Why It’s for Empty Buildings Only
The InvinciBolt Lock is keyed from outside and cannot be opened from inside. On an empty building, no one needs to open that door from inside. In a building where anyone lives, works or stays, the same feature would leave that door unusable as an exit. The model building and fire codes that most U.S. states and cities adopt say exit doors must open from the inside without a key, and fire departments warn against locks that need a key to get out.
What the model codes say
Most U.S. states build their codes on the International Codes, and many also use the NFPA Life Safety Code, adopting a particular edition and adding their own amendments.
- Homes (International Residential Code, section R311.2): “Egress doors shall be readily openable from inside the dwelling without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.”
- Other buildings (International Building Code): egress doors “shall be readily openable from the egress side without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.” The section is numbered 1010.1.9 in the 2015 edition and 1010.2 in the 2021 edition. A narrow exception lets the main entrance of some assembly, business, factory, mercantile and storage buildings, and places of worship, use a key-operated lock, but only if it plainly shows when it is locked and a sign is posted: “THIS DOOR TO REMAIN UNLOCKED WHEN THIS SPACE IS OCCUPIED.” That exception does not cover the InvinciBolt Lock, which cannot be opened from inside at all.
- NFPA 101, Life Safety Code (section 7.2.1.5): doors must open readily from the egress side whenever the building is occupied, and locks “shall not require the use of a key, a tool, or special knowledge or effort” from that side.
Editions differ by place. Kentucky, for example, currently builds on the 2015 International Residential Code and the 2015 International Building Code, with Kentucky amendments, under regulations that took effect December 3, 2024. Your state or city may use a different edition. Ask your local building or fire official how the rules apply to your property.
What fire and police agencies say
The same concern drives fire-service warnings about double-cylinder deadbolts, the kind that need a key on both sides. After fatal fires in 2018, the Prince George’s County, Maryland, fire chief said, “No one should ever have to use a key to get out of their house.” Murrieta, California, Police note that many communities prohibit double-cylinder locks because they may be hazardous, and the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services tells families to make sure everyone can open the door locks and window latches.
What that means for the InvinciBolt Lock
A lock that opens only from outside must be unlocked whenever anyone is inside. That is why the product page, Safe Use and Property Access and the warranty set rules including these:
- Walk the whole building and confirm no person or pet is inside before locking it.
- Put it on one door; every other exterior door must still open from inside with its own hardware.
- Unlock it before anyone goes in, keep the key with you, and keep it unlocked the whole time anyone is inside.
- Take it off and put a standard deadbolt back before anyone moves in or stays overnight.
- Never use it on a home where anyone lives, even while they are away, or on a shared entrance.
- Never use it to keep a tenant or lawful occupant out.
The full steps for owners, agents, inspectors and contractors are on Safe Use and Property Access. For an occupied home, the fixes on How to Strengthen an Entry Door cover the frame, strike plate and hinges around a standard deadbolt without blocking the way out. To compare ways to secure an empty building’s door, see Ways to Secure a Vacant Property’s Door.
Sources
- International Residential Code (2021), section R311.2, as presented in Montana Department of Labor & Industry code training
- International Building Code (2015), section 1010.1.9, and NFPA 101 sections 7.2.1.5.1 and 7.2.1.5.3 as extracted in NFPA 1 (2012), as quoted by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services
- International Building Code (2021), sections 1010.2 and 1010.2.4, code page posted by iDigHardware
- Kentucky Administrative Regulations 815 KAR 7:125 (residential) and 815 KAR 7:120 (building)
- NBC Washington, Fire department warns against double locks (2018)
- Murrieta Police Department, California, Home security hardware
- Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, Create and practice a home escape plan
