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Building Code Reference

Got a CBC 1010.1.1 correction?

Egress door clear width

For builders in California, Greater Seattle, the Las Vegas area, the Denver area and Kansas City · CrossBeam Permits

What this code requires, how to fix it, and how cities and counties review it

What this code requires

CBC 1010.1.1 requires every required egress door in a California building to provide a minimum clear opening width of 32 inches when the door is open 90 degrees. Clear width is measured from the face of the door to the door stop on the frame, not the rough opening and not the nominal door size. A standard 2-foot-8-inch door typically fails this requirement because the slab itself eats into the opening. Commercial and multifamily permits trigger this check on every door in the required means of egress path; one- and two-family dwellings and most ADUs follow the CRC egress door rule (R318.2) instead.

How to fix it

  1. Identify every door on the required egress path

    Pull up your floor plan and trace the egress path from each occupied room to the exterior exit. Mark every door that crosses this path. CBC 1010.1 requires each of these doors to comply with 1010.1.1. Doors that are NOT on a required egress path, like a pantry door or a closet, do not need to meet the 32-inch clear width, so do not waste time specifying hardware on those. When in doubt, mark it as egress and prove it out. A note that says "not on egress path" paired with an occupant load diagram is cleaner than a blank and cleaner than getting the correction back.

  2. Calculate actual clear width for each egress door

    Clear width is measured with the door open 90 degrees, from the face of the door slab to the face of the door stop on the strike-side jamb. For a standard 1-3/4 inch door with a 3/4 inch stop: rough opening minus (2 x jamb width) minus door slab thickness minus stop projection equals clear width. As a practical guide, you generally need a 2/10 or 3/0 nominal door to achieve 32 inches clear. Do the actual math on your door and jamb specs. Do not assume a 3/0 door automatically passes if you have non-standard jambs or hardware.

  3. Add a clear-width callout on the door schedule

    Add a column to your door schedule labeled "Clear Width (CBC 1010.1.1)" and fill in the calculated clear width for each egress door. If the door is an existing door you are keeping, measure it and note the measured clear width as verified. Plan checkers want to see this explicitly called out. A note that just says "egress door per CBC 1010.1" without the measurement will not satisfy most reviewers. Show the number, not just the citation.

  4. Size up undersized doors or swap them on the plans

    If any egress door calculates under 32 inches clear, you have two options: upsize the door to a 3/0 or wider, or document that the existing rough opening can accept a wider slab. If this is new construction, call out 3/0 minimum on all egress doors. If it is a remodel with a constrained rough opening, you may need to frame out a wider opening. Show the structural framing on the plans if the door is in a bearing wall.

  5. Detail hardware that could reduce clear width

    If any egress door has a panic bar, astragal, or other hardware in the opening, add a detail showing it meets CBC 1010.1.1.1: nothing may project into the required clear width below 34 inches above the floor, and projections between 34 and 80 inches may not exceed 4 inches. Pivot hinges, offset hinges, and swing-clear hinges can gain you 1.5 to 2 inches of clear width on tight openings. If you are borderline, call out the hinge type and show the math. A hardware schedule note that references the manufacturer spec sheet gives the plan checker something to approve instead of something to question.

  6. Cross-check against CBC 11B if the project has accessibility scope

    If your project triggers accessibility, CBC Chapter 11B may impose its own door width requirements under CBC 11B-404.2.3. The 1010.1.1 and 11B requirements overlap but are not identical. Run the 1010.1.1 check and the 11B check separately. Passing one does not mean you pass the other. Any altered element or space in a public accommodation or commercial facility must meet 11B (11B-202.3), and the path of travel to it is governed by 11B-202.4.

  7. Apply exceptions only when they genuinely fit, and cite them explicitly

    CBC 1010.1.1 has limited exceptions: storage closets under 10 sq ft, sauna, toilet and dressing compartments (20 inches minimum), and interior egress doors within R-2, R-3 and R-4 units not required to be adaptable or accessible. Read the exception language carefully. None of them cover main exit doors, dwelling unit entry doors, or accessible routes. If you invoke an exception, cite it by number on your plans and show the occupant load calculation that supports it. A bare exception claim without backup is another correction waiting to happen.

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Why you got flagged

Most corrections under CBC 1010.1.1 fall into one of three situations.

