| Primary value | 1.0 m |
| Applies to | All occupancies — residential and non-residential exit doors |
| Exceptions | Residential apartment main door → 0.90 m permitted |
| Stairway exit door (assembly, commercial) → 1.5 m typical | |
| Door swing → Outward in direction of egress | |
| Exit doorways in Assembly Buildings (theatres, halls, etc.) → 2.0 m minimum | |
| Doorways for bathrooms, water closets, and stores not on the escape route → 0.75 m minimum | |
| Measured as | Clear opening width with door at 90° — measured between door face and frame. |
| Source | NBC 2016 — Part 4, Clause 4.7.1 b) ✓ Verified |
The 1.0 m minimum width corresponds to two 'units of exit width' as defined by the NBC. This allows for the simultaneous passage of two people or the movement of a stretcher, preventing dangerous bottlenecks during an evacuation and facilitating rescue operations.
While 1.0 m is the minimum, stairway and main exit doors in high-occupancy buildings are often wider (1.5 m to 2.0 m) based on occupant load calculations. These are typically double-leaf doors with panic hardware for rapid, unobstructed egress.