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Guide
PAS 24 security explained for aluminium doors and windows
PAS 24 is the UK enhanced-security standard that proves a door or window resists forced entry by a determined opportunist using common tools. An aluminium unit passes by combining a tested frame and sash, multi-point locking, laminated glazing where specified and security-rated hardware, then putting that exact build through the PAS 24 test sequence. The current revision is PAS 24:2025. Specify the tested route by stating the standard, the configuration and the glazing on the order, and we confirm the passing build at quote.
PAS 24:2025 routesTested enhanced-security configurations
50,000-cycle durabilityTo EN 12400, lock and hardware tested
Approved Document QNew-build security route supported
What is PAS 24 and what does PAS 24:2025 change?
PAS 24 is a British specification that sets enhanced security requirements for doorsets and windows. It defines a test sequence in which a complete unit is subjected to manual attack with tools an opportunist could carry, plus mechanical load and manipulation tests on the locking points and hardware. A unit either passes the full sequence as built or it does not, so the result always belongs to a specific configuration rather than to a product range in general.
PAS 24:2025 is the current revision and sits alongside earlier editions still referenced in some specifications. It keeps the same intent, proof of resistance to forced entry, while updating test detail and hardware expectations. When a project calls for PAS 24, name the edition you need on the order so the build is matched to it.
PAS 24 is a security test standard. It is separate from weather and structural classifications, which an aluminium unit carries in parallel, for example air permeability to Class 4 (EN 12207), watertightness to Class 9A (EN 12208) and wind resistance to Class C5 (EN 12210) where specified.
Request current product evidence for the selected route, size, glazing, hardware and project before relying on the specification.
How does aluminium meet PAS 24?
Aluminium meets PAS 24 by pairing an inherently rigid thermally broken frame with a tested set of components, then certifying that whole-unit build. The strength of the extrusion resists the levering and prising parts of the test, while the rest of the result comes from locking, glazing and hardware working together.
The contributing elements are specified as a set:
- Multi-point locking that engages several points around the sash or leaf, with security-rated cylinders and keeps
- Laminated glazing where specified, which holds together under impact rather than knocking out of the frame
- Security hardware including handles, hinges and restrictors rated for the tested configuration
- Glazing held in from the inside or with security beading so the pane cannot be removed from outside
- A frame fixing and reinforcement detail that matches the tested build
What role does laminated glazing play?
Laminated glass is the glazing route most often used to pass the impact part of PAS 24, because its interlayer keeps the pane intact when struck and resists being knocked through. Where a configuration is certified with laminated glass on a given face, that glass is part of the tested build and cannot be swapped for ordinary glass without breaking the certification.
Glazing thickness on aluminium systems runs from 22 to 58mm depending on the system and the unit. The makeup that satisfies a given PAS 24 configuration is confirmed at quote, so state on the order that you need a PAS 24 route and we set the glazing to match the tested build.
Why does 50,000-cycle durability matter for security?
Security only counts if the locking still works years into service, so the hardware that carries a PAS 24 result is also durability tested. VitrineAlu systems are tested to 50,000 operating cycles to EN 12400, which represents long-term repeated opening and closing.
A lock cycled to that level keeps engaging cleanly, which is what keeps the multi-point hooks seating correctly over time. Durability and security are therefore specified together, not traded off against each other.
How does PAS 24 link to Approved Document Q?
Approved Document Q is the part of the Building Regulations for England covering security in new dwellings. It requires that easily accessible doors and windows resist physical attack by being made to a security-based design tested to an appropriate standard, and PAS 24 is the route most commonly used to show that.
For a new-build project, specifying PAS 24 units on the accessible openings is the straightforward way to satisfy Approved Document Q. The unit must be a tested security build, not a standard unit described as secure, so the configuration on the order has to match a passing test.
Approved Document Q applies to new dwellings in England. Confirm the scope that applies to your project, then specify the openings that need the tested route. See our security page for how the tested routes map across the range.
Which aluminium products carry a PAS 24 route?
A tested security route is available across the aluminium range, set per product type and confirmed at quote. Indicative whole-unit capabilities, to be confirmed for your sizes, are:
These figures are starting points. The passing PAS 24 build for your exact size and configuration is confirmed at quote, and a tested route can run alongside a low whole-unit Uw.
- Bifold doors with leaves up to 1.2 x 3.0m at 130kg, up to 14 leaves, around 90 percent clear opening, Uw from 0.9
- Sliding doors with sashes up to 2.2 x 2.87m at 420kg, 35mm interlock, around 50 to 65 percent clear opening, Uw from 1.0
- Casement windows up to 1.3 x 2.4m at 160kg, Uw from 0.85
- Tilt-turn windows, Uw from 0.71 on the high-insulation route
- Entrance doors up to 1.2 x 2.4m, Uw from 1.1
- Heritage sash windows up to 1.8 x 1.8m at 100kg, from 1.0
How do you specify a tested-security route?
Specify a tested route by stating the standard, the exact configuration and the glazing on the order, then letting us confirm the passing build. A PAS 24 result is tied to one build, so the more precise the specification, the cleaner the certification.
Put these on the order:
Send the openings through request a quote and we confirm the tested build and glazing makeup. Homeowners can find a vetted fitter through find an installer, and our products range shows the systems that carry a tested route.
- The standard and edition, for example PAS 24:2025
- The product type, size and opening configuration
- Whether Approved Document Q applies to the project
- The glazing requirement, including laminated glass where the configuration needs it
- Any matching weather or structural classes the opening must also meet
Common questions
Is PAS 24 a legal requirement?
PAS 24 itself is a test standard, not a law. It becomes effectively required when a project must satisfy Approved Document Q, the security part of the Building Regulations for England for new dwellings, because PAS 24 is the usual way to prove that doors and windows resist forced entry. Confirm whether Approved Document Q applies to your project, then specify PAS 24 on the accessible openings.
What is the difference between PAS 24 and Approved Document Q?
PAS 24 is the test standard that proves a door or window resists forced entry. Approved Document Q is the building regulation that requires accessible openings in new dwellings to be secure. Approved Document Q sets the requirement, and a PAS 24 tested unit is the common way to meet it.
Does an aluminium window need laminated glass to pass PAS 24?
Laminated glass is the glazing route most often used to pass the impact part of PAS 24, because it holds together when struck. Where a configuration is certified with laminated glass, that glass is part of the tested build and cannot be substituted. We confirm the exact glazing makeup needed for your PAS 24 configuration at quote.
Can the same unit be both PAS 24 secure and energy efficient?
Yes. PAS 24 is a security test, and thermal performance is measured separately as the whole-unit Uw. An aluminium unit can carry a tested PAS 24 route and a low Uw at the same time, since laminated security glazing and an insulated frame are not in conflict. Casement windows run from a Uw of 0.85 and bifold doors from 0.9, with the security route confirmed alongside the Uw at quote.
How do I specify PAS 24 on an order?
State the standard and edition, for example PAS 24:2025, the product type, size and opening configuration, the glazing requirement including laminated glass where needed, and whether Approved Document Q applies. We then confirm the tested build that passes. Send the openings through request a quote.
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