The short answer: since 1 March 2024, any digital lock installed on a fire-rated door in Singapore must be certified for fire resistance. Its rating must be at least the door's, and it must have a mechanical fail-safe. Before you buy, ask the seller for the lock's Certificate of Conformity and check it covers the exact model. Here's what that means in practice.
Is your main door fire-rated?
Many are. A fire-rated door is built to hold back fire and smoke for a set time, usually 30 or 60 minutes in homes, so neighbours along the corridor have time to get out. HDB's renovation guidelines say a main entrance door along a fire escape route must be half-hour fire-rated, with a self-closing device and an accreditor's label.
To check yours:
- Look for the label on the door edge, usually near the hinges. It shows the rating and a serial number.
- Look for a door closer, the arm at the top that pulls the door shut. HDB fits one to fire-rated entrance doors, and it must not be removed.
- Still unsure? HDB residents can check with HDB. Condo residents can ask the management office.
What SCDF requires
According to SCDF's guidance on digital locksets, from 1 March 2024 a digital lock installed on a fire door must be certified for fire resistance. It can be certified together with a particular door, or on its own. If you're adding a lock to the door you already have, choose one that's certified on its own.
How to read the Certificate of Conformity
Ask the seller for the Certificate of Conformity (CoC) before you pay. Check four things:
- Brand and model: the exact model you're buying must be listed. A certificate for a "similar" model doesn't count.
- Fire rating: at least the door's rating. A 30-minute door can take a lock rated 30, 60 or 120 minutes; a 60-minute door needs 60 or more.
- Mechanical fail-safe: the door can still be opened mechanically if the battery dies. That matters in a fire.
- Test standard: SS 332 or EN 1634-1.
SCDF says only three certification bodies can issue these certificates, and its sample certificates come from Element Testing Services, Setsco Services and TÜV SÜD PSB.
What about the lock I already have?
If your digital lock was installed on a fire door before 1 March 2024 and isn't certified, SCDF doesn't require you to replace it. It does encourage homeowners to switch to a certified lock, and the natural time is when the old one needs replacing anyway.
What about my gate?
This rule is about digital locks on fire doors. HDB describes the metal gate as a safety barrier and the main door as the fire safety barrier, so the certification question is about your main door. For gates, see our guide to choosing a smart lock for your HDB gate.
Buying and installing: practical tips
- Be careful with very cheap online locks. Ask for the CoC before buying. If the seller can't produce one for the exact model, buy elsewhere.
- Keep the door intact. Avoid a lock that needs extra holes or a much bigger cut-out in your fire door. A certified lock that suits your door's existing cut-out is the better choice.
- Keep the certificate with your home documents, in case management or a future buyer asks.
- Know your fail-safe. Once it's fitted, learn how the mechanical override works, and where the backup key and emergency power point are.
How we help
Uncle Thomas installs digital and smart locks of every brand on HDB, condo and landed home doors, with a no-expiry installation warranty. If you've bought a lock already, WhatsApp 9224 9224 a photo of your door edge, the door's label and the lock's certificate, and we'll tell you whether it fits before you book. See digital and smart lock installation.
This guide summarises public guidance from SCDF and HDB as of October 2026. Rules can change, so check the linked SCDF page for the latest requirements.