The Dallas City Council has adopted into law security requirements as part of the Dallas Building Code. These security provisions can help in limiting the opportunity for crime. Police studies have shown that crime is significantly reduced when homeowners put these provisions into place. All locks, including bars and grates, on emergency escape doors and windows must be easy to open without a key or any special knowledge or effort.

Door Requirements 

• Front entry doors must provide a viewable area immediately outside the door of 180 degrees.

• Breakable glass is not allowed within 40 inches of a door- locking device. See Figure 19.

• Required exit doors within 40 inches is acceptable if the glass is patterned, wired, laminated, obscured or protected by approved bars.

• On other than required exit doors, glazing may be within 40 inches of a key operated lock from both the inside and outside. This is called a double cylinder lock.

Swinging Doors

See Figure 20

• The door should be at least 13/8 inches thick and solid core. Any open space between trimmers and wood doorjambs must be solid shimmed by a piece extending six (6) inches above and below the strike plate.

• The doors must have dead bolts that are easily opened without a key from the inside.

• The doors must have a minimum throw of one (1) inch through a metal strike plate.

• Strike plates must be attached to locks using a minimum of a two (2) inch screw.

• Exposed hinges must be equipped with non-removable hinge pins or mechanical interlocks. 

Windows and Sliding Doors 

• A primary lock and a secondary locking device, as discussed in detail previously, or approved bars, grills or grates must be on windows that can be opened and on sliding doors.