Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 15 § 15.98
FRONT DOORS (Bloomington Buildings and Structures Code)
Operative Text
All front doors of any building or premises used for business purposes and subject to the provisions hereof shall comply with the following requirements. (1) Tempered glass doors, wood or metal doors with tempered glass panel, solid wood or metal doors shall be secured as follows. (A) A single door shall be equipped with either double cylinder dead lock that unlocks from both the outside and inside (where permitted by the International Property Maintenance Code, as adopted in § 15.01 ) by key or with cylinder dead lock that unlocks from the outside by key and inside by turnpiece, handle or knob, or with dead locking latch having guarded bolt that unlocks from the outside by key and inside by turnpiece, handle or knob. (B) On doubled doors the active leaf shall be equipped with a type of lock as prescribed for single doors above, and the inactive leaf shall be equipped with flush bolts at head and foot. (2) Doors with glass panels not of tempered glass and doors that have nontempered glass panels adjacent to the door frame shall be secured as follows. (A) A single door shall be equipped with cylinder dead lock that unlocks from both the outside and inside by a key. (B) On double doors the active leaf shall be equipped with cylinder dead lock that unlocks from both the outside and inside by a key and the inactive leaf shall be equipped with flush bolts at head and foot. (3) Rolling overhead doors that are not controlled or locked by electric power operation shall be equipped on the inside with the following protective devices. (A) Manually operated doors shall be provided with slide bolts on the bottom bar. (B) Chain operated doors shall be provided with a cast iron keeper and pin for securing the hand chain. (C) Crank operated doors shall be provided with a means for securing the operating shaft. (4) A solid overhead, swinging, sliding or accordion garage-type door shall be secured with a cylinder lock, padlock or metal slide bar, bolt, or crossbar on the inside when not otherwise controlled or locked by electric power operation. If padlock is used, it shall be of hardened steel shackle with minimum four pin tumbler operation. In the event that this type of door provides the only entrance to the front of the building, a cylinder lock or padlock may be used on the outside. (5) Metal accordion grate or grill-type doors shall be equipped with metal guide track at top and bottom and a cylinder lock and/or padlock with hardened steel shackle and minimum four pin tumbler operation. (6) Outside hinges on all front doors shall be provided with nonremovable pins. Such hinge pins may be either welded, flanged or secured by a screw. (1958 Code, § 40.07) (Ord. 67-71, passed 12-28-1967; Ord. 2002-1, passed 1-14-2002)
Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 15.98 establishes specific hardware and locking requirements for front doors on commercial buildings. Depending on the door type — whether tempered glass, non-tempered glass, rolling overhead, accordion grate, or solid garage-style — the rule prescribes particular lock configurations, bolt placements, and hinge-pin treatments. The overarching goal is to ensure that each door type is secured in a manner appropriate to its construction and vulnerability.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of commercial properties in Bloomington should audit every front door against the specific requirements of § 15.98, since the rule distinguishes between tempered and non-tempered glass panels, single versus double doors, and various overhead or accordion door styles. Compliant operators generally ensure that dead locks, flush bolts, slide bolts, cylinder locks, or padlocks with hardened steel shackles and minimum four-pin tumbler operation are installed as called for by each door's construction type. Outside hinge pins on all front doors must be non-removable — welded, flanged, or screw-secured — to meet the provision's requirements.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
While § 15.98 primarily governs commercial building owners, tenants of business premises have an interest in knowing whether the front doors of their leased space meet the locking and hardware standards set out in this provision. If a tenant believes the door hardware does not conform — for example, missing required dead locks, improper glass panels, or removable hinge pins — they may raise the issue with the building owner or contact the City of Bloomington's relevant code enforcement office. Tenant-rights or small-business organizations familiar with Bloomington's ordinances can help clarify what remedies or complaint processes may be available.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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