WMA Regulatory Affairs Update - June 2026

Gearing Up for Changes to WMA 100 Standard

This month, WMA’s Regulatory Affairs and Standards Development Committee (RASDC) will be finalizing proposed revisions to ANSI/WMA 100-2023, Standard Method of Determining Structural Performance Ratings of Side-Hinged Exterior Door Systems and Procedures for Component Substitution. Soon thereafter, the proposal will be posted to the WMA website for public comment.

One of the most significant changes under consideration is expanding the scope of the standard to include air leakage and water penetration resistance testing. These additions are being driven by evolving compliance requirements for side-hinged exterior doors (SHEDs), particularly in Florida, where upcoming code changes will place greater emphasis on water-resistance performance.

A Brief History of WMA 100

WMA developed the WMA 100 to provide door pre-hangers and distributors with a reliable method for door component substitution in structurally rated SHEDs to minimize extensive retesting. The effort began more than 20 years ago in response to industry proposals to require SHEDs to be certified solely to AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440, commonly known as the North American Fenestration Standard (NAFS), for structural compliance requirements in the International Residential Code (IRC), a model code widely adopted by states around the country.

Unlike WMA 100, NAFS – an air, water, structural (AWS) performance standard - does not contain procedures for door component substitution and requires other performance tests in addition to AWS. As a result, door pre-hangers and distributors that source components from multiple suppliers would be required to test multiple options of each door configuration they assemble for the marketplace to demonstrate compliance with NAFS requirements.

Over several International Code cycles, WMA successfully opposed efforts to eliminate the ASTM E330 structural testing option for SHEDs in the IRC thus making NAFS the only compliance pathway. At the same time, WMA developed the WMA 100 as a comparable alternative standard for structural compliance that would provide equivalent performance validation while addressing the unique manufacturing and distribution practices of the door industry.

The first edition of WMA 100 was ANSI-approved as an American National Standard in 2013, and WMA subsequently secured its inclusion into the 2015 edition of the IRC, as an alternative compliance option for SHEDs.

Florida Code Changes Drive New Requirements

A significant change in the upcoming 9th Edition of the Florida Building Code is the addition of NAFS’ Limited Water (LW) test requirement to the overhang exception where door assemblies are currently allowed to be installed under an overhang without having to test to water infiltration resistance.

The only overhang exception clause in the code that was not modified to include LW is Section 1709.5.2, which continues to preserve this longstanding exception for SHEDs. The language states: “Door assemblies installed where the overhang (OH) ratio is equal to or more than 1 need not be tested for water infiltration....”

In contrast, the new LW language in the other overhang exception clauses will read as follows: “Door assemblies labeled with a Limited Water (LW) rating as specified in AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440 shall be permitted to be installed where the overhang (OH) ratio is equal to or more than 1….”

Why the Proposed Revisions Matter

WMA 100 is currently referenced in Section R609.3 of Florida’s residential code, where the LW test has been added to this section’s overhang exception. To ensure WMA 100 remains a viable compliance pathway for SHEDs, the standard is being revised to include minimum water-performance requirements comparable to NAFS’ Limited Water (LW) test.

By incorporating water testing—as well as air leakage testing—WMA 100 will evolve from a structural-only standard into a more comprehensive, door-specific framework for air, water, and structural performance while maintaining protocols for component substitution.

This scope expansion will give door manufacturers, pre-hangers, and distributors a practical compliance path while supporting Florida’s increasing focus on resilient product performance.

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Contact: Jessica Ferris Director of Regulatory Affairs & Standards Development jferris@worldmillworkalliance.com