DIYrr

Door Won't Latch? Strike Plate & Deadbolt Adjustment

Updated 2026-10-31 · Sources verified 2026-07-20

Have this exact problem? Snap a photo or describe it and get a free step-by-step plan — local prices and the permit answer included, and you can email the plan to yourself. No signup. Get my free plan →

Find where it hits before you change anything. Schlage: 'Put some chalk – lipstick also works – on the bolt before locking and unlocking it', then read the smear on the strike. Permit in Orange County: no permit. The full answer and its source are below, with the code requirements and mistakes that trip up Orlando homeowners.

Key facts before you start

Find where it hits before you change anything. Schlage: 'Put some chalk – lipstick also works – on the bolt before locking and unlocking it', then read the smear on the strike. 'The deadbolt is probably hitting or rubbing on just one or two sides of the bolt strike.' A test that separates door from lock (Kwikset): open the door and throw the bolt; if it works open but not closed, 'the latch and strike are not aligned as they should be.'
Tighten first, it's free. Loose hinge or strike screws let the door drop and the latch ride low. Schlage: 'worn or loose hinges cause your door to sag', fixed by tighter hinges or 'shims under the hinges'. Therma-Tru's fix for a door 'sagging out of square in frame' is to make sure the 'LONG hinge screws... are properly installed in the top hinge through the jamb to the stud.' Hand-drive them: Yale warns 'Using an electric driver may strip screw heads or enlarge screw holes', and Schlage calls an electric drill 'not recommended for installation as it can easily strip the screws.'
Door rattles when it's shut: the latch is loose in the strike. Kwikset: 'adjust the strike tab so it grips the latch bolt better when the door is closed.' Family Handyman: 'bend the little tang on the strike plate toward the door' — and 'A pair of pliers always hacks up the finish on the plate, so use two adjustable wrenches instead.' Bend a little, test, repeat. If the tab is already maxed, the door stop is the gap: shift the stop tight to the door instead.
Latch misses the hole by a little: file the strike opening toward the latch. This Old House: 'Use a file to enlarge the opening in the direction you need. File gradually, and test the fit frequently.' Family Handyman: if filing shakes the plate, 'remove the plate and secure it in a vise'. Misses by more: move the strike. Loosen the screws, slide it up or down, re-mortise the jamb, and pre-drill new holes off the old ones.
Old screw holes beside the new position will steer the new screws back into the old spot. Wood filler only hides them. This Old House's preferred fix for a stripped hole is a dowel and epoxy: drill the hole out with a 1/4-inch bit to make it uniform, glue in a dowel piece 'about an inch long', trim flush, then pre-drill. Watch the depth: 'Continuing to drill may damage the jack stud behind the wall.'
Deadbolt won't go all the way out, or springs back: the hole behind the strike is too shallow. Schlage, Kwikset and Yale all say the same: 'Make sure this hole is at least 1" (25 mm) deep' (Schlage), and Yale: 'Increase depth of the deadbolt strike pocket in the frame.' Baldwin's own spec bores deeper, '1-1/4" deep'. Schlage's test: with the door closed you should be able to turn the key or thumbturn the full 90° 'fully extending the bolt' smoothly; if not, 'adjust your frame and/or door preparation.'
Smart lock or keypad deadbolt that jams, beeps or eats batteries is usually the door, not the electronics. Yale: 'a misaligned door can make it seem like your deadlock is malfunctioning and losing battery faster than usual.' Kwikset: if you 'have to push, pull or lift the door to get it to close, adjust the position of the lower strike', and 'Adjust the tab of the lower strike (for your knob or lever) to help align the upper latch and strike'. Schlage's checklist: you can lock it 'without pushing, pulling or lifting the door.'
Knob latch: two things to check on the latch itself. Kwikset: 'slant of latch bolt faces door frame', and the small trigger bolt beside it must not drop into the strike hole: 'If small bolt of latch enters strike hole, reposition strike.' Backset (2-3/8 or 2-3/4 in) is adjustable on most latches; Kwikset: 'If the latch holes are centered in the door hole, no adjustment is required.'
Exterior doors with an adjustable strike: it moves in and out, not just up and down, to set how hard the door presses the weatherstrip. Therma-Tru: 'Adjust strike plate in or out for proper weatherstrip contact and door operation, then finish tightening screws', aiming for weatherstrip contact 'an even 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch when fully closed'. Pella's current front doors: 'first partially loosen short screws', move the lower reinforcing plate 'to the left or right – as needed to loosen or tighten door panel fit', then retighten.
While the strike is off, make it strong. Schlage offers 'a strike reinforcement plate with 3-inch screws' and says to drill 'pilot holes 1/8" x 3" deep' so they reach the framing; Therma-Tru supplies '#8 X 2-1/2 inch screws' through the strike 'to secure the lock side jamb and provide security', with the jamb shimmed behind the strike first. Exception: 'If you have a sidelight..., the 3-inch screws may be too long to use' (Schlage). Baldwin: 'Lubricant recommended when installing 3" reinforcing screws.'
Lubricate the right part with the right thing. Hager, a hardware maker: 'Graphite only should be applied to the cylinder unit by blowing a small quantity into the keyway. WD40 is not recommended for lubricating the cylinder unit as the oil base used is too light and will not carry the metal filings and dust away'; the latch mechanism itself takes 'high quality lithium grease'. Orlando humidity is hard on hardware: Therma-Tru says wipe hinges and locksets 'with a soft, water-dampened cloth and dried off', never abrasive cleaners. Check your lock maker's own advice first; some smart-key cylinders have their own rules.

