Passage, privacy, and entry locksets differ by latch operation, locking control, and exterior access: passage has no lock, privacy locks manually from inside, and entry uses a key outside with free inside egress.
The three functions suit different doors: passage for closets and pantries, privacy for bathrooms and bedrooms, and entry for secured exterior or controlled-access openings [S1][S2].
Define the three lockset functions
A passage lockset operates an active latch from either side but includes no key cylinder and no locking mechanism [S2]. Its F01 function retracts the latch bolt when either lever is turned, making it suitable for pantries, closets, laundry rooms, and connecting doors where privacy is unnecessary [S1][S2].
A privacy lockset adds manual locking at the inside handle. Allegion F22 permits the outside lever to operate the latch except when an inside turn or button locks it; closing the door or operating the outside emergency release unlocks the outside lever [S2]. Privacy sets serve restrooms, powder rooms, dressing rooms, bedrooms, and guest rooms [S1][S2][S5].
An entry lockset adds keyed control at the exterior and must still allow free egress from the inside. The inside lever remains usable, while the outside lever is normally inoperative when the lockset is secured [S2]. This differs from passage and privacy because the defining requirement is controlled entry, not simply a latching action or temporary privacy.
Compare operation, access, and suitable doors
On access control, passage is least restrictive because both sides operate the latch whenever the handle turns; privacy allows an occupant to lock the outside lever from inside; entry provides the strongest regular key control but does not necessarily provide the same institutional authorization as an electronically controlled access device [S2].
For a broader view of commercial project criteria, including grade, accessibility, fire-door requirements, and material filters, use the commercial door hardware selection guide before finalizing schedules.
Match each function to the door
Specify passage where the door needs to close and latch but does not need to secure the room. Examples include a pantry, closet, laundry room, or a passage connecting a living room to a kitchen [S1][S5][S7]. A passage set should not be confused with a dummy: a passage handle turns and drives the latch, while a dummy handle is fixed and operates neither latch nor lock [S1][S3].
Specify privacy for a room where temporary exclusion is required but keyed entry is not necessary. The inside lever may include a push button or turn, and the outside release is commonly accessible with a coin, screwdriver, paper clip, or an approved emergency-release method [S1][S2]. A hospital privacy variation adds an outside thumbturn so staff can enter without a key, while some privacy locks include a locked or unlocked indicator [S2].
Specify entry where a keyed user must operate the outside lever and occupants need free departure from inside. This function is appropriate for an exterior entrance or an interior opening requiring key control. Unlike a single-cylinder deadbolt, an entry handleset is a coordinated latch-and-deadbolt assembly; the cited configuration pairs a passage-style exterior cylinder and deadbolt with an interior thumb-operated latch and grip [S3].
Do not substitute passage for entry
Passage locksets fail the requirement when an opening must prevent unauthorized entry because they have neither a key cylinder nor a means to lock [S2]. Adding a separate deadbolt may create an acceptable security arrangement for some interior doors, but it changes the operating sequence and hardware coordination; passage sets are otherwise normally specified for doors that do not require privacy [S7][S10].
Privacy is also not a substitute for entry where staff, tenants, or other authorized users need controlled access. The typical privacy release is deliberately non-keyed, and the outside lever can be operated after emergency release or closure of the door depending on the F22 mechanics [S2]. That behavior does not provide a per-user key record or a durable keyed schedule.
Entry is not automatically the right choice for every controlled room. A storeroom F07 lock keeps the outside lever locked at all times, retracts the latch bolt by key from outside, and allows free operation from the inside; it is intended for secure storage, mechanical, and electrical rooms that do not require panic hardware [S2]. Entry and storeroom functions therefore need separate comparison when security, scheduling, or after-hours access differs.
Account for preparation and installation constraints
Door thickness and lock preparation must be checked before selecting trims. The cited passage and privacy function guidance gives a standard door range of 1-3/8 to 1-3/4 inches, while a single-cylinder deadbolt is listed for 1-3/4 to 2 inches [S3]. These are model-specific guidance, not universal project limits, so the selected manufacturer template and installation instructions remain controlling.
For double doors, assign the active and passive roles before ordering hardware. In an active/passive passage arrangement, the active leaf carries the mortise lock and the passive leaf uses a striker; the cited examples include lip strikes with knobs and recessed magnetic strikes with magnetic locks [S1]. For double dummy doors, a concealed magnetic latch or latch-ball catch may supply the closing function because the dummy hardware itself does not operate a latch [S1].
Door swing also affects hardware selection. The cited lock-function guidance describes single dummy hardware on one side and double dummy hardware on both sides, including side-by-side and French-door arrangements, with surface mounting or through bolting depending on the product [S3]. Actual handing, latch placement, and mounting coordinates must be taken from the door schedule and approved submittal.
Resolve security, egress, and operational exceptions
All three basic functions must preserve free egress from the inside, but their outside-access behavior remains different. Passage provides immediate two-sided operation, privacy permits a user-controlled locked state with a non-keyed outside release, and entry uses a key while the inside lever stays free for immediate departure [S1][S2]. This is the clearest decision test when code, life safety, or user expectations could conflict.
Privacy hardware can be opened from the exterior with everyday tools in some designs, including a coin, screwdriver, or paper clip, while specialty products may release through a thin paper mechanism [S1]. That is a convenience and emergency-release characteristic, not evidence of interchangeable compatibility. Privacy, passage, and entry trims can share a design language, but their internal mechanisms, emergency-release behavior, and door preparations are not equivalent [S1].
For institutional doors, define the operating intent before choosing a function: always free egress, manually locked from inside, keyed at all times, or controlled by an authorized person. Allegion identifies 6 mechanical functions as covering most common lockset specifications, and its basic-function guidance states that all permit free egress at all times [S2]. More restrictive requirements may call for a dedicated security function rather than forcing a passage, privacy, or entry trim into the wrong duty.
Verify the schedule and submittal
On the hardware schedule, record the function, inside and outside trim, handing, latch or deadbolt, strike, cylinder, door thickness, and any closer or coordinator. The cited passage arrangement identifies a flush bolt on the passive leaf of a double door, while the F07 storeroom description notes that a closer may be needed to prevent a secured door from being left open [S1][S2]. A complete schedule prevents a passage and privacy trim from being substituted during installation.
Check lifecycle needs as well as first cost. Passage has the simplest operating sequence because there is no lock; privacy adds a manual lock and an outside release; entry adds keyed exterior control while preserving free inside egress [S2]. The selection should therefore follow the required access model, not merely the door label or matching finish.
The trackable procurement signal is the hardware submittal: verify that each scheduled function shows the correct outside and inside operation, a backset compatible with the mortise case, and a door thickness within the manufacturer's stated range before release to fabrication [S3].