STS-202 vs. LPS1175 vs. PAS-24: What’s the Difference?

Chances are that you’ve come across some of the most common common security door standards without truly understand what they mean or what the differences are. This article aims to explain what PAS24 doors, STS202 doors, and LPS1175 doors mean. There are also other security standards, which we are listing below for clarification:

● Sold Secure or SS is the Master Locksmiths Association test house for all sorts of locks.
● ISO refers to the International Organisation for Standardization; a door with an ISO certificate meets the standards of 163 countries.
● BS EN is for European standards that are recognised in the UK.
● DHF represents the Code of Practice of Technical Specification of Door and Hardware Federation.

PAS24 Doors

PAS24 security doors refer to the very minimum of standards in terms of residential security. PAS stands for Publicly Available Specification for points of entrance, such as safety doors, sliding or bi-folding doors, and parallel opening windows. Unlike other standards, security doors in the UK certified with PAS24 do not receive any further grading. Instead, the test is either a pass or a fail, focusing on basic safety performance.

A door with this standard has been tested to withstand a cylinder and hardware attack for a short period of time. It also meets other non-security related requirements such as weather tightness, performance in terms of strength and assembly.

STS202 doors

The STS202 security doors test has been developed by Exova Warrington apt Certisecure. Formerly known under the designation WCL, STS tests focus on enhanced testing for safety doors. STS202 is the most frequent occurrence in residential security for doors, windows and shutters, but you might also come across STS201 for doors only and STS203 for doors and windows. SPS202 security doors involve resistance to a variety of attacks associated with opportunistic break-ins.

Attack levels vary in intensity and force, with BR1 and BR2 categories focusing on intrusions involving little noise and hand tools, levers and physical force. Categories BR3 and BR4 revolve around criminals using loud tools in well-prepared attacks. Higher categories are typically found in commercial areas, while residential security should focus on categories BR1 and BR2.

LPS1175 doors

LPS1175 doors are tested for Loss Prevention Standard by the Loss Prevention Certification Board. Similarly to STS security doors, this standard also focuses on assessing the effectiveness of safety doors against physical attacks. Security ratings vary from SR1, the first level, to SR8, the highest level of protection. Residential security typically will use doors between SR1 and SR2 ratings. Higher ratings are designed for commercial properties and highly targeted attacks.

The differences between the 3 standards

At UK Fire and Security Doors, we recommend looking beyond PAS24 doors, which offer only a basic level of safety. Our doors meet not only PAS24 standards but also STS202 standards and international ISO requirements.

As a rule of thumb, LPS1175 doors and STS202 doors are interchangeable in terms of security standards. This is because both independent testing bodies focus on similar features and resistance levels to external attacks.

Are you still unsure which security standard is right for residential security, or you can’t find the safety doors you need? Don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss your requirements with our teams. We offer a fully comprehensive package for residential development or management to design and install the best-suited security doors.

Now that that's more clear, read our guide to find out which standards are required for housing projects