Security Door Certification: LPS 1175 vs STS 217 Explained

A strong-looking door leaf can still fall short when a project requires documented security performance. Security door certification shows that a complete doorset has passed defined attack tests and remains controlled in production.

For commercial owners, facilities managers, contractors, and homeowners, certified steel security doors must match the project’s risks and specification. The difficult choice often comes down to LPS 1175 or STS 217. Both concern resistance to forced entry, but they use different assessment routes, making the certificate’s scope important.

What security door certification actually covers

A certified security door is more than a reinforced leaf. Testing normally applies to the complete doorset, including the frame, locks, hinges, glazing, cylinder, threshold, fixings, and permitted dimensions.

Changing one of these parts can affect the result. For example, fitting a different lock, replacing certified glazing, or changing the fixing method may mean the installed door no longer matches the tested design.

A certificate applies to a defined configuration

Certification documents usually identify the product range, approved sizes, hardware, glazing options, frame construction, and installation method. Some certificates also restrict the door’s use to a particular opening direction or fixing arrangement.

This configuration principle also applies to fire door certification, but the two assessments address different performance. Security certification alone doesn’t establish fire performance.

Therefore, a product brochure saying “tested to a specified standard” isn’t enough. You need to know whether the exact model and specification supplied to your site appear within the certificate’s scope.

A one-off test report also differs from ongoing certification. A manufacturer may test a prototype successfully, but an ongoing scheme adds checks to confirm that production units match it.

Independent testing protects consistency

Third-party certification involves independent bodies, such as a laboratory or certification body, rather than a manufacturer assessing its own product. The process can include laboratory testing, factory audits, production records, and checks on materials and assembly.

Factory production control (FPC) is central to this process. For doorset manufacturers, it provides documented procedures for controlling components, workmanship, changes, labelling, and traceability. Labels, serial references, and production records support that traceability.

Without those controls, a door made months after the original test could differ in ways that reduce its security performance.

CE marking, where legally applicable, is separate regulatory evidence. It doesn’t prove the door’s performance against deliberate attack.

For LPCB certification listings, buyers can use the LPCB RedBook Live database to check product information and certification details.

LPS 1175 uses graded security ratings

This standard is administered through LPCB certification by the Loss Prevention Certification Board, part of the BRE Group. It covers intruder-resistant building components, security doors, strongpoints, enclosures, and related barriers.

Its main feature is a graded rating system. Instead of one general pass or fail result, the graded route identifies the attack capability resisted and the delay achieved under controlled test conditions.

How the ratings work

Current Issue 8 references use a two-part rating:

• A letter from A to H identifies the threat level, including the tool set and number of attackers used.
• A number identifies the minimum delay period, such as 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes.

A result such as A1 or C5 communicates more than a simple “secure” description. This security rating gives the specifier a defined performance level to compare with the property’s risk assessment.

Older documents may refer to Security Ratings 1 to 8. Because the rating structure changed between issues, compare the issue number as well as the rating. An older SR reference shouldn’t be treated as automatically equivalent to a current letter-and-time classification.

The delay period is also easy to misunderstand. It describes resistance during the specified laboratory attack, using the defined tools and conditions. It isn’t a guarantee that every intruder will be stopped for exactly that length of time during a real forced entry attempt.

When the graded route is the better fit

The graded route suits sites facing more than casual or opportunistic burglary. It also helps where a client needs a measurable delay requirement. Examples can include industrial buildings, utility sites, secure storage areas, data facilities, plant rooms, and controlled commercial premises.

The chosen grade depends on the risk, the value of the contents, likely access to tools, the building’s location, and the time available before a response. A security consultant, insurer, or project specification may state the required grade.

STS 217 focuses on certified security doorsets

STS 217 is an independent UK security doorset certification route. It belongs to the Security Technical Schedule family and appears in Secured by Design guidance alongside other recognised doorset standards.

Rather than treating the routes as interchangeable, check the certificate, issue, scope, and named certification body for the specific product.

What an STS 217 claim should show

An STS 217 certificate should relate to a defined doorset and its approved construction. It should clearly identify the locks, hardware, glazing, frame, sizes, and installation details covered.

A supplier should provide current certification evidence, not just a product data sheet or a statement that the door has been “tested.” Ask whether the scheme includes continuing factory production control and periodic auditing.

Secured by Design’s doors standards guidance is useful when a project specification requires a police-backed security approach. It also helps specifiers check which standards and editions are currently recognised.

The practical difference from the graded route

The graded route provides a defined threat and delay structure. STS 217 is better understood as a separate certification route for security doorsets, based on its prescribed test regime and certification requirements.

A buyer shouldn’t translate an STS 217 certificate into a graded rating without written evidence. If a tender or insurer names a specific route, an STS 217 certificate may not satisfy the requirement. The reverse can also apply when the specification names an alternative certification route.

The two certification routes at a glance

The main differences become clearer when the standards are compared by purpose and output.

Point of comparison	LPS 1175	STS 217
Main purpose	Graded resistance against controlled attack methods	Certified security performance for doorsets
Typical output	A threat-and-delay result, such as A1 or C5	Certification to the relevant STS 217 scheme requirements
Best suited to	Projects with a defined threat or delay target	Projects that specify an STS doorset certification route
Key evidence	Current issue, rating, product scope, and relevant listing	Current certificate, issuer, issue, and exact product scope
Separate evidence	Separate fire door certification is required. CE marking, where applicable, does not prove security performance	Separate evidence is required for other performance characteristics

Both routes depend on the delivered assembly matching the certified design, including its dimensions, hardware, and installation. Neither route proves fire resistance, acoustic performance, or a thermal rating.

