Door Acceptance Criteria: Tolerances & Tests India 2026

Door acceptance criteria are the written rules that decide whether a fitted door passes, goes on the snag list, or is rejected outright. "Acceptable" is not a matter of taste: a door is accepted when it sits within measurable tolerances and works reliably under hand. On an Indian project that means an even 2-4mm gap around the leaf, the frame plumb within ±1.5-2mm, a flat leaf with no visible bow, one-hand operation, a latch that catches first time, a leaf that self-closes fully where a closer is fitted, and a finish free of runs and scratches. Get the thresholds clear before you inspect and acceptance becomes a fast, defensible pass/fail rather than an argument at handover. This guide sets out the criteria, the accept/snag/reject bands, and the IS/CPWD workmanship basis behind them; for the wider picture of how a door is fitted and signed off, start at the complete door guide.

What "acceptable" means — the workmanship basis

Acceptance criteria are not invented door by door; they sit on a published workmanship standard. On Indian contracts the benchmark is CPWD specifications together with IS 1200 (methods of measurement of building work, which governs how doors are measured and what counts as complete work) and the product standards IS 1003 (timber panelled and glazed doors) and IS 2202 (wooden flush doors). A door is accepted when it meets that standard, snagged when it falls short but can be rectified in place, and rejected when the defect is intrinsic to the leaf or breaches a life-safety requirement and cannot be corrected. The distinction matters commercially: a snag is fixed under the defect liability period at the contractor's cost, while a rejection means the door-set is replaced before the work is measured and paid. Acceptance is therefore the formal gate that turns a fitted door into a paid, signed-off door, and it is where the door snagging list is finally closed out.

Inspect against the criteria, not your eye

A credible acceptance call rests on measurement, not impression. Carry a feeler gauge or coin, a 600mm spirit level, a 1200mm straightedge, a tape and a torch. Read each criterion against its threshold, record the value, and only then judge. The structured sweep in the door inspection checklist keeps the order consistent so nothing is skipped, and the gap-by-gap method in door gap inspection shows exactly how to read a reveal.

The acceptance criteria, criterion by criterion

The diagram below maps the seven things every fitted door is judged on, from the head gap down to the finish, with the accept threshold on each. Work them top-to-bottom, then operate the door.

Gaps and reveal

The single most-checked criterion is the margin around the leaf. The accept threshold is an even 2-4mm down both sides and across the head, with the threshold gap even and to the design (often sealed or fitted with a sweep). A reveal that varies, tapers from 1mm to 6mm down an edge, or lets the leaf rub anywhere is a snag, not an accept. This ties directly to frame plumb: a frame set within ±1.5-2mm of plumb gives a parallel reveal, while an out-of-plumb frame both tapers the gap and makes the door drift, so the two are read together.

Operation

A door that measures well but works badly still fails. Open it slowly: a good leaf moves freely and stays put wherever you leave it — it must not drift open or shut on its own. Close it and it should latch first time with a light push, no slam and no rattle. The lever must work one-handed with the centre in the accessible 800-1100mm band (RPwD Act 2016 / Harmonised Guidelines), and a lever, not a knob, is required on accessible routes. Where a closer is fitted, the leaf must self-close fully into the latch from any angle. The full routine is in door operation testing.

Leaf and finish

Lay a straightedge across the face: the leaf must be flat with no visible bow or twist. A bowed leaf usually cannot be planed straight and is a reject, not a snag. The finish is accepted when it is free of runs, sags, brush marks, scratches and bare patches; surface flaws are catalogued in door finish defects.

The accept / snag / reject table

Use these rule-of-thumb thresholds to make a fair, fast call on every door. Accept means it passes; snag means it is rectifiable in place under the DLP; reject means the door-set is replaced.

The door acceptance tolerance checker turns these thresholds into a per-door pass/fail, and the door snagging checklist generator builds a printable punch-list keyed to your door schedule.

Life-safety criteria are pass/fail, not negotiable

Two categories override the rule-of-thumb bands. On fire doors, gaps around the leaf must be ≤3mm (4mm maximum), the intumescent and smoke seals must be continuous and unbroken, the leaf must self-close fully into the latch, and "Fire door — keep shut" signage must be fixed — these follow NBC 2016 and IS 3614, and a missing seal, a non-closing leaf or an over-size cut-out into the core is an automatic reject, not a snag. See fire-door installation compliance. On accessible doors, a lever (not a knob) operable one-handed within 800-1100mm and a door that does not jam free egress are mandatory, not optional.

Recording acceptance and closing out

An acceptance call you cannot prove is one you will re-argue. Record each door by its reference/number (from the schedule), the room, the measured value against each criterion, a photo, and a single accept / snag / reject verdict. Sign the accepted doors off, list the snagged ones for rectification within the defect liability period (commonly 6-12 months in India), and flag rejects for replacement before measurement. Re-inspect snags before closing each row, and hold a sensible portion of payment against open items. Keep the signed acceptance record with the as-built schedule and warranties in the door handover pack. Done well, acceptance is the clean line between a fitted door and a paid one — every door that passes genuinely works, and nothing rejectable slips through to become your problem later.

Frequently asked questions

What are door acceptance criteria?

Door acceptance criteria are the measurable rules that decide whether a fitted door passes. In India they cover an even 2-4mm gap around the leaf, frame plumb within ±1.5-2mm, a flat leaf with no bow, one-hand operation, a latch that catches first time, full self-closing where a closer is fitted, and a finish free of runs and scratches. They sit on CPWD specifications and IS 1200 / IS 1003 / IS 2202 workmanship.

What gap is acceptable around a fitted door?

As a rule of thumb the gap around the sides and head should be an even 2-4mm, with the threshold gap even and to the design. A reveal that varies, tapers from 1mm to 6mm down an edge, or lets the leaf rub anywhere is a snag. On a fire door the criterion is tighter — gaps ≤3mm (4mm maximum), with continuous intumescent and smoke seals.

What is the difference between accept, snag and reject?

Accept means the door meets tolerance and is signed off. Snag means it falls short but can be rectified in place — a binding leaf, misaligned strike, loose hardware or paint run — fixed under the defect liability period at the contractor's cost. Reject means the defect is intrinsic, such as a bowed leaf or a fire door with an over-size cut-out into its core, and the door-set must be replaced before the work is measured and paid.

How do I test that a door operates acceptably?

Open it slowly through its full swing: a good leaf moves freely and stays put wherever you leave it, with no self-swing. Close it and it must latch first time with a light push, no slam and no rattle. The lever must work one-handed, with the centre in the 800-1100mm accessible band, and a closer-fitted leaf must self-close fully into the latch from any angle.

Which Indian standards set the acceptance basis?

The workmanship benchmark is CPWD specifications with IS 1200 (methods of measurement) governing how doors are measured and what counts as complete, plus the product standards IS 1003 (timber panelled/glazed doors) and IS 2202 (flush doors). Fire-door acceptance follows NBC 2016 and IS 3614, and accessible-door criteria follow the RPwD Act 2016 and the Harmonised Guidelines.

Is a bowed door leaf a snag or a reject?

A genuinely bowed or twisted leaf is normally a reject, not a snag, because it cannot be planed flat and will never give an even reveal — it must be replaced. Most other faults, such as binding, misaligned strikes, loose hardware and paint runs, are rectifiable snags. A fire door with an over-size cut-out that breaches its core is also a reject and must be replaced with a tested leaf.