Mobile Locksmith · Phoenix & the Valley
Commercial Lever Handle Locks and Their Functions
Commercial door lever lock functions are short lists of what the outside lever, the inside lever and the key each do. On a storeroom door the outside lever stays locked and only the key opens it, while the inside lever always lets you out. On a passage door nothing locks at all. The function matters more than the brand, because on most bored levers it is set at the factory, so a wrong choice usually means a new lock.
Below we cover the three lock constructions, the BHMA grades, standard door prep and the ADA basics, then every common function as a reference card. We use Schlage ND designations as the example because that line is easy to look up, but other brands name the same functions differently. The ANSI F-number is the better cross-reference.
Three kinds of commercial lever lock
Cylindrical (bored) locks are the usual choice on interior commercial doors: offices, storerooms, conference rooms and restrooms. The lock sits in two round holes, one through the face of the door and one in the edge for the latch.
Tubular locks use the same face hole but are a lighter, cheaper build, usually rated Grade 2 and made for interior doors that do not need a key, such as a private office or utility closet. Note that “Tubular” is also the name of one Schlage ND lever style, so the word on a parts list does not always mean the lock type.
Mortise locks sit in a rectangular pocket cut into the door edge and can combine the latch, a deadbolt and the lever hub in one steel case. They usually cost more and offer more functions. Our mortise lock page covers them in full.
Grade 1, 2 and 3 in plain words
BHMA/ANSI grades measure durability, not break-in resistance. A lock earns its grade by surviving a set number of open-close cycles and abuse tests in a lab. For bored locks, Allegion’s published guide lists 1,000,000 cycles for Grade 1, 400,000 for Grade 2 and 200,000 for Grade 3. Mortise locks are graded under a separate standard.
Grade 1 belongs on any door used all day: restrooms, retail, clinics, gyms, restaurants, shared offices. Grade 2 can suit a low-traffic private office or closet. That is our recommendation, not a code rule. Some retail-channel locks use other labels, so look for the BHMA grade number on the data sheet.
Standard bored door prep
Most commercial bored levers are made for one prep: a 2-1/8 in. hole through the face of the door, a 1 in. hole in the edge that meets it, and a 2-3/4 in. backset, which is the distance from the door edge to the center of the big hole. Some lines also come in 2-3/8, 3-3/4 and 5 in. backsets. Thickness ranges differ by line. Schlage lists 1-5/8 to 2-1/8 in. for the ND series, and other lines list other ranges, so we measure first.
Because the major Grade 1 lines share this prep, swapping one bored lever for another usually needs no new holes when thickness and backset match. A mortise-prepped door is different: it cannot take a bored lock without reordering the door, and changing the prep on a fire-rated door in the field can compromise the rating.
ADA and levers
Commercial doors use levers because accessibility rules call for hardware you can work with one hand, without tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist, with the operable part 34 to 48 in. above the floor. A round knob generally fails that test, and a lever usually passes it. Some jurisdictions add rules, such as a lever end that returns toward the door on egress doors. The authority having jurisdiction, meaning your building department or fire marshal, decides what applies to your door.
Every common function, card by card
Each card says what the outside does, what the inside does and where the function is used, with the Schlage ND designation and ANSI F-number where we have a reliable match. The trailing letters on Schlage numbers (S, PD, D) are the maker’s own suffixes, which we confirm on the chart for the model on your door.
For restrooms with a vacant and occupied window, see restroom indicator locks. For school doors, see our school locksmith page and the school door security checklist.
Lever design and finish
Lever style and finish are separate from function. Schlage’s ND line offers nine lever designs, including Rhodes, Sparta, Omega and Athens, and nine finishes from bright brass to matte black. Satin chrome (626, or US26D in BHMA naming) is the most common commercial finish, and satin chrome or satin stainless suits humid restrooms. Antimicrobial coatings are an option. Other brands have their own lever styles, so tell us the brand and style if the new levers should match the rest of the building.
Two features are worth knowing. Vandlgard is Schlage’s name for locked-lever protection, which keeps force on a locked lever from damaging the lock inside. Anti-ligature levers, which slope down and break away under load, exist for behavioral health, hospital and detention settings.
How to choose
- Start with the door’s job. Public, staff only, private, restroom, classroom or storage each point to different functions.
- Decide who locks it and from which side. A room that is always locked takes a storeroom function. A suite open by day and locked at night takes office or entrance.
