Exit Buttons

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Exit Buttons

Exit buttons, also known as request-to-exit (REX) devices, allow occupants to safely unlock doors from the secured side. Proper selection ensures reliable operation, life-safety compliance, and smooth integration with your access control system.

Plan Your Deployment

  • Fail-safe vs fail-secure door configuration
  • Door type and mounting location
  • Integration with controller inputs and timing rules
  • Local fire and life-safety code compliance
  • Durability and vandal-resistant requirements

Exit Buttons — Engineering-Grade Door Hardware for Commercial Deployments

This category covers 105 working models of exit buttons sourced manufacturer-direct or through channel-direct US distribution. Build the rest of your system around the architectural choices below — compatibility, environmental rating, and lifecycle decisions made here propagate through every downstream component you specify.

What to Look For

Fail-safe versus fail-secure determines what happens during power loss. Fail-safe locks unlock on power loss (used on egress doors where life safety dominates); fail-secure locks remain locked (used on storage, server rooms, and exterior doors where security dominates). Code typically mandates fail-safe on stairwell and egress doors. Confirm with the AHJ before specifying — misapplied lock mode is a common code violation.

Strike, mortise, magnetic lock, and electrified panic hardware each have distinct installation, current draw, and code implications. Electric strikes work with most mechanical locksets and are easiest to retrofit. Magnetic locks (maglocks) provide high holding force on glass and wood doors but require dedicated REX and panic-bar interfaces for egress compliance. Verify the door's existing prep before choosing.

Power draw and inrush current dictate power supply sizing. A 5-door system with 1A peak per lock can exceed an undersized 12VDC supply at simultaneous lock-down events. Account for accessories — REX motion sensors, door-position switches, electrified levers — when sizing the supply and the battery backup required for code compliance.

Tamper switches, door-position monitoring, and request-to-exit sensors generate the audit trail your security team needs. Mechanical contact switches are cheaper; magnetic reed switches resist tampering better. Pair each door with a position switch and a REX sensor at minimum — without door-position monitoring, you can't distinguish 'authorized entry' from 'door held open after authorized entry,' which is a common compliance gap.

Key Specs in This Category

SpecAvailable Options
PowerAC/DC
TypeLock/Strike, Reader, Switch, Accessory, Credential, Controller, Diecast Aluminum Enclosure, 3-Button Control Station

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Frequently Asked Questions

Fail-safe or fail-secure for stairwell doors?

Fail-safe is mandatory on most stairwell doors and other code-designated egress paths — the lock must release on fire alarm or power loss to allow evacuation. Fail-secure on those doors is a code violation. Confirm the local fire code and AHJ requirements; commercial buildings in the U.S. follow NFPA 101 and the International Building Code, both of which detail egress lock behavior in detail.

What current draw should I plan for electrified locks?

Typical 12VDC electric strikes draw 200-500 mA continuous, with inrush spikes of 1-2A at engagement. Magnetic locks rated for 1,200 lbs holding force draw around 500 mA continuous at 24VDC. Power supplies need to handle simultaneous lock-down current — emergency lockdown events activate all locks at once. Size the supply with at least 25% headroom and confirm battery backup runtime requirements.

Do I need a request-to-exit (REX) sensor?

Most code-compliant electrified door installations require a REX sensor to shunt the alarm during authorized egress. Without REX, every egress event registers as a forced-door alarm. PIR motion sensors are the common choice and integrate with the door controller's REX input. Mechanical push-bar REX is also acceptable for hardware that includes that switch natively.

Can I use one lock for both card and mechanical key entry?

Yes — most electrified strikes and locks allow mechanical key override on the same door. Maintaining a master key for emergency mechanical access is required by code in many jurisdictions and recommended in all. Document the master key holders carefully; an uncontrolled master key program undermines the electronic audit trail.

What's the lifespan of a magnetic lock?

Quality maglocks (Securitron M62, HES, von Duprin) typically last 15-20 years with no mechanical wear. Failure points are the connector, the armature plate-to-lock alignment, and contamination of the magnetic face. Plan for armature replacement at year 10 as a hedge against alignment drift. Strike-type locks with mechanical parts last 5-10 years before strike-plate wear becomes a reliability issue.

Need help choosing? Talk to a Senior Specialist — direct line 877-277-7147 or request a quote.

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