Electrified Locks

What is electrified door hardware?

Electrified door hardware is any lock, exit device or trim that uses electric power to lock or unlock, so a card reader, keypad or remote button can control the door. Electrified locks are the lockset part of that family: they look like a standard mortise or cylindrical lever lock, keep a key cylinder for override, and change the state of the outside lever when power is applied or removed. Unlike a maglock, an electrified lock latches like a normal lock, so the door stays secure and fire-rated doors keep positive latching.

Fail safe vs fail secure: the first decision

Fail safe means the lock unlocks when power is lost, and fail secure means it stays locked when power is lost. Inside, the door always opens for egress either way. Use fail safe where the door must be free to enter during a power failure or fire alarm, such as stairwell re-entry where the code calls for it. Use fail secure on perimeter, storeroom and IT room doors that must stay locked if power fails. Brands name it differently:

• Schlage: EU (electrically unlocked) is fail secure, EL (electrically locked) is fail safe, as on the L9092EUP and ND80PDEU vs the ND80PDEL.
• Corbin Russwin: SEC is fail secure and SAF is fail safe, as on the ML20906 NSA SEC and SAF.
• BEST: DEU is electrically unlocked (fail secure) and DEL electrically locked (fail safe), as on the 9KW37DEU and 9KW37DEL.

Electrified mortise vs electrified cylindrical locks

Choose an electrified mortise lock for doors prepared for a mortise lockset and for the heaviest traffic, and an electrified cylindrical lock for doors with a standard bore. Mortise models in the catalog include the Schlage L9092 and L9093, the Schlage L9095 (with many lever and cylinder options), the Corbin Russwin ML20906, the BEST 45H and the Falcon MA881. Cylindrical models include the Schlage ND80 and ND96, the BEST 9K, the Sargent 10X Line (10XG71) and the Falcon T881.

Request to exit (RX) and monitoring options

A request to exit switch tells the access control system that someone is leaving, so the system does not raise a forced door alarm. Several electrified locks are offered with it: the BEST 45HW RQE models and the Schlage ND Series note an RX option in the listing. Some models also report latch or lock status for monitoring. Decide on RX and monitoring with your access control integrator, because the panel must use the signals.

Power: voltage, current and wiring

Most electrified locks run on 12 or 24 volts DC from a regulated access control power supply, not straight from the panel. Listed examples: the Sargent 10XG71 accepts 12VDC or 24VDC and draws 250 mA at 24VDC or 500 mA at 12VDC, the BEST 9K models are 24VDC, and the Schlage ND80PDEU input voltage is listed as auto-detecting. Power reaches the lock through an electric hinge, a power transfer or a door loop. See access control power supplies and electrified hinges.

Electrified exit trims

An electrified exit trim is the outside trim of an exit device that locks or unlocks electrically, so the panic device itself stays mechanical. It is a simpler alternative to electric latch retraction when the door only needs controlled entry. Our electric latch retraction vs electrified exit trim guide compares the two, and the products are in electrified exit trims.

Most requested electrified locks

The electrified locks our customers look up most often right now:

• Corbin Russwin ML20906 NSA SEC Fail Secure Electrified Mortise Lock
• BEST 9KW37DEU16DSTK Electrified Lever Lock 24VDC, Fail Secure
• Sargent 10XG71 Electromechanical Cylindrical Lever Lock
• Schlage ND80PDEU ATH Electrified Storeroom Lock, Fail Secure
• Corbin Russwin ML20906 NSA SAF Fail Safe Electrified Mortise Lock

Related categories: electromagnetic locks, electric strikes, push buttons and egress devices, electrified mortise locks and electrified cylindrical locks.

What to have ready when ordering an electrified lock

• Lock type and series: mortise or cylindrical, and any existing door prep.
• Fail safe or fail secure, and the outside function (EU/EL, SEC/SAF, DEU/DEL).
• Voltage (12 or 24VDC) and the power supply and transfer you will use.
• RX or monitoring switches required by the access control system.
• Lever style, cylinder or core type (conventional, FSIC, SFIC) and keyway.
• Finish, door thickness and backset.

Planning a full access control job? Our guide to electrified mortise locks covers wiring and functions in more depth.

Equipping several doors? Request a quote for project pricing, and schools and agencies can submit a government or school PO. Orders placed before 3:00 p.m. ET on business days ship the same day after card approval, and ground shipping is free on orders of $450+. Questions on a function code? Call 718-814-6300.

The tables and selection notes on this page are compiled by National Lock Supply from manufacturer catalogs and product listings. Last reviewed: November 2026.