Difference Between FD30 and FD60 Fire Doors

The difference between FD30 and FD60 fire doors comes down to fire resistance time, compartmentation requirements and regulatory compliance under UK fire safety law. These are the two most common fire door ratings used in UK buildings.

Understanding the difference between FD30 and FD60 fire doors is essential for meeting UK fire door regulations and ensuring compliance with your building’s fire strategy.

Many building owners search for the difference between FD30 and FD60 fire doors when replacing flat entrance doors, upgrading communal doors or responding to fire risk assessment findings.

This guide explains the difference between FD30 vs FD60, what the “S” rating means (FD30S / FD60S), where each type is typically used, and what you should check before specifying, replacing, or inspecting a door set.

What Does FD30 And FD60 Mean?

The difference between FD30 and FD60 is the length of time the doorset can resist fire during a standard fire resistance test.

In simple terms:

• FD30 = a fire door designed to provide around 30 minutes fire resistance.
• FD60 = a fire door designed to provide around 60 minutes fire resistance.

These ratings relate to fire resistance performance when the doorset is correctly specified, installed, and maintained, based on test evidence and certification for the complete doorset (door leaf, frame, seals, hinges, closer, glazing, latches, etc.), not just the leaf on its own.

FD30S And FD60S: What Does The “S” Mean?

You’ll often see FD30S or FD60S instead of FD30/FD60.

The “S” typically indicates the doorset is designed to provide smoke control (often associated with cold smoke leakage performance) when installed with appropriate smoke seals (usually combined with intumescent seals). In practice:

• FD30S = 30-minute fire door plus smoke seals
• FD60S = 60-minute fire door plus smoke seals

This is important because smoke is usually the bigger killer than flame in many building fires, and smoke control supports safer evacuation routes.

(Where you’re working to a specific standard or certified system, always follow the exact wording and performance classification in the door’s test evidence/certification, rather than relying only on shorthand labels.)

FD30 vs FD60: Quick Comparison

Does FD60 Automatically Improve Compliance?

Not necessarily. Installing an FD60 door where FD30 is required does not automatically improve compliance. Fire safety law requires doors to match the building’s fire strategy and tested certification. Over-specification without evidence or compatibility can still result in non-compliance.

Are FD60 Doors Thicker Than FD30?

In many certified systems, FD60 doors are thicker and heavier than FD30 doors because they require more robust core construction and fire-resisting materials.

Typical examples (subject to manufacturer certification):

• FD30 door leaf: often around 44mm thick
• FD60 door leaf: often around 54mm thick

However, thickness alone does not determine the fire rating. Only tested and certified door sets should be relied upon to confirm fire resistance performance.

FD30 vs FD60: The Practical Difference In Real Buildings

1) Where FD30 Doors Are Commonly Used

FD30 / FD30S doors are commonly used where the fire strategy requires 30 minutes protection, such as:

• Flat entrance doors in many blocks of flats (often FD30S), particularly where they protect escape routes and support compartmentation
• Doors opening onto protected corridors
• Stair doors and lobby doors in many buildings where 30 minutes is the designed standard
• Internal fire doors separating higher-risk rooms from circulation spaces (depending on the building design)

In residential settings, the broader legal context also matters. For example, the Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that fire risk assessments for relevant residential buildings must include flat entrance doors and other elements.

2) Where FD60 Doors Are Commonly Used

FD60 / FD60S doors are more often used where the fire strategy demands 60 minutes protection, such as:

• Higher-risk locations where extended resistance is required due to fire load or consequences
• Compartment lines designed for 60 minutes (e.g., some protected routes, higher-risk shafts, or certain plant areas)
• Basement interfaces or areas where guidance/design calls for higher resistance
• Parts of complex buildings where evacuation may take longer or where structural/fire strategy requirements increase resistance

The “right” rating is not guesswork — it should align with the building’s fire strategy and the requirements applied through building control guidance (particularly Approved Document B in England), which sets out expected fire resistance standards for compartment walls, floors and protected routes in common building types.

The Key Compliance Point: It’s The Doorset That Matters

One of the most common problems we see is people treating FD30 or FD60 as a label that can be applied to any door.

In reality, the fire performance depends on:

• the tested/certified doorset design
• compatible and approved ironmongery
• correct installation tolerances
• intact seals (intumescent and smoke seals where required)
• a functioning self-closing device
• ongoing inspection and maintenance

If the door has been altered (different hinges, letter plates, glazing changes, undercut changes, damaged seals), it may no longer match the tested specification — and the rating may no longer be defensible.

During a fire safety inspection, enforcing authorities will assess whether the installed doorset matches the building’s required fire resistance rating and certified specification — not just whether a label says FD30 or FD60.

How To Decide: FD30 Or FD60?

