R311.3 Floors and landings at exterior doors. There shall be a landing or floor on each side of each exterior door. The width of each landing shall be not less than the door served.
Every landing shall have a dimension of not less than 36 inches (914 mm) measured in the direction of travel. Code expert Glenn Mathewson runs through the landing requirements for exterior doors, including the threshold dimensions and much more. Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) Residential Code 2021 > 3 Building Planning > R311 Means of Egress > R311.3 Floors and Landings at Exterior Doors Go To Full Code Chapter.
Demystify building code requirements governing the size and location of safe door landings and critical exit platforms. Code expert Glenn Mathewson discusses the requirements for exterior door landings, including threshold dimensions, allowable steps, and additional dimensions. Exception: Where the door opens into the stairway of a smokeproof enclosure, the landing need not have a length of 5 feet.
(Title 24, Part 2, Section 2-3303 (i) (2) Exception 1). In existing installations where there is no landing, doors shall be conspicuously marked with a sign stating 'Danger! The step-down requirements to a landing at an exterior door of a home depends on whether the door is an egress door or just a regular exterior door.
The egress door standards are more stringent, per the International Residential Code (IRC R311.1) and Residential Edition of the Florida Building Code (FBC). Doors in the fully open position shall not reduce a required dimension by more than 7 inches (178 mm). Where a landing serves an occupant load of 50 or more, doors in any position shall not reduce the landing to less than one.
THIS DIAGRAM ILLUSTRATES THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OF THESE REGULATIONS AND IS INTENDED ONLY AS AN AID FOR BUILDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION DOOR HARDWARE OBSTRUCTIONS VESTIBULE. A landing may be omitted at the bottom of an exterior stair or ramp provided there is no obstruction, such as a gate or door, within the door. It is important to consult local building codes for specific requirements and guidelines for exterior doors.
