Garage Door with Pass Door (Wicket Door): Complete Buyer's Guide for Toronto (2026)

Every month we get calls from Toronto homeowners asking about garage doors with walk-through doors built in. Pass doors are genuinely useful in the right situation — but most GTA homeowners are surprised to learn they are expensive, require a custom factory order, and may not be the most practical solution for an attached garage. Here's everything you need to know to make the right decision.

How a Pass Door Works

A pass door is integrated into the bottom or second section of the garage door. The pass door section has:

• Reinforced framing: Steel or aluminum subframe built around the door opening within the panel
• Standard door hardware: Hinges, door knob or lever handle, and a keyed deadbolt or latch
• Safety interlock: A mechanism that prevents the overhead door from operating unless the pass door is fully closed and latched — critical safety feature
• Weatherstripping: Seals around the pass door perimeter to maintain the garage's thermal and weather performance
• Step-over threshold: Because the pass door is within a panel that sits on the garage floor sill, there is typically a small step of 2-4 inches when entering through the pass door

The overhead door operates normally when the pass door is closed. The pass door opens outward (since the door panel is vertical when closed). When the main door is raised, the pass door section rises with it — you cannot use the pass door when the main door is open.

Benefits of a Garage Door Pass Door

Feature	Pass Door	Standard Side Door
Convenience when main door is closed	Walk through directly	Walk around building
No extra door opening to maintain	Integrated into main door	Separate door + frame needed
Space usage on side walls	Uses no side wall space	Requires side wall opening
Cost	$2,500-$5,000 installed	$500-$1,200 installed
Complexity / maintenance	More components, interlock to maintain	Simple, independent door
Energy efficiency	Pass door area is weak point	Properly framed wall door seals better
Accessibility (step-over)	2-4 inch threshold step	Can be level threshold
Works when main door is open	Cannot use	Always accessible

When a Pass Door Makes Sense in Toronto

Based on our experience installing and repairing garage doors across the GTA, pass doors genuinely make sense in these specific situations:

Detached Garages Without Side Access

If you have a detached garage in your backyard with only the front opening and no side wall available for a door, a pass door gives you convenient pedestrian access without raising the full door every time. This is the most common legitimate use case in older Toronto neighbourhoods where garages back onto laneways.

Commercial and Light Industrial Buildings

Warehouses, auto shops, storage facilities, and commercial units where the main door is very large (14+ feet wide, 10+ feet tall) benefit significantly from pass doors. Employees can enter and exit throughout the day without operating the large commercial door each time. For commercial applications, pass doors are standard practice.

Agricultural Properties Outside the GTA

Farm equipment buildings, large workshops, and rural properties in the Caledon, Bolton, and Georgetown areas where buildings have massive doors (16-24 feet wide) frequently use pass doors for daily pedestrian access.

When No Interior Door to House Is Possible

Some attached garage configurations cannot have an interior door added to the house connection due to structural walls, fire code separation requirements, or existing utility locations. In this case, a pass door in the main garage door becomes the only convenient pedestrian access option.

Pass Door Cost in Toronto (2026)

Scenario	Door Type	Estimated Cost (Installed)
Residential double door with pass door	16x7 ft steel sectional	$2,500-$4,000
Residential single door with pass door	Not practical (too narrow)	N/A - not recommended
Commercial door with pass door	12x10 ft or larger steel	$3,500-$6,000
Large commercial/agricultural	16-24 ft wide doors	$5,000-$10,000+
Alternative: Add side wall door	Standard 36" entry door	$500-$1,200 installed

The pass door premium over a standard door ranges from $1,000-$2,000 extra for residential applications. Lead time for a factory-built pass door is typically 4-8 weeks as these are custom-order items — not stock inventory.

Which Brands Offer Residential Pass Doors in Canada

Not all garage door manufacturers offer residential pass doors for the Canadian market. Here's what's available:

Garaga (Custom Factory Order)

Garaga, Quebec's leading manufacturer, can build pass doors into select product lines as a factory option. As a local Ontario brand with strong distribution, Garaga is our first recommendation when a customer needs a residential pass door. Lead time: 5-8 weeks. Available through authorized Garaga dealers across Ontario.

Raynor

Raynor Garage Doors (Iowa-based) has a strong commercial line with pass door options and offers some residential configurations. Less common in the GTA residential market but well-established in commercial applications. Enquire through local Raynor commercial dealers.

Commercial Steel Door Manufacturers

For large commercial or agricultural applications, specialty commercial door manufacturers offer the widest selection of pass door configurations, materials (galvanized steel, aluminum), and security options (keyed deadbolts, electronic access control integration). Royal Garage Doors sources commercial pass door units for business clients across the GTA — call 437-265-9995 for commercial enquiries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a pass door on a garage door?

A pass door (also called a wicket door, pedestrian door, or walk-through door) is a standard-sized entry door built into the face of a large garage door. It allows a person to walk through the garage door without having to raise the entire door. Pass doors are integrated into one section of the garage door and operate independently of the door's overhead mechanism. They are more common on commercial and agricultural doors, though residential options exist.

How much does a garage door with a pass door cost in Toronto?

A garage door with an integrated pass door costs $2,500-$5,000 installed in Toronto, compared to $1,200-$2,500 for a standard residential double door. The premium reflects the more complex manufacturing, heavier-duty track and spring system required to support the door weight with the pass door cutout, and more involved installation. Commercial pass doors are more common and slightly less expensive per unit relative to the door size.

Are pass doors popular in Toronto?

Pass doors (wicket doors) are not common in Toronto residential applications. Most GTA homes have a separate entry door from the house into the garage that serves the same purpose more practically. Pass doors are significantly more common on detached garages (where there is no interior door access), agricultural buildings, and commercial facilities like small warehouses, auto shops, and storage units. In residential Toronto, if you have a detached garage without a side door, a pass door may make genuine practical sense.

Can any garage door have a pass door added?

No. A pass door cannot be retrofitted into most standard residential sectional garage doors without major structural modification. The pass door must be designed into the door from the factory. The section of the door containing the pass door requires reinforced framing, a special hinge system, and a heavier spring counterbalance system to account for the weight distribution change. If you want a pass door, you need to order a door system that includes one from the manufacturer.

What is the difference between a pass door and a wicket door?

Pass door and wicket door refer to the same thing: a pedestrian-sized door integrated into a larger door system. The term 'wicket door' comes from medieval castle gate terminology where a small door was set within a large gate. 'Pass door' is the common term in the garage door industry. 'Pedestrian door' is also used. All three terms describe a walk-through door that operates independently within the larger door panel.

Does a garage door pass door affect the opener?

Yes. A garage door with a pass door requires a heavier-duty opener because the door assembly is heavier and the weight is unevenly distributed. You typically need at least a 3/4 HP opener rated for commercial or heavy-duty use. The pass door section must be closed and latched before the overhead door can open — most systems have a safety interlock that prevents the main door from operating if the pass door is not fully closed. This interlock is an important safety feature.