- Check the way out. On a door people use to leave, the usual rule is that it opens from inside with one motion and no key. Functions that need a key to leave, such as the store door and institutional functions, are for places where local codes allow them.
- Match the grade to the traffic. All-day doors get Grade 1.
- Match the key system. New locks may need to follow a master key system or take interchangeable cores.
- Ask first on rated or accessible doors. Fire-rated doors, accessible routes and schools are where the authority having jurisdiction has the last word.
How to measure and describe what you have
- Hand: stand on the side people approach from, note which side the hinges are on and whether the door opens toward you or away.
- Backset: door edge to the center of the big hole. 2-3/4 in. is standard.
- Door thickness: measure at the edge.
- Function: say what each lever does when the door is locked, and which side has the key cylinder or button.
- Brand and finish: any name on the lever, rose or latch faceplate.
Replace or repair
Repair makes sense when the function is right and the lock is sound: a loose lever, a worn latch, a door that has sagged so the latch misses the strike, or keys that simply need to change, which is a job for commercial rekey. Replace when the lock is worn out on a busy door, the grade is too light, or the function is wrong. We say which applies before work starts, and we work across Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, Chandler, Glendale, Peoria and Paradise Valley. The full process is on our commercial door lock replacement page, and for several doors or a building-wide change you can start a quote request.
- A photo of each side of the door, showing the lever, the key cylinder and any button or thumbturn
- A photo of the door edge showing the latch faceplate, and one of the strike on the frame
- Any name, number or lettering on the lever, rose, latch or cylinder
- Any fire-rating label on the door or frame
- Door thickness, backset and hand if you have measured them
- What each side of the lock does now, and what it should do
- How many doors, and what the rooms are used for
Also see
If the door has a pocket in its edge rather than round holes, read Mortise Locks: Functions, Models and Replacement. If the lock is for a restroom, read Restroom Indicator Locks: Deadbolt and Lever Installation. The whole section starts at the commercial locksmith hub.
Frequently asked questions
What does the function of a commercial lever lock mean?
The function is what the outside lever, inside lever and key each do. A passage lever has no lock, a privacy lever locks from inside with a button, a classroom lever is locked and unlocked from outside with a key, and a storeroom lever stays locked on the outside at all times. In all of these the inside lever opens the door, so leaving the room stays simple.
What is the difference between classroom, office and storeroom functions?
A storeroom lock keeps the outside lever locked at all times, so the key is always needed to enter. A classroom lock lets the key lock or unlock the outside lever, and it stays that way until the key is used again. An office or entrance lock adds a button so the outside lever can be locked or left free during the business day. Inside, the lever always opens the door.
Can the function of a commercial lever lock be changed?
On most bored (cylindrical) levers, no. The function is set at the factory, and a wrong function usually means replacing the lock. Some mortise lines publish conversion guides, and Schlage does for its L series. We tell you which case applies to your lock before we quote, so you know whether it is a repair, a conversion or a replacement.
What do Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3 mean on a lock?
They are BHMA/ANSI durability grades. In Allegion’s published guide, bored locks are tested to 1,000,000 cycles for Grade 1, 400,000 for Grade 2 and 200,000 for Grade 3, along with abuse tests. The grade measures how well a lock holds up to daily use, not how hard it is to break into. Grade 1 suits busy doors.
Why do commercial doors use levers instead of knobs?
Accessibility rules call for hardware that works with one hand, without tight grasping, pinching or twisting, and that sits 34 to 48 in. above the floor. A round knob needs twisting, so it generally fails. A lever usually does not. Your building department or fire marshal decides what applies to a specific door, including any rules about lever returns.
Can I put a bored lever lock on a door prepped for a mortise lock?
Not without reworking the door. A mortise door has a rectangular pocket in the edge, and a bored lock needs round holes in the face and the edge. Making that change in the field on a fire-rated door can also compromise the rating. We look at the door first and tell you what is possible before any cutting starts.
What should I send you before you quote a lever replacement?
Photos of both sides of the door, the door edge showing the latch, and the strike on the frame, plus any lettering on the lever or latch. Tell us what each side of the lock does today, the door thickness if you know it, and how many doors are involved. Simple swaps are priced on the phone.
Related commercial services
Talk to the locksmith who does the work.
Call (602) 301-5243, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm. For bigger projects we look at the doors first and agree on the price before any work starts.
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