Door Lock Grades: ANSI Grade 1, 2, 3 and Backset

ANSI/BHMA grades run from 1 (highest) to 3 and come from the standard's lab tests, while backset is the distance from the door edge to the lock hole's center.

By Karson AbernathyContributing writer.

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Bar chart of door hardware and locks on Wiki Shopping by type. Latches and bolts lead with 23 listings, followed by door knobs with 18 and lock replacement parts with 9. — Door hardware on Wiki Shopping by the type its listings state, from our listing data on October 26, 2026. Chart by Wiki Shopping.

The short answer

Lock grades come from the Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA), the group accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to write door hardware standards. Many hardware types come in Grade 1, 2 or 3, with Grade 1 the highest. A grade means the product met that level of the test benchmarks in its ANSI/BHMA standard.

What does ANSI Grade 1 mean

Each ANSI/BHMA standard sets progressive performance benchmarks for one kind of hardware. BHMA describes the tests in its certified products listings as covering cycles (repeated use), operation, strength, security and finish. A product that meets the top set of benchmarks is Grade 1. Because the criteria are written per product, a Grade 1 deadbolt and a Grade 1 hinge pass different tests.

BHMA says the grade can be read from a product's BHMA product number. To confirm a grade claim, search the BHMA Certified Products Directory, which lists hardware that passed independent lab testing.

Grade 1 vs Grade 2 deadbolt

Both pass the same kinds of tests; Grade 1 has to meet tougher benchmarks in them. The exact numbers are in the standard itself, which BHMA sells, so be wary of a listing that quotes cycle counts or force figures without a source.

For homes, BHMA split residential hardware into its own standards in 2014: ANSI/BHMA A156.39 for residential locksets and latches and A156.40 for residential deadbolts. Products certified to them carry the Secure Home label, which rates three things separately:

Rating	What it measures
Security	How well the lock resists impact and forced entry
Durability	How well it works after long, repeated use and with weight on the door
Finish	How well the coating resists sun, humidity, salt and hand oils

Each is marked A (Best), B (Better) or C (Good). One durability test cycles a lock through up to one million unlatch, close and relatch cycles; one security test strikes a lever five times with a hammer. BHMA suggests choosing by door. Its own example: for a bathroom lock, durability may matter more than security or finish.

How to measure door backset

The backset is the distance from the edge of the door to the center of the hole where the knob or deadbolt goes. Measure it with a tape on the face of the door, from the edge to the center of the existing bore.

Kwikset lists two backsets for its SmartCode 917 deadbolt, 2-3/8 inches (60 mm) or 2-3/4 inches (70 mm), with a 2-1/8 inch (54 mm) bore hole. BHMA notes that most of its products adjust to the most common door preparations, so check the backsets a lock supports before you drill.

Also measure:

Door thickness, which sets whether you need a thick-door kit.
Strike plate width, the plate on the frame that the bolt enters.

Shopping for door hardware

Of the 83 door hardware and lock listings in tools and home improvement on Wiki Shopping on October 26, 2026, 23 are latches and bolts, 18 door knobs and 9 lock replacement parts.

How we count

Hardware types are read from each store listing on Wiki Shopping. Listings that do not state a type are left out of those counts, and the counts change as listings are added or removed.