The most common: the plans call out a 2/8 or 2/6 door without specifying clear width. A 2-foot-8-inch door has a nominal width of 32 inches, but once you subtract the door slab thickness and the stop, the net clear opening lands somewhere around 29.5 to 30 inches. That is a fail. Plan checkers know this math and will flag it automatically whenever they see a sub-3/0 door on an egress path without a clear-width note.

The second scenario is hardware interference. Even a 3/0 door can fail if a kickplate, astragal, or threshold projection narrows the clear opening. If your plans do not detail the door hardware, the checker may call out CBC 1010.1.1 to make you prove the clear width holds with all hardware in place.

The third situation is dwelling unit doors in apartment and mixed-use buildings. Inside R-2 and R-3 units that are not required to be adaptable or accessible, CBC 1010.1.1 exempts interior egress doors, so a 2/6 bedroom door is fine there. The unit's exit door gets no such pass, and units required to be adaptable under Chapter 11A get no exemption at all. A 2/6 or 2/8 there gets this correction.

The official code

California Building Standards Code, Title 24 Part 2 — CBC 1010.1.1 Egress Door Minimum Width

Read the source →

Common questions

Does a 3/0 door always meet CBC 1010.1.1?
Not automatically. A 3/0 door has a nominal width of 36 inches, but the clear width is measured from the door face to the stop when open 90 degrees, and that depends on your jamb and stop configuration. With standard 4-9/16 inch jambs and a 3/4 inch stop, a 3/0 door typically clears around 33 to 34 inches, which passes. But with wider jambs, a thick slab, or hardware projections, you can end up under 32 inches. Measure it and call it out explicitly on your door schedule rather than assuming the nominal size passes.
What is the minimum door size to pass CBC 1010.1.1?
The code requires 32 inches of clear width, not a specific nominal door size. In practice, most contractors find that a 2/10 door (34 inches nominal) clears 32 inches reliably with standard hardware and jambs. A 2/8 door (32 inches nominal) almost never achieves 32-inch clear width once you account for the slab and stop. If you want a clean resubmit without having to justify the math, size your egress doors at 3/0 or wider.
Does CBC 1010.1.1 apply to interior bedroom doors in an ADU?
Generally no. Most ADUs are built under the CRC, where R318.2 requires one side-hinged egress door with 32 inches clear and says other doors are not required to meet those dimensions. Under the CBC, 1010.1.1 also exempts interior egress doors within R-2 and R-3 dwelling units that are not required to be adaptable or accessible under Chapter 11A. The exit door itself still needs 32 inches clear. Confirm with the plan checker which code governs your ADU and whether any adaptable-unit rules apply.
Can I use swing-clear hinges to gain clear width on a tight door opening?
Yes, swing-clear hinges are one of the most practical solutions for borderline openings. A standard hinge places the pivot point inside the door thickness, eating about 1.5 inches of clear width. Swing-clear hinges offset the pivot so the door swings fully clear of the frame, recovering those 1.5 inches. If you have a 2/8 door that calculates at 30 inches clear with standard hinges, swing-clears push you to about 31.5 inches, which is still a miss. You would also need to trim the stop or use an offset stop to get to 32 inches clean. Detail the hinge type on the plans with the hardware spec. Plan checkers need to see the spec, not just the nominal door size, to approve the fix.
What is the height requirement for egress doors under CBC 1010.1.1?
CBC 1010.1.1 covers height as well as width. Door openings need a minimum clear opening height of 80 inches, reduced to 78 inches for doors within a dwelling unit or sleeping unit, and to 76 inches for exterior doors other than the required exit door in units not required to be adaptable or accessible. If your correction letter cites 1010.1.1, check the comment wording to see whether the plan checker is flagging width, height, or both.
Does the 32-inch clear width apply to sliding doors on egress paths?
Yes. Sliding doors on egress paths must provide 32 inches of clear width in the fully open position. The measurement is taken at the clear opening in the wall when the door is fully retracted. Many pocket doors and bypass sliding doors fail this requirement because the pocket or overlapping panel reduces the available travel. If you are specifying a sliding door on an egress path, verify that the rough opening allows for 32 inches of clear travel after accounting for the frame, panel thickness, and any track hardware.

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