Garages are often assumed to be secure because they have a door and a lock, yet they hold bikes, tools, garden equipment and sometimes a connecting door into the house. This article summarises the Secured by Design (SBD) “Garage Security Advice” page and the England-only building regulations guidance in Approved Document B (fire safety) volume 1: Dwellings, which the GOV.UK page lists as the 2019 edition incorporating 2020, 2022, 2025 and 2026 amendments and forthcoming 2029 changes. SBD describes itself as the official police security initiative. The building regulations material applies in England only; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate regulations and are not covered here. This is general information, not a survey or professional advice.
Why garages are targeted
SBD gives several reasons. It says older single-skin metal up-and-over doors with a single locking point offer poor security, because they are easy to open or bend. It says breaking into the home itself has become harder as door and window security has improved, and that people increasingly keep valuables in the garage, including cycles, e-bikes, motorbikes, garden equipment, freezers, fishing tackle and tools.
SBD distinguishes between detached garages near the house, often set back from the road and overlooked, and those at the rear of a property reached by a service road. The latter, it says, are more likely to be an easy target because they are often out of sight, with trees and high hedging at the back of gardens making things worse.
What SBD suggests for the door and lock
For a new garage door, SBD suggests replacing the old one with an accredited SBD product, available as up-and-over, sectional or roller shutter options in a range of materials with thermal insulation, and says it has more than 20 manufacturers of secure garage doorsets. It says a garage door from an SBD member company has met the Police Preferred Specification. For an existing door that is not being replaced, it suggests fitting a garage door defender to prevent the door being lifted, describing these as easy to fit and a visible deterrent. It also says that a locksmith registered with the Master Locksmiths Association can advise on and install garage door security.
Alarms, cameras and the driveway
SBD says that if a home has an alarm, connecting the garage to the system is worth considering, especially if the garage is attached to the house. It also suggests parking the car on a drive rather than in the street, closing driveway gates at night, and, where there are no gates, using a vehicle bollard as a visible deterrent. The site’s wider guide to shed, garage and garden security covers the wider picture, including outbuildings.
The internal door between garage and home
SBD notes that a garage connected to the home may have an internal door, and that care is needed over its type: a door certified for both fire and security is required to ensure both safety and security. The fire side of that requirement appears in Approved Document B volume 1, which applies to dwellings in England.
Paragraph 5.6 of the document says that if a garage is attached to or forms an integral part of a dwellinghouse, the garage should be separated from the rest of the house by fire-resisting construction, with a minimum of REI 30. Paragraph 5.7 says that where a door is provided between the house and the garage, one of two conditions should be met: the garage floor should be laid so that it falls away from the door to the outside, to allow fuel spills to flow away, or the door opening should be at least 100mm above the level of the garage floor. Diagram 5.1 shows the fire door between the garage and house as having a minimum fire resistance of E 30 S and being fitted with a self-closing device. The document’s table of fire door specifications lists a door between a dwellinghouse and a garage as FD 30 S (or E 30 S).
The practical point for homeowners is that this door has a fire function as well as a security function. It should not be propped open, and a replacement should be certified to the specification rather than chosen on appearance alone. The document is guidance for building work in England, so it matters most when a garage is converted or a door replaced, and a building control body or competent installer can confirm what applies to a particular property.
Common questions
Are all up-and-over doors weak?
SBD’s wording refers to the older single-skin metal type with a single locking point. It recommends accredited replacements in several designs, or a door defender as an interim measure.
Can I fit any door between the house and an integral garage?
Not if the building regulations apply. Approved Document B volume 1 gives a fire-resisting, self-closing door specification for England, and SBD says a door certified for both fire and security is needed.
Should the garage be on the alarm?
SBD says to consider connecting it, especially if it is attached to the house.
The bottom line
SBD says weak, older up-and-over garage doors are a common way in and suggests accredited replacements, a door defender, alarm coverage and secure parking. In England, the door between an attached garage and the house has to meet fire requirements under Approved Document B volume 1, and SBD says it should also be certified for security.