A panic bar (exit device, crash bar, push bar) is a horizontal bar across the inside of a door that retracts the latch when pushed: one motion, no key, no knob. Golden Key Locksmith NYC has installed and serviced panic hardware on storefronts, offices, schools, restaurants, and houses of worship across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and The Bronx since 1984. Call (212) 204-1655, 24/7. See also how a push bar door lock works.
Who needs a panic bar in NYC
Under the NYC Building Code (which follows the IBC here), exit doors serving assembly and educational spaces with an occupant load of 50 or more, and doors in high-hazard occupancies, must have panic hardware instead of a keyed lock. That covers most restaurant, bar, and busy retail exits, school corridors and large classrooms, sanctuaries and social halls. Many owners also fit one on office back doors, stairwell doors, and warehouse exits where it is not required: free egress, door still locked from outside.
Exit devices we install
- Rim exit devices. Surface-mounted, latching into a frame strike. The standard for single storefront and back-of-house doors.
- Mortise exit devices. Lock body in the door edge; heavier duty, for high-traffic doors and mullioned pairs.
- Surface and concealed vertical rod devices. Latch top and bottom; for mullion-free pairs and tall doors.
- Fire exit hardware. Listed for fire-rated doors; cannot be dogged (held retracted) because the door must latch.
- Alarmed and delayed-egress devices. An alarmed device sounds a local horn when pushed. Delayed egress holds the door for a short, code-limited period, releases on fire alarm or power loss, and is permitted only in some occupancies.
- Electrified trim and latch retraction. For access control: staff badge in, exit stays free.
We install Von Duprin and Detex devices most often, with outside trim to suit the door: a pull with a key cylinder, lever trim, or none on exit-only doors. Cylinders can be keyed into your system or upgraded to Medeco or Mul-T-Lock. Bar or paddle? See panic bars versus push paddles; for the parts, see the panic bar hardware guide. If the frame or closer needs work too, see commercial door repair and installation.
Code compliance
The NYC Building Code and the IBC say which doors need panic hardware and how it must work: one motion, no key or special knowledge, in the direction of exit travel, at a mounting height and release force the code fixes. NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code) adds that exits stay usable whenever the building is occupied and that fire-rated doors carry listed fire exit hardware. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires hardware that works with one hand without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting, within its reach range; a push bar at the right height meets that by design. Our panic hardware height guide has the numbers. A chain, padlock, or added deadbolt inside an exit is a violation we are often called to undo.
Glass and aluminum storefront doors
On an aluminum-framed glass door the device mounts to the metal stile and rail, never to the glass; narrow-stile rim and vertical rod devices are made for this profile. The glass is tempered, and tempered glass cannot be drilled or cut after it leaves the factory without shattering, so a hole in the glass means a new, factory-prepared panel, not a drill. All-glass (frameless) doors use patch fittings or clamp plates that sandwich the glass with gaskets and spread the load through the holes the glass came with.
Repair, inspection, and upgrades
Most exit device problems look alike: a stiff bar, a latch that misses the strike, a door that will not close, or vertical rods out of adjustment. We repair what can be repaired, replace what cannot, and never force a bar that will not retract. NFPA 80 calls for annual inspection of fire door assemblies; a yearly check of every exit device and closer is a good habit on other doors too. An alarm, delayed egress, or access control trim can usually be added to a working device.
How a visit works
- Survey. Door, frame, glass, closer, fire rating, role in the exit path.
- Hardware match. Device, trim, cylinder, alarm or electrified options, quoted before work starts.
- Install. Device, strike, and trim mounted; closer adjusted; cylinder keyed.
- Test. Latch, release, dogging or fire-exit function, alarm, access control, both sides.
- Hand over. Keys, how to dog and undog where allowed, what to watch for.
Cost depends on device type, fire rating, trim and cylinder grade, door and frame prep, any alarm or access control tie-in, and how many doors are done together; we quote after the survey, not over the phone.
Frequently asked questions
Can a panic bar door still be locked from the outside?
Yes. The bar always frees the door from inside; outside access is set by the trim and cylinder, or by having no outside trim. For closing time, see locking a push bar door from inside.
Do you install panic bars on double doors?
Yes, with a mullion and two rim devices, or vertical rod devices when the full clear width is needed. See installing a panic bar on double doors.
Can I add a deadbolt to an exit door for night security?
Not on a required exit while the building is occupied. Use an alarmed device, key-locked outside trim, or delayed egress where allowed.
Do you handle the glass?
We mount to the frame or to factory-prepared glass, never drill tempered glass, and coordinate any panel replacement with the door work.
Book a panic bar installation
Licensed NYC locksmith (DCWP #2065742-DCA), 328 Columbus Ave, Upper West Side, serving all four boroughs 24/7. Call (212) 204-1655 for a survey, or see our commercial locksmith services.
