What to know about door access control in Scottsdale
Restricted access triggers a fire department key box
Scottsdale requires a fire department key box on every commercial building with an off-site monitored fire system or restricted access. Fob-controlled doors are restricted access in the ordinary sense, so ask the fire department whether your building needs one. The first box goes at the main entrance, mounted 4 to 6 feet above grade and visible from the fire apparatus.
Electrical work needs a permit
The city says an electrical permit is required to install, alter or repair electrical wiring on any building. Its amended exemption list names only minor repairs and maintenance, with no exemption for security wiring. Starting before the permit is issued doubles the permit fee. Permit Services is at 480-312-2500.
Scottsdale builds on the 2021 fire code and 2020 electrical code
The city adopts the 2021 International Fire Code with local amendments and the 2020 National Electrical Code by reference. Its building codes page lists the 2021 IBC, 2021 IFC and 2020 NEC amendments and shows no 2024 adoption. Door hardware on exit paths is checked against the fire code.
Door checks at a venue come with a police plan
A business that checks ID at the door, uses a DJ or uses a promoter must have a police-approved Public Safety Plan. The plan applies to A-2, A-3 and A-4 assembly uses. Staffing at peak hours must be at least one security officer per 50 patrons for the first 500, then one per 75.
How access control works
Each controlled door has a reader, a lock and a controller. Present a fob, card, code or phone and the controller checks it against the list, then releases the lock. The software logs every entry.
When someone leaves, you disable their fob in a few clicks. Nobody rekeys the building.
Locks and exits
Lock type is the biggest choice at each door. Electric strikes work well on standard doors. Magnetic locks hold glass and double doors. Electrified hardware inside the door looks cleanest and suits busy entries.
Anyone inside must always be able to get out. Exit doors use a request-to-exit sensor or a push bar, and doors on exit paths follow the fire code. Where a door has to release when the fire alarm sounds, we tie the lock to the alarm panel. We talk through each door with you before ordering hardware.
- Fail-safe locks release when power is lost. Fail-secure locks stay locked.
- Which one you want depends on the door and what the fire code requires there.
- Battery backup keeps readers and locks working through a short outage.
Doors worth controlling in a restaurant or bar
In a bar or restaurant, the back door, office, liquor storage and cash room are the doors to control. A fob for each manager limits who gets in, and the log shows after-hours entry. Front doors stay on a regular lock or a schedule so guests walk in freely.
At a venue with a door check, staff handle the entrance and access control protects everything behind it.
Offices, retail and warehouses
Offices put readers on the suite entry and the server room and set schedules by suite. Retail uses them on stockrooms and back doors, warehouses on dock doors and office areas. In multi-tenant buildings, each tenant often wants its own list on shared doors.
Scottsdale fire department key boxes
Once your doors are on fobs, firefighters can't walk in. The key box holds keys or a master credential for them. Scottsdale's code puts the first box at the main entrance, 4 to 6 feet off the ground and visible from the fire apparatus. We mark the box on the plan and make sure the doors it opens are covered. Your fire department contact confirms the box type and location.
Cameras and cabling
Most access jobs include security cameras, so every log entry has video to match. Both run on structured data cabling. The Scottsdale page lists everything else. To scope your doors, call (602) 769-7992 for a walkthrough.
