Introduction
With advancements in science, technology, and manufacturing, China has become the world’s leading producer of burglar-resistant safes, supplying over 70% of global demand. The country’s first standard for these products had been in place for nearly 20 years, but many of its requirements no longer align with current technological and product developments. In response, and in line with national efforts to streamline standards, GB 10409-2001 “Burglar-Resistant Safe” and GA 166-2006 “Burglar-Resistant Cabinet” were merged into GB 10409-2019. This new mandatory standard was officially released by the State Administration for Market Regulation on April 4, 2019, and took effect on May 1, 2020. As one of the main contributors to this standard, the author will provide an overview of the key revisions to help readers understand and adopt the new version quickly.
Expanded Scope of the Standard
Modern burglar-resistant products include a wide range of forms—enclosed six-sided cabinets, safes with coin slots (used on buses or in temples), modular safes made from panels, and ATM safes with specialized access points. Following the national policy of merging standards with similar functions, the working group combined GB 10409 and GA 166 after thorough research and reference to international standards such as UL 687-2011 (USA) and EN 1300:2013 (Europe). Based on feedback from domestic safe manufacturers, lock producers, security experts, testing agencies, and regulators, the new standard now includes ATM safes, modular safes, and deposit safes. For safes designed for wall-embedded use, the new standard allows side panels to have one level lower anti-theft performance than the door panel. These changes significantly broaden the standard’s applicability.
Burglary Resistance as the Core Focus
While safes can offer multiple features—fireproofing, waterproofing, radiation shielding, alarms, monitoring, and network connectivity—this standard focuses primarily on burglary resistance, especially against forced entry. Additional features must not compromise security. For example, electronic features such as alarms or networking must meet mechanical, electrical, and information security requirements. Mechanically, the standard mandates that (except for ATM safes) no direct passage into the cabinet should exist between the door and door frame. Any function holes must not expose locking mechanisms or reduce structural integrity.
Enhanced Lock Requirements
4.1 General Requirements
Locks must have independent bolts with a minimum engagement of 9 mm and withstand 980 N axial and 1,470 N tangential force. This improves reliability against vibrations and drops.
Locks must resist drilling, hammering, pulling, twisting, and impact for at least 15 minutes. This is stricter than GB