PAS24 is the UK specification for enhanced security performance of doorsets and windows used in homes. If you are looking for pas 24 meaning, what is pas 24, or whether PAS24 is required for your project, this page explains the essentials and shows how to verify a valid PAS 24 certificate for the exact product configuration you are buying.
What is PAS24 and PAS 24 meaning
When choosing doors and windows for safety and security, PAS 24 and Secured by Design (SBD) are two widely recognized standards in the UK. While both standards prioritize security, they differ in scope and evaluation methods.
PAS 24 meaning is Publicly Available Specification 24. In practice, PAS24 is a security performance specification used to assess how well a complete window or doorset resists an opportunist break in attempt using realistic methods and tools.
The current version of the PAS is PAS 24:2022+A1:2024 published by BSI. You may still see older references in project documentation, since Approved Document Q lists PAS 24:2012 while also allowing the use of updated versions of referenced standards if they continue to address Building Regulations requirements.
PAS 24 requirements for windows and doors
PAS 24 requirements focus on the security performance of the complete unit, not just one component. Approved Document Q describes secure doorsets and secure windows as products proven by test to resist physical attack by a casual or opportunist burglar, and it also warns that small construction differences can significantly affect performance, so evidence must match the product you are buying.
For new dwellings in England, Approved Document Q explains that the requirement applies only in relation to new dwellings, including dwellings formed by a material change of use. It applies to easily accessible doors and windows that provide access into a dwelling or into flats from common parts.
To help you decide whether your specification needs PAS24 tested products, Approved Document Q defines easily accessible in practical terms, including where any part of a window is within 2 metres vertically of ground or basement level or an access balcony, or where a window is within 2 metres vertically of a low pitch roof within 3.5 metres of ground level.
PAS 24 windows and where they are required
PAS 24 windows are commonly specified where windows are easily accessible, especially ground floor and basement locations. Approved Document Q states that ground floor, basement and other easily accessible windows should be secure windows.
It is equally important to understand where the regulation does not apply. Pilkington’s compliance guidance summarises that the Approved Document Q requirement does not apply to replacement windows and doors, which is why homeowners upgrading security in an existing dwelling usually treat PAS24 as a best practice choice rather than a legal obligation.
PAS 24 Testing
A security standard that specifies the performance requirements for doors and windows. It ensures they can resist forced entry attempts using various tools and techniques. PAS24 concentrates solely on the performance of doors and windows, pr
PAS 24 testing is designed to simulate forced entry attempts against a complete working sample. Approved Document Q highlights that testing should be conducted by laboratories with appropriate expertise, and it points to UKAS accreditation as a marker of that expertise.
At a practical level, PAS 24 testing involves a defined test sequence. A test institute description of PAS 24 testing lists manipulation tests on hardware and infills, mechanical loading tests, manual cutting tests on infills, and dynamic loads from pendulum impact tests. This is why PAS24 results apply to a full configuration with its exact hardware and glazing approach, not a generic window type
How to check a PAS 24 Certificate
A PAS 24 certificate is a common term used for third party certification or documentation showing that a specific doorset or window design has demonstrated compliance with PAS24 testing requirements. In Approved Document Q, schemes that certify compliance with PAS 24:2012 or other acceptable standards may be acceptable for demonstrating compliance, and it advises checking UKAS accredited certification bodies.
Credible pas 24 certificate should clearly identify:
| The manufacturer name | The certification body |
| The PAS edition used | The product scope and opening types covered |
| The certificate issue date | The certificate expiry date |
PAS24 and Secured by Design
PAS24 is a product level security test route, while Secured by Design is a police initiative that covers wider aspects of security and only awards status to a selection of products and projects that meet its criteria. Read more on our PAS24 vs SBD guidance page.
Third party certification schemes are important in the Secured by Design ecosystem. BM TRADA explains that its Q Mark enhanced security window certification scheme supports Secured by Design testing requirements and states that independent third party certification is a current requirement for ground floor windows in all Secured by Design developments
“Not every PAS24 product is SBD” - ”Every SBD product is PAS24”
PAS24 certified options from Idealcombi
Idealcombi provides third-party certification for selected product ranges, including Q-Mark certificates for enhanced security windows and enhanced security doors.
For timber and timber/aluminium composite configurations, see our Q-Mark Enhanced Security Windows certificate to PAS 24:2022, covering FUTURA+ window types. This certificate is valid until 24 May 2026.
See our Q-Mark Enhanced Security Doors certificate to PAS 24:2022, covering Frame IC and Nation IC entrance door configurations. This certificate is valid until 24 May 2026.
On the Quality Assurance and Certificates page, you can download the relevant certificates and find further information about Idealcombi’s Secured by Design applications for selected windows and doors, including testing against common burglary methods.
If you need PAS24 windows or PAS24 doors for a new dwelling project, send your drawings and requirements so we can confirm the correct certified configuration for your opening types and project constraints. For compliance critical projects, always specify PAS24 at the time of ordering so the correct tested hardware and glazing build can be supplied.
PAS24 FAQs
PAS 24 means Publicly Available Specification 24. It is the UK specification that defines enhanced security performance requirements and associated testing for doorsets and windows intended for dwellings and similar risk settings.
What is pas 24 is a common question from homeowners and specifiers. PAS24 is the recognised UK route used to demonstrate that a complete doorset or window configuration can resist physical attack by a casual or opportunist burglar when tested to the specification. It is also referenced in Approved Document Q compliance pathways for new dwellings in England.
PAS24 itself is not a law. In England, Building Regulations Part Q applies to new dwellings only, including dwellings formed by a material change of use, and Approved Document Q sets out acceptable routes to demonstrate that doors and windows resist unauthorised access. PAS 24:2012 is one of the listed standards for demonstrating a secure doorset or secure window design, and other standards can also be acceptable.
For existing homes, the Approved Document Q requirement does not apply to replacement windows and doors, although many homeowners choose PAS24 products as an upgrade path for improved peace of mind.
No. PAS24 is a product level security specification and testing route for doors and windows. Secured by Design is a police initiative that takes a broader approach to designing out crime and recognises certified products within its schemes. Idealcombi’s own guidance explains that PAS24 applies to products while Secured by Design applies more broadly to security outcomes and selection.
A pas 24 certificate is typically used to describe third party certification or documentation that a specific doorset or window design has met PAS24 requirements. Approved Document Q notes that certification schemes demonstrating PAS 24 compliance may be acceptable, and it emphasises that evidence should be checked carefully to ensure it applies to the intended use.
PAS24 windows are window configurations that have been tested and shown to meet PAS24 security requirements. In Approved Document Q, easily accessible windows in new dwellings should be secure windows, and PAS 24 is a named route for demonstrating that a design is secure.
PAS 24 testing uses manual and mechanical test methods to evaluate resistance to forced entry on complete working samples. A PAS 24 test sequence can include manipulation tests, mechanical loading tests, manual cutting tests, and pendulum impact style dynamic loads, depending on the product and test requirements.
In many cases, you cannot simply change a handle or lock and claim PAS24, because PAS24 testing applies to the complete unit configuration as tested. If you need an assured PAS24 outcome for compliance or specification reasons, you normally need a product that has been tested and certified as a complete unit in the relevant configuration.
