Title 16

SECTION 1211.14

1211.14 Unattended operation requirements.

§ 1211.14 Unattended operation requirements.

(a) General requirements. (1) A residential garage door operator or system may permit unattended operation to close a garage door, provided the operator system complies with the additional requirements of paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section.

(2) Unattended operation shall not be permitted on one-piece garage doors or swinging garage doors. An operator intended for use with both sectional doors and one-piece or swinging doors that have an unattended operation close feature shall identify that the unattended operation closing feature is only permitted to be enabled when installed with a sectional door by complying with:

(i) The installation instructions stated in § 1211.16(b)(1)(ii);

(ii) The markings specified in § 1211.17(h); and

(iii) The carton markings specified in § 1211.18(m) when the carton references the unattended operation close feature.

(b) Operator system. The operator system shall require one or more intentional actions to enable unattended operation, such as setting a power head switch or wall-control switch. For an accessory requiring installation and set-up in order to enable unattended operation, the installation and set-up may be considered satisfying this requirement.

(2) The alarm shall signal for a minimum of 5 seconds before any unattended closing door movement.

(3) The audible signal shall be heard within the confines of a garage. The audio alarm signals for the alarm specified in paragraph (c)(1) of this section shall be generated by devices such as bells, horns, sirens, or buzzers. The signal shall have a frequency in the range of 700 to 3400 Hz, either a cycle of the sound level pulsations of 4 to 5 per second or one continuous tone, a sound level at least 45 dB 10 ft (305 cm) in front of the device over the voltage range of operation.

(4) The visual alarm signal described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section shall be visible within the confines of a garage using a flashing light of at least 40 watt incandescent or 360 lumens. The flash rate shall be at least once per second, with a duration of 100 ms to 900 ms, for the duration of the alarm.

(d) Controls. (1) During the pre-motion signaling period defined in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, activation of any user door control (e.g., wall control, wireless remote, keypad) shall prevent the pending unattended door movement. Door movement resulting from activation of a user door control is not prohibited.

(2) Upon activation of a user door control during unattended door movement, the door shall stop, and may reverse the door on the closing cycle. On the opening cycle, activation of a user door control shall stop the door but not reverse it.

(3) If an unattended door travelling in the closing direction is stopped and reversed by an entrapment protection device, the operator system shall be permitted one additional unattended operation attempt to close the door.

(4) After two attempts per paragraph (d)(3) of this section, the operator system shall suspend unattended operation. The operator system shall require a renewed, intended input, via user door control (e.g., wall control wireless remote, keypad) other than the unattended activation device, prior to re-enabling unattended operation.

(e) Entrapment protection. For a moving door, entrapment protection shall comply with §§ 1211.7 and 1211.8.

(f) Unattended operation control accessory - (1) General. A residential garage door operator control accessory shall be permitted to be supplied separate from the operator, and may permit unattended operation to close a garage door, provided the control accessory complies with the additional requirements of paragraphs (f)(2) through (6) of this section. Exception: Unattended operation shall not be permitted on one-piece garage doors or swinging garage doors. A control accessory that has an unattended operation close feature shall identify that the unattended operation closing feature is only permitted to be enabled when installed with a sectional door by complying with:

(i) The installation instructions of § 1211.16 (b)(1)(ii);

(ii) The markings of § 1211.17(h); and

(iii) the carton markings of § 1211.18(m).

(2) Operator system. The control accessory shall require one or more intentional actions to enable unattended operation to function when connected to an operator system, such as setting a power head switch or wall-control switch. For an accessory requiring installation and set-up in order to enable unattended operation, the installation and set-up may be considered satisfying this requirement.

(3) Alarm signal. (i) The control accessory alone or in combination with the operator system shall provide an audible and visual alarm signal.

(ii) The alarm shall signal for a minimum of 5 seconds before any unattended closing door movement, or before any door movement if the next direction of door travel cannot be determined.

(iii) The audible signal shall be heard within the confines of a garage. The audio alarm signals for the alarm specified in paragraph (f)(3)(i) of this section shall be generated by devices such as bells, horns, sirens, or buzzers. The signal shall have a frequency in the range of 700 to 3400 Hz, either a cycle of the sound level pulsations of 4 to 5 per second or one continuous tone, a sound level at least 45 dB 10 ft (305 cm) in front of the device over the voltage range of operation.