Where PAS 24 and Secured by Design fit

PAS 24 often appears in discussions about residential security. It is a common UK benchmark for doorsets and windows in dwellings and buildings facing comparable risks.

PAS 24 is aimed at enhanced residential security

PAS 24 uses defined test methods and acceptance criteria for attacks associated with a casual or opportunistic burglar. It is generally treated as a pass or fail assessment for the tested configuration, rather than a graded delay system.

The current edition referenced by BSI and relevant police guidance is PAS 24:2022+A1:2024. You can read the current BSI PAS 24 information before specifying a residential doorset.

This standard is often connected with Approved Document Q under building regulations for new dwellings. However, it isn’t a direct replacement where a project requires stronger, graded resistance against a defined threat.

A police-led specification framework

Secured by Design is the official UK police initiative for improving the security of buildings and developments. It isn’t a testing laboratory. Instead, its guidance identifies standards and product routes that can support a security-led specification.

Recognition doesn’t replace separate fire door certification evidence where required. Check the product certificate, current standard edition, acceptance status, installation requirements, and transition dates before ordering.

Dual certification: security and fire in one doorset

A modern commercial project may need certified steel security doors with fire door certification for the same opening. Check the exact model and configuration. This is where dual certification matters.

Security and fire standards measure different risks, so neither security route can establish fire door certification or fire resistance. Relevant fire testing and classification must provide that evidence, often using BS EN 1634 test methods.

The whole assembly must remain compliant

The approved doorset must have security and fire evidence for the same construction, or clearly defined compatible configurations. The frame, intumescent seals, hinges, closer, lock, glazing, and threshold all matter.

Certifire and BM TRADA Q-Mark are possible sources of fire evidence, where relevant to the product and scope. Their schemes are not interchangeable, so check the current certificate scope, testing, and compatibility with the proposed doorset. CE marking, where applicable, is not a substitute for test and classification evidence.

Security or fire evidence does not automatically establish acoustic performance. Additional fire requirements, such as a smoke rating, need separate evidence.

Changing the security specification can damage fire performance if someone drills the leaf, changes the lock, removes seals, or substitutes unapproved hardware. Equally, fitting a fire-rated component doesn’t automatically preserve the approved security evidence. Compliance depends on keeping the tested assembly and its approved installation details intact.

For escape routes and other regulated openings, the responsible person should coordinate the fire, security, and escape-route requirements with a competent installer. UK Doors & Shutters supplies fire-rated personnel steel doors for commercial premises, but the required security, fire, and other performance evidence must be confirmed for the chosen model and application.

How to verify a certified doorset before buying

The following checks can prevent an expensive compliance problem after installation.

1. Define the building’s risk first. Identify whether the opening serves a home, shop, warehouse, plant room, office, utility area, or higher-risk site. Consider the contents, likely forced entry method, access route, and required response time.
2. Ask for the current certificate. Check the named standard and current issue, such as PAS 24:2022+A1:2024. For a fire-rated opening, request the relevant fire door certification and supporting documents.
3. Match every component. Compare the certificate with the quotation and installation schedule. Check the door leaf, frame, hinges, lock, cylinder, glazing, letterplate, threshold, dimensions, and fixing method.
4. Confirm third-party certification. Ask who issued the certificate, whether the test laboratory and certification body hold appropriate accreditation, and whether the manufacturer operates factory production control with ongoing audits. For relevant products, check BM TRADA Q-Mark evidence against the exact product scope.
5. Check product identification on delivery. Confirm traceability through labels, serial numbers, certification marks, and CE marking where applicable. The responsible person should retain photographs, manuals, certificates, and installation records in the building’s compliance file. Where applicable, align these records with duties under the Building Safety Act.
6. Protect the certification after installation. Don’t replace hardware or modify the leaf without the certificate holder’s approval. The responsible person should approve hardware changes, repairs, and planned inspections with the certificate holder, especially on busy commercial openings.

A site survey can also identify conflicts between security, fire escape, access control, loading operations, and maintenance needs. UK Doors & Shutters offers fire exit door installation and can discuss the requirements for your opening. For advice about a new door, replacement, or existing fault, Contact Us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is LPS 1175 better than STS 217?

Neither route is automatically better. LPS 1175 provides a defined threat-and-delay rating, while STS 217 is a separate certification route for security doorsets; the correct choice depends on the project specification and risk assessment.

Does security door certification cover the complete doorset?

Yes, certification normally applies to the complete tested configuration, including the leaf, frame, locks, hinges, glazing, threshold, fixings, and permitted dimensions. Changing a component or installation method may mean the supplied doorset no longer matches the certificate.

Does LPS 1175 or STS 217 prove fire performance?

No. Security certification and fire door certification measure different performance characteristics, so separate fire testing and classification evidence is required where the opening has fire-resistance requirements.

How can I check whether a security door certificate is current?

Request the current certificate and check the standard, issue, certification body, product scope, approved sizes, hardware, and installation details. For relevant LPCB-certified products, the LPCB RedBook Live database can also help confirm the listed information.

Can certified security doors be modified after installation?

Modifications such as replacing locks, changing glazing, drilling the leaf, or substituting hardware can affect the certified performance. Obtain approval from the certificate holder before making changes and retain records of any approved work.

Conclusion

The graded route and STS 217 both support security doorset specifications, but they answer different questions. The graded route indicates threat level and delay, while STS 217 offers an alternative certified doorset route. Its current scope should be checked carefully.

Choose the complete assembly, with current certification, controlled production, clear records, and correct installation. Where fire door certification is required, verify separate evidence for the same approved doorset. The responsible person should retain that evidence and control any later changes.