Skip to content
- Support
- Warranty
- Troubleshooting
- Where to Buy
- Find A Dealer
- Online Dealers
- Events
- Contact
- Business
- Residential
- Dealer Portal
- Dealer Login
- Dealer Resources
- Become a Dealer
- Logout
Home > Burglary Ratings Explained
WHAT LEVEL OF PROTECTION IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Safes have been used for hundreds of years to protect valuables of all types. Today, most businesses and private residences depend on safes to protect their valuables.
Buying a safe may seem confusing at first, but understanding what levels of protection are available is the first step in finding what safe is right for you.
There are two general categories of safes: burglary safes and fire safes. Our product line offers a wide selection of burglary, fire or burglary fire safes with different levels of protection to choose from.
The rating or classification of a safe indicates the degree of protection that safe will provide its contents in the case attempted burglary or fire. Safes are classified using two different methods:Construction RatingsandTest PerformanceRatings. Construction classification relates to burglar protection and is determined by the material specifications of the safe. To receive a performance rating, the safe mustbothbe built to a construction specificationandbe independently tested by attempted break-in or fire to make sure it meets the standard.
The best known independent burglary and fire testing agency is United Laboratories (UL). Intertek-ETL is also recognized as a highly reputable company that performs independent testing for fire resistance.
BURGLARY RATED SAFES
Before buying a safe, research the products construction and performance standards and make sure that the safe you’re purchasing will adequately protect your possessions.
VIEW OPTIONS
BURGLARY RATINGS
The burglary safeConstruction Ratingswere established by the insurance industry to develop a standard that will indicate the degree of protection a safe will provide against an attempted burglary attack. The most common construction ratings range from B-Rate to C-Rate.
The best burglary safeTest Performance Ratingswere established by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Underwriters Laboratories was founded in 1894 and is chartered as a not-for-profit independent testing organization. U.L. has been testing products and writing standards for safety for more than a century. The most commonTest Performance Ratingsrange from the U.L. RSC burglary rating to the U.L. TL-15, TL-30 and TL30x6 high security ratings.
B
B-Classification / Good Protection
The “B” burglary resistive classification is an industry construction and performance rating. This type of construction rating was established by the insurance industry to develop a standard that will indicate the degree of protection a safe will provide against an attempted burglary attack.
Construction Specifications
Steel doors less than 1″ thick and steel body less than 1/2″ thick.
C
C-Classification / Better Protection
The “C” burglary resistive classification is an industry construction and performance rating. This type of construction rating was established by the insurance industry to develop a standard that will indicate the degree of protection a safe will provide against an attempted burglary attack.
Construction Specifications
Steel doors at least 1″ thick and steel body at least 1/2″ thick.
U.L. LABEL — RESIDENTIAL SECURITY CONTAINER — LEVEL I
Signifies a combination-locked safe designed to offer a limited degree of protection against attack by common mechanical and electrical hand tools and any combination of these means.
Construction Requirements
* U.L. listed Group II combination lock or Type 1 electronic lock.
* Door material equivalent to at least 3/16″ open hearth steel.
* Body walls of material equivalent to at least 12 gauge open hearth steel.
Performance Requirements
The door successfully resist entry for a net working time of 5 minutes when attacked against rigorous prying, drilling, punching, chiseling, and tampering attacks by UL technicians.
U.L. LABEL — RESIDENTIAL SECURITY CONTAINER — LEVEL II
Signifies a combination-locked safe designed to offer a limited degree of protection against attack by common mechanical and electrical hand tools and any combination of these means.
Construction Requirements
* U.L. listed Group II combination lock or Type 1 electronic lock.
* Door material equivalent to at least 3/16″ open hearth steel.
* Body walls of material equivalent to at least 12 gauge open hearth steel.
Performance Requirements
The door successfully resist entry for a net working time of 10 minutes when attacked against rigorous prying, drilling, punching, chiseling, and tampering attacks by UL technicians.
U.L. Label — Burglary Classification TL-15 — Best Protection
Signifies a combination-locked safe designed to offer a maximum door protection against attack by common mechanical and electrical hand tools and any combination of these means.
Construction Requirements
• U.L. listed Group 2M, 1, 1R combination lock or Type 1 electronic lock
• 750 lbs. minimum or comes with instructions for anchoring in a larger safe, concrete blocks or on the premises where used.
• Body walls of material equivalent to at least 1″ open hearth steel with a minimum tensile strength of 50,000 P.S.I.
• Walls fastened in a manner equivalent to continuous ¼” penetration weld of open hearth steel with minimum tensile strength of 50,000 P.S.I.
• One hole ¼” or less, to accommodate electrical conductors arranged to have no direct view of the door or locking mechanism.
Performance Requirements
The door successfully resist entry* for a net working time of 15 minutes when attacked with common hand tools, picking tools, mechanical or portable electric tools, grinding points, carbide drills and pressure applying devices or mechanisms.
* Entry means for:Opening the door or making a 6 square inch opening entirely through the door or front face
U.L. LABEL — BURGLARY CLASSIFICATION TL-30 — SUPERIOR PROTECTION
Signifies a combination-locked safe designed to offer a maximum door protection against attack by common mechanical and electrical hand tools and any combination of these means.
Construction Requirements
• U.L. listed Group 2M, 1, 1R combination lock or Type 1 electronic lock
• 750 lbs. minimum or comes with instructions for anchoring in a larger safe, concrete blocks or on the premises where used.
• Body walls of material equivalent to at least 1″ open hearth steel with a minimum tensile strength of 50,000 P.S.I.
• Walls fastened in a manner equivalent to continuous ¼” penetration weld of open hearth steel with minimum tensile strength of 50,000 P.S.I.
• One hole ¼” or less, to accommodate electrical conductors arranged to have no direct view of the door or locking mechanism.
Performance Requirements
The door successfully resist entry* for a net working time of 30 minutes when attacked with common hand tools, picking tools, mechanical or portable electric tools, grinding points, carbide drills and pressure applying devices or mechanisms, abrasive cutting wheels and power saws.
* Entry means for:Opening the door or making a 6 square inch opening entirely through the door or front face
U.L. LABEL — BURGLARY CLASSIFICATION TL-30×6 — EXTREME PROTECTION
Signifies a combination-locked safe designed to offer a maximum six-sided body and door protection against attack by common mechanical and electrical hand tools and any combination of these means.
Construction Requirements
• U.L. listed Group 2M, 1, 1R combination lock or Type 1 electronic lock
• 750 lbs. minimum or comes with instructions for anchoring in a larger safe, concrete blocks or on the premises where used.
• Body walls of material equivalent to at least 1″ open hearth steel with a minimum tensile strength of 50,000 P.S.I.
• Walls fastened in a manner equivalent to continuous ¼” penetration weld of open hearth steel with minimum tensile strength of 50,000 P.S.I.
• One hole ¼” or less, to accommodate electrical conductors arranged to have no direct view of the door or locking mechanism.
Performance Requirements
The body and door successfully resist entry* for a net working time of 30 minutes when attacked with common hand tools, picking tools, mechanical or portable electric tools, grinding points, carbide drills and pressure applying devices or mechanisms, abrasive cutting wheels and power saws.
* Entry means for:Opening the door or making a 6 square inch opening entirely through the body, door or front face