When deciding between FD30 and FD60, use a structured approach:

1) Check The Fire Strategy Or Design Intent

If a fire strategy exists, it should specify the required door ratings by location. If it doesn’t, that’s a risk in itself — you may need a competent review (or a retrospective fire strategy) to confirm requirements.

2) Confirm What Building Control Guidance Assumes

Approved Document B and related guidance influence what is typically expected in common building scenarios, including protected routes and compartmentation performance.

3) Consider The Use, Occupancy, And Risk Profile

A low-risk office corridor is different from:

• a high-rise residential building
• a care environment
• a building with vulnerable occupants
• a building where evacuation is slower or more complex

4) Verify Door Markings, Certification, And Evidence

Look for:

• certification labels/plug markings
• install documentation
• test evidence references
• maintenance records

If you can’t evidence it, it becomes harder to defend the rating during an audit or enforcement review.

If you are replacing fire doors, refurbishing a block of flats, or unsure whether existing doors meet the required FD30 or FD60 standard, a structured fire door inspection and review against your fire strategy can clarify the correct specification before work is carried out.

Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 And Fire Door Duties

If you manage blocks of flats in England, the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 introduced specific operational duties, including fire door checks in certain circumstances (such as buildings over 11m, using best endeavours for flat entrance doors and regular checks of communal doors).

That doesn’t change FD30 vs FD60 selection directly — but it does increase the expectation that fire doors are actively managed, checked, and recorded, and that defects are addressed promptly.

Common Mistakes When Specifying FD30 / FD60 Doors

• Replacing a door leaf only, without ensuring the full doorset remains compliant
• Missing or damaged smoke seals on doors that should be FD30S / FD60S
• Incompatible ironmongery (closers/hinges/latches not matching the certified system)
• Poor gaps and tolerances (installation quality)
• No evidence trail (no certification, no records, no inspection history)
• Assuming the rating “still applies” after tenant alterations or repeated repairs

Best-Practice Checklist Before You Buy, Replace, Or Inspect

• Confirm the required rating (FD30/FD60 and whether “S” is required)
• Use a certified doorset (not just a leaf)
• Ensure installers are competent and follow the manufacturer/system requirements
• Build fire doors into your inspection regime
• Keep a record of location, rating, checks, defects, and repairs
• Treat alterations as a trigger for review and re-verification

How Fire Risk Assessment Network Can Help

At Fire Risk Assessment Network, we help duty holders make fire door compliance defensible — not just assumed.

If you need support confirming whether your building requires FD30, FD30S, FD60, or FD60S, or you need competent inspection and record-keeping processes, we can help you put a structured approach in place.

Conclusion

Understanding the difference between FD30 and FD60 fire doors is essential for ensuring the right level of fire protection in your building.

FD30 fire doors are designed to provide at least 30 minutes of fire resistance and are commonly used to protect escape routes in smaller or lower-risk premises. FD60 fire doors, by contrast, provide at least 60 minutes of fire resistance and are typically required in larger, higher-risk or more complex buildings where extended compartmentation is necessary.

However, choosing between FD30 and FD60 is not simply a matter of preference. The correct fire door rating should always be determined by your building’s fire strategy, layout, occupancy profile and fire risk assessment. Installing the wrong rating — or failing to maintain fire doors properly — can undermine compartmentation, increase risk to occupants and result in enforcement action under fire safety legislation.

Ultimately, both FD30 and FD60 fire doors play a critical role in protecting life and property. Ensuring they are correctly specified, certified, installed and maintained is fundamental to achieving and demonstrating fire door compliance.

If you are unsure which fire door rating is appropriate for your premises, a competent fire risk assessment and professional inspection can provide clarity and ensure your building meets current legal requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is FD60 always better than FD30?

Not necessarily. FD60 provides longer resistance, but the “right” door rating must match the fire strategy/design requirement. Over-specifying can add cost and still fail compliance if the doorset isn’t certified, installed, and maintained correctly.

What is the difference between FD30 and FD30S?

FD30S generally indicates the doorset includes smoke control performance, typically achieved through smoke seals alongside intumescent protection. This helps reduce smoke spread into escape routes.

Are flat entrance doors usually FD30 or FD60?

Many blocks of flats use FD30S flat entrance doors, but this depends on the building design, height, and fire strategy. Always verify against the building’s documented requirements and risk assessment duties.

Can I replace just the door leaf and keep the FD rating?

Often, that’s where compliance problems begin. Fire resistance is based on the complete doorset (leaf + frame + seals + ironmongery + installation). Replacing the leaf without ensuring system compatibility can undermine the rating.

Do smoke seals matter if the door is “fire rated”?

Yes. Fire resistance and smoke control are related but not identical. A door may resist fire but still leak smoke if seals are missing/damaged. FD30S/FD60S doors rely on the correct seals being present and intact.