Understanding the New UL 325 Standard



The new UL 325 standard is a safety standard for door, drapery, gate, louver, and window operators and systems. Specifically, it applies to electric operators for doors, draperies, gates, louvers, windows and other opening and closing appliances rated 600 volts or less.
This new standard is the result of industry leaders working with Underwriters Laboratories (UL), with the common objective of providing products that are safe for the general public, as well as for preventing fire and electrical hazards.
The UL 325 standard allows all applicable products to be tested at a nationally recognized testing laboratory. The new standard also:

1. Contains the basic qualifying factors with which products must comply in order to be documented (listed) and marked (labelled) under the requirements of the UL 325 voluntary listing and labelling program.
2. Pertains to methods for testing products for safety.
3. Cover installation of products under the requirements of the National Electrical Code.
4. Address fire and electrical safety, as well as safety of the public.


The new UL 325 standard went into effect March of 2000. This web site will begin to explain Ul325 and how this standard will affect you.

Why UL 325 Should Concern You



All parties in the door, drapery, gate, louver, and window operator and systems industries should be aware of the new UL 325 standard in order to provide the highest safety and liability prevention available for these systems. These parties include the manufacturer, designer, specifier, dealer, installer, technician, and end user-all of whom are responsible for the safety of these systems. The new standards affect how the systems are specified, installed, serviced, and used. Compliance by all parties will provide maximum safety.

New System Classifications



One of the highlights to emerge from the new UL 325 standard has been the introduction of new classifications, or groupings of various types of systems. An example of these new classifications can be seen in gate operators:

Class I

- Residential Vehicular Gate Operator A vehicular gate operator (or system) intended for use in a home of one to four single family dwellings, or garage or parking area associated therewith.

Class II

- Commercial/General Access Vehicular Gate Operator A vehicular gate operator (or system) intended for use in a commercial location or building such as a multi-family housing unit (five or more single family units, hotel, garages, retail store or other building servicing the general public.

Class III

- Industrial /Limited Access Vehicular Gate Operator A vehicular gate operator (or system) intended for use in an industrial location or building such as a factory or loading dock area or other locations not intended to service the general public.

Class IV

- Restricted Access Vehicular Gate Operator A vehicular gate operator (or system) intended for use in a guarded industrial location or building such as an airport security area or other restricted access location not servicing the general public, in which unauthorized access is prevented via supervisions by security personnel.


For more information on the UL325 Standards, Click Here.

Phone: 615.298.4283   |   Fax: 615.799.0863   |   Address: P.O. Box 356 Fairview, TN 37062