Fire Door Signage Requirements for Different Door Arrangements

When people think about a fire door, they usually focus on the door leaf, frame, closer or latch. But the signage matters too. Clear, correctly placed signage helps protect the way a fire or smoke door is supposed to work in an emergency. That is exactly why the NCC includes specific fire door signage requirements for different door arrangements, rather than treating every door the same. NCC 2016 D2.23 Signs on doors requires signs on certain fire and smoke doors, and in NCC 2022 the same requirement continues under D3D28 Signs on doors.

The reason for this is practical. Some doors only need to warn the person approaching from one side. Others need to warn people from both directions because the door may be used from either side during evacuation, or because the door forms part of a special exit arrangement such as a horizontal exit or a stair discharging to safety. NCC 2016 D2.23 sets these arrangements out clearly, and NCC 2022 keeps the same practical structure even though the clause numbering changed.

The one-sided signage arrangement

Under NCC 2016 D2.23(a)(i), signage is required on the side facing a person seeking egress for a required fire door providing direct access to a fire-isolated exit, and for a required smoke door. There is an exception for the door providing direct egress from a sole-occupancy unit in a Class 2 or 3 building, or a Class 4 part. In simple terms, this is the common arrangement where a person is moving toward an exit route and needs a clear reminder not to block or hold open the door that protects that route.

This is often the arrangement seen at doors leading into a fire-isolated stair. From the tenancy or corridor side, the sign warns occupants and building users not to interfere with the door. That makes sense because the risk usually comes from people on the approach side wedging the door open, leaving items in front of it, or using it in a way that compromises the stair’s protection. The NCC’s explanatory material for the current edition says these doors are required for evacuation and that obstruction or keeping them open can make an exit unusable or help fire and smoke spread.

There is an important variation within this one-sided category. If that door is fitted with a device holding it open, the sign cannot just stay on the egress side of the leaf. NCC 2016 D2.23(a)(i) requires the sign to be on the wall adjacent to the doorway or on both sides of the door. That reflects the higher risk created when a door is capable of being held open.

The both-sides signage arrangement

NCC 2016 D2.23(a)(ii) requires signage on each side of three door types: a fire door forming part of a horizontal exit, a smoke door that swings in both directions, and a door leading from a fire-isolated exit to a road or open space. NCC 2022 D3D28 preserves the same arrangement.

This is where many signage mistakes occur. People assume all fire doors are signed the same way. They are not. A horizontal exit door needs signs on both sides because it is a required doorway between two parts of a building separated by a fire wall. In the NCC definition, a horizontal exit is a required doorway between two parts of a building separated from each other by a fire wall. That means occupants may approach and use it from either side depending on the emergency scenario, so both sides need the warning. NCC 2022 glossary definition of horizontal exit.

The same logic applies to a smoke door that swings both ways. If the door can be approached and used from either direction, both sides need to carry the message. Likewise, the final door leading from a fire-isolated exit to a road or open space must be signed on each side. Even though it is at the discharge point, it still must not be obstructed. If that door cannot open freely when needed, safe egress is affected at the last point of escape.

What the sign must say

NCC 2016 D2.23(b) specifies the wording shall be as follows

For a door held open by an automatic hold-open device:

FIRE SAFETY DOOR

DO NOT OBSTRUCT

For a self-closing door:

FIRE SAFETY DOOR

DO NOT OBSTRUCT

DO NOT KEEP OPEN

For a door discharging from a fire-isolated exit, it states:

FIRE SAFETY DOOR

DO NOT OBSTRUCT

The NCC also requires the wording to be in capital letters at least 20 mm high and in a colour contrasting with the background. NCC 2022 D3D28 carries this through.

Why newer NCC editions still matter

If you are reviewing an older building, NCC 2016 D2.23 is often the clause people start with. But for current work, NCC 2022 should also be considered because the provision continues under D3D28, with the same overall intent and essentially the same door arrangement logic. The NCC 2022 online edition also notes that the code is to be read together with the current amendments, which matters when checking the most up-to-date wording.

That means a compliant assessment is not just about spotting whether a sign exists. It is about asking the right questions:

Is this a door into a fire-isolated exit, a horizontal exit door, a both-ways smoke door, or a discharge door to road or open space?
Does the sign appear on the correct side, or on both sides where required?
Does the wording match the function of the door?
Is the sign visible, legible and not defeated by fit-out changes or repainting?

A small sign with a big compliance role

Door signage can look like a minor detail, but it supports the safe use of critical fire and smoke doors. When the sign arrangement is wrong, the risk is not just technical non-compliance. It increases the chance that a door will be blocked, wedged open or misunderstood during an emergency. That is exactly the kind of preventable issue the NCC is trying to avoid. Fire doors are part of a complete tested and regulated system, with AS 1905.1:2015 remaining the key Australian Standard for fire-resistant doorsets.

In practice, the safest approach is simple: identify the door type first, then match the signage arrangement to the code. One side is not always enough. In some cases, both sides are required for very good reason.