(iv) The visual alarm signal of paragraph (f)(3)(i) of this section shall be visible within the confines of a garage using a flashing light of at least 40 watt incandescent or 360 lumens.

(v) When the visual alarm or the audio alarm, or both, are external to the control accessory and are not part of main operator unit, the control accessory shall monitor for the connection of and proper operation of both the visual and audible alarms, prior to initiating door travel.

(4) Controls. (i) During the pre-motion signaling period defined in paragraph (f)(3)(ii) of this section, activation of any user door control (e.g. wall control, wireless remote, keypad) shall prevent the pending unattended door movement. Door movement resulting from activation of a user door control is not prohibited.

(ii) Upon activation of a user door control during unattended door movement:

(A) The operator shall function in the same manner as if the control accessory were not present;

(B) The control accessory shall not interfere with, override, or alter the normal operation of the operator; and

(C) The door shall stop, and may reverse the door on the closing cycle. On the opening cycle, activation of a user door control shall stop the door but not reverse it.

(iii) If an unattended door travelling in the closing direction is stopped and reversed by an entrapment protection device, the control accessory alone or in combination with the operator system shall be permitted one additional unattended operation attempt to close the door.

(iv) After two attempts per paragraph (d)(3) of this section, the control accessory alone or in combination with the operator system shall suspend unattended operation. The control accessory alone or in combination with the operator system shall require a renewed, intended input, via user door control (e.g., wall control, wireless remote, keypad) other than the unattended activation device, prior to re-enabling unattended operation.

(5) Entrapment protection. (i) The control accessory shall not interfere with, override, or alter any entrapment protection features of the operator or system per §§ 1211.7 and 1211.8. A control accessory that only provides a momentary signal (wired or wireless) to start the door is considered to comply with this requirement.

(ii) A control accessory shall only be used with an operator when the combination of the operator and the control accessory comply with the applicable entrapment protection features including:

(A) Inherent Primary Entrapment Protection, in accordance with § 1211.7;

(B) Secondary Entrapment Protection, in accordance with § 1211.8.

(iii) A control accessory shall be marked to indicate “For use only with garage door operators complying with UL 325, manufactured after __,” or, “For use only with the following garage door operators:__.” The date (e.g., “1993,” “February 21, 2008”), or the additional information provided in the blank shall be added by the accessory manufacturer such that the combination of the control and operator(s) it is intended for use with complies with paragraph (f)(5)(ii) of this section. This marking shall appear on the packaging and on the product, and shall be repeated in the instructions accompanying the accessory.

(iv) To comply with paragraph (f)(5)(ii) of this section a control accessory shall comply with one or more of the following:

(A) Not be capable of operating when connected to an operator that is not compliant with paragraph (f)(5)(ii) of this section;

(B) Be restricted to function only with specific operators, such that the combination of the control and the operator are compliant with paragraph (f)(5)(ii) of this section;

(C) Provide additional functionality to an operator or system such that when operating via the control accessory, the combination of the control accessory and the operator complies with paragraph (f)(5)(ii) of this section;

(D) Be marked to indicate as indicated in paragraph (f)(5)(ii) of this section.

(6) Instructions and markings. (i) The control accessory shall be provided with instructions as follows:

(A) Instructions per § 1211.16, as applicable.

(B) Instructions that repeat any warning or cautionary product markings and field labels required below.

(ii) The control accessory shall be provided with markings as follows:

(A) Markings on the product per § 1211.18, as applicable.

(B) In lieu of § 1211.18(m), the product package shall be marked with the following or equivalent:


“WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury to persons - Only enable [+] feature when installed with sectional door.”, where + is the unattended operation closing function, or “WARNING: To reduce the risk of injury to persons - Do not use this device with one-piece doors or swinging doors.”

(C) On the package or the product - any other markings related to use of the control with specific operators, per paragraph (f)(5)(iii) of this section.

(iii) The control accessory shall be provided with a label for field installation as required by § 1211.17(c) through (g), including but not limited to § 1211.17(g)(2)(v).

[81 FR 20234, Apr. 7, 2016, as amended at 83 FR 32570, July 13, 2018]