Clear width: IBC 1010.1.1
Egress doors need a minimum clear width of 32 in. For a swinging door it is measured between the face of the door and the stop, with the door open 90 degrees. The open door and the stop take up part of the opening, so the nominal leaf size and the rough opening are not the clear width. Measuring between jambs with the door removed also ignores the door face and stop.
Example: a nominal 3'-0" leaf in a 38-in. rough opening measures 31-1/2 in. from door face to stop at 90 degrees. That fails, because 31-1/2 in. is less than 32 in. The 36-in. leaf and the 38-in. rough opening do not count.
Maximum leaf width: IBC 1010.1.1
The maximum width of a swinging door leaf is 48 in. nominal. A 54-in. leaf does not comply. Reading 48 in. as a minimum is the listed error. The 32-in. clear width is a minimum and does not replace the maximum leaf width, and 44 in. is not the leaf limit.
Clear width exceptions: IBC 1010.1.1
- single-user shower and toilet compartments: 20 in. minimum
- storage closets under 10 sq ft: no minimum (a 16 sq ft closet is too large)
- doors to Type B units: 31-3/4 in. minimum, for those doors only, never office doors
- I-3 sleeping units not required to be Accessible: 28 in.
- I-2 doors for bed movement: 41-1/2 in., more than 32 in.
Height and projections: IBC 1010.1.1.1
Clear height is 80 in. Door closers, overhead stops, power operators and electromagnetic locks may be 78 in. minimum above the floor. The 76-in. figure is the exterior dwelling-unit door exception, not a closer allowance.
Projections into the required clear width:
- below 34 in.: none permitted
- between 34 in. and 80 in.: 4 in. maximum
Hardware projecting at 40 in. above the floor is limited to 4 in. The 2-in. and 6-in. figures do not appear in the section.