The permit answer

No permit. Orange County's FAQ: 'You generally do not need a permit for minor home improvement projects.' Adjusting, filing, moving or reinforcing a strike, latch or deadbolt on an existing door changes nothing structural, electrical or plumbing. Replacing an exterior door itself is a different answer: see the exterior door guide.
Source: https://engageorange.ocfl.net/fast-track-permitting-services/faqs

Orange County and the City of Orlando run separate permit offices with separate portals — and your mailing address alone doesn't tell you which one covers your home. Check which permit office covers your address →

Manufacturer instructions

The manufacturers' own instructions this guide is built from. Follow the manual for your exact model; they open on the manufacturer's site.

Get a free step-by-step plan for YOUR exact repair →

DIYrr builds a personalized plan from a photo and description — tools, materials with local prices, and permit guidance. Email it to yourself to keep it. Free for homeowners, no account needed.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit for a door latch & strike plate adjustment repair in Orange County, FL?

No permit. Orange County's FAQ: 'You generally do not need a permit for minor home improvement projects.' Adjusting, filing, moving or reinforcing a strike, latch or deadbolt on an existing door changes nothing structural, electrical or plumbing. Replacing an exterior door itself is a different answer: see the exterior door guide.

Looking for a different repair?

Sources

https://www.schlage.com/en/blog/product_updates/door-wont-latch.html
https://www.schlage.com/content/dam/sch-us/documents/pdf/installation-manuals/Schlage-Sense-installation-instructions-P516-990.pdf
https://www.schlage.com/en/blog/home_security/what-makes-a-lock-secure.html
https://www.schlage.com/en/blog/product_updates/how-to-install-a-deadbolt-lock.html
https://allegion.ca/content/dam/allegion-us-2/web-files/schlage/installation-documents/Schlage_Control_Deadbolt_BE467_116225.pdf
https://www.schlage.com/content/dam/sch-us/documents/pdf/installation-manuals/schlage-encode-door-prep-with-holes.pdf
https://images.kwikset.com/is/content/Kwikset/QR%20Code%20Instructions/Knob_Install_ENG_Final.pdf
https://www.kwikset.com/support/answers/on-my-smartcode-deadbolt-the-lock-beeps-the-keypad-flashes-red-and-the-door-cannot-lock
https://www.kwikset.com/support/topics/latch-issues
https://support.shopyalehome.com/en_us/troubleshooting-yale-code-HkcFzplUC.md
https://www.baldwinhardwaredirect.com/content/baldwinestatedeadboltinstallation.pdf
https://www.thermatru.com/globalassets/widen/marketing-literature/brochures/15_bro_ownersmanual_hr.pdf
https://media.pella.com/professional/PERL/Installation/Accessories/Door/GIF-000003301-_PanoLockPlusStrikePlateAdjustment.pdf
https://www.hagerco.com/Files/Files/Warranties/hager_door_hardware_care_maintenance.pdf
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/realigning-dead-bolts-strike-plates
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/doors/how-to-repair-a-stripped-screw-hole
https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/how-to-fix-a-rattling-door/
https://www.familyhandyman.com/project/adjusting-a-door-strike-plate/

This guide is general informational content, not professional or legal advice. Codes and county rules change — confirm permit requirements with your local building department, and use a licensed professional for electrical, gas, structural, or main-line plumbing work.