16 CFR 1211.14 - Unattended Operation Requirements for Garage Door Operators

Many modern garage door openers include an auto-close timer that closes the door after a set interval. Section 1211.14 sets the safety requirements that any such system must meet before the door is allowed to close on its own, without anyone watching.

What this regulation says

16 CFR 1211.14 governs unattended operation: any closing sequence that activates without a person physically initiating it at that moment. This covers timer-based auto-close, app-triggered remote close, and any accessory that sends a close signal without a person at the door.

"Unattended operation shall not be permitted on one-piece garage doors or swinging garage doors."

For sectional (panel) doors, unattended operation is allowed if these conditions are met:

Intentional activation required. The auto-close feature must require a deliberate setup step to enable: a switch position, an installer-programmed setting, or an accessory installation. It cannot be the default behavior out of the box.

Warning signal before movement. Before the door starts closing, the operator must produce both: - An audible alarm "at a frequency in the range of 700 to 3400 Hz" with a sound level of at least 45 dB measured at 10 feet, using a bell, buzzer, siren, or speaker - A visual signal using "a flashing light of at least 40 watt incandescent or 360 lumens," flashing at least once per second

Both signals must run for at least 5 seconds before door movement begins. This gives anyone in or near the door opening time to react.

Two-failure suspend rule. If entrapment protection stops the door during an unattended close attempt, the operator may retry once. If entrapment protection triggers again on the retry, the operator must suspend unattended operation until someone provides manual input (presses a button or uses the app). The door cannot keep auto-closing indefinitely when an obstruction is detected.

User controls must interrupt movement. During the 5-second warning and during the closing travel, pressing any user control must stop the door and may reverse it.

When it applies

1211.14 matters whenever you are evaluating or installing an auto-close feature:

• Smart opener apps: most modern Wi-Fi-enabled openers (LiftMaster, Chamberlain, Genie, Overhead Door) include an auto-close timer in the app. When you enable this feature, 1211.14 requires the warning signal to activate before each close. If your opener's app closes the door silently, check whether the opener itself (not just the app) is producing the required alarm.
• Commercial auto-close accessories: some garage door "smart" accessories sold online enable unattended closing without verifying that the opener they connect to meets 1211.14. These products may not be compliant.
• Children and pets: the 5-second warning and two-failure suspend rule exist specifically because children and pets can be in a door opening without being visible from inside the house. The rule prevents silent, repeated auto-close attempts.

For example, if you enable auto-close on a myQ app and your dog is sleeping just inside the garage door, the opener must honk or beep for 5 seconds before closing. If the dog trips the photo-eye and stops the first close attempt, the opener retries once. If the dog is still there, the opener must stop trying until you manually intervene.

What this means for you

Enable auto-close only on compliant openers. If your opener was manufactured before 2016 and has an after-market timer accessory, check that the warning signal meets the spec: audible at 45 dB at 10 feet and a visible flashing light. A quiet beeper inside the motor unit does not meet this standard.

Test the warning before relying on auto-close. Stand 10 feet from the opener and trigger the auto-close via the app. Can you clearly hear the alarm? Is the light flashing visibly? If either signal is marginal, the system may not give adequate warning to a person near the door.

Note the one-piece door exclusion. If you have an older one-piece tilt-up door (common in 1960s-70s Denver construction), 1211.14 prohibits unattended operation entirely. No auto-close feature is allowed on these doors regardless of what the opener manufacturer claims.

G Brothers can verify that your opener's auto-close setup produces the required warning signals and advise on smart-opener upgrades if your current unit does not support the feature safely.

Full text and source

Read 16 CFR 1211.14 at https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/16/1211.14. The full Part 1211 is at https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-II/subchapter-B/part-1211.

16 CFR 1211.14 applies to residential garage door operators only. Gate operators and commercial overhead door operators are subject to UL 325 provisions, which handle unattended operation differently.