, side-hinged, with an exterior landing (per R311.3).
If this is for a specific location, code edition, or scenario (e.g., new build vs. remodel), share more details so I can refine further. Sorry for the initial mix-up—accuracy matters!
 
I mean…technically only dwellings need a MOE

R311.1​

Dwellings shall be provided with a means of egress in accordance with this section. The means of egress shall provide a continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from all portions of the dwelling to the required egress door without requiring travel through a garage. The required egress door shall open directly into a public way or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.

And then beyond that there is only one 36” door required and all the rest can be 12”…
 
So yes, a garage can have a 24" door or no door at all.

I built a detached garage recently and included a 3-0 x 6-8 door in addition to 2 overhead doors. Haven't used many door in years. Two extra remotes cost $12.95, and stay next to house door. Wish I hadn't put in the man door.
 
Just for the sake of discussion, would a "person door" be required if this was regulated by the building code instead of the residential code?
 
Inspector Gift said:
Joe, how would that be different from commercial storage units with only a roll-up door for access?
Click to expand...
That's the question, and a perfect example.

1001.1 General. Buildings or portions thereof shall be
provided with a means of egress system as required by this
chapter. The provisions of this chapter shall control the
design, construction and arrangement of means of egress
components required to provide an approved means of egress
from structures and portions thereof.

1005.1 General. All portions of the means of egress system
shall be sized in accordance with this section.

1010.1 General. Doors in the means of egress shall comply
with the requirements of Sections 10 l 0.1. l through l 010.3.4.
Exterior exit doors shall also comply with the requirements of
Section 1022.2. Gates in the means of egress shall comply
with the requirements of Sections 1010.4 and 1010.4.1. Turnstiles
in the means of egress shall comply with the
requirements of Sections 1010.5 through 1010.5.4.

There are exceptions, but not one that addresses the scenario you present. Great and interesting question. Not a hill I would die on, but interesting.
 
If I remember correctly the minimum exit door and stair widths were increased to 36" back around the late 70s so that movers could get furniture in and out easier. A person can fir through a 24" door, and they can open the garage door to get large stuff in and out.
 
I had a large man come to the office with a question about the size of a bathroom door. His wife was dead set on a particular vanity that allowed a 20" door and not larger. The man would have to find a different bathroom. He was crestfallen to learn that there was no minimum size for a bathroom door. I understood, and I wasn't even married at that time. So woefully dismayed was he that I wrote a correction slip to say that the minimum size of a bathroom door is 32".

It's not that often that a good deed has an immediate reward ... his smile said it all.
 
Last edited:
ICE said:
I had a large man come to the office with a question about the size of a bathroom door. His wife was dead set on a particular vanity that allowed a 20" door and not larger. The man would have to find a different bathroom. He was crestfallen to learn that there was no minimum size for a bathroom door. I understood, and I wasn't even married at that time. So woefully dismayed was he that I wrote a correction slip to say that the minimum size of a bathroom door is 32".

It's not that often that a good deed has an immediate reward ... his smile said it all.
Click to expand...
You make it sound like you just performed a valiant deed like you're robin hood or something. I find this renegade outlaw attitude offensive and distasteful. You're not some Judge Dredd building code hero; you're just an a-hole know-it-all out there giving this industry a bad rep. But I suspect you know that, enjoy it, and wear it like a badge...
1764105035716.png
 
Inspector Gift said:
Joe, how would that be different from commercial storage units with only a roll-up door for access?
Click to expand...
Joe.B said:
1010.1 General. Doors in the means of egress shall comply
with the requirements of Sections 10 l 0.1. l through l 010.3.4.
Exterior exit doors shall also comply with the requirements of
Section 1022.2. Gates in the means of egress shall comply
with the requirements of Sections 1010.4 and 1010.4.1. Turnstiles
in the means of egress shall comply with the
requirements of Sections 1010.5 through 1010.5.4.

There are exceptions, but not one that addresses the scenario you present. Great and interesting question. Not a hill I would die on, but interesting.
Click to expand...
1010.1.2 Egress door types. Egress doors shall be of the
side-hinged swinging door, pivoted door, or balanced door
types.
Exceptions:
1. Private garages, office areas, factory and storage
areas with an occupant load of 10 or less.

This exception would seem to imply that the roll-up door could serve as the means of egress for a storage area, or private garage, so I think that answered my original question. I assume then if it was a powered door they would need to comply with:

1010.3.2 Power-operated doors. Where means of egress
doors are operated or assisted by power, the design shall
be such that in the event of power failure, the door is
capable of being opened manually to permit means of
egress travel or closed where necessary to safeguard
means of egress. The forces required to open these doors
manually shall not exceed those specified in Section
1010.1.3, except that the force to set the door in motion
shall not exceed 50 pounds (220 N). The door shall be
capable of opening from any position to the full width of
the opening in which such door is installed when a force
is applied to the door on the side from which egress is
made. Power-operated swinging doors, power-operated
sliding doors and power-operated folding doors shall
comply with BHMA Al56.10. Power-assisted swinging
doors and low-energy power-operated swinging doors
shall comply with BHMA Al56.19. Low-energy power-
operated sliding doors and low-energy power-operated
folding doors shall comply with BHMA A156.38.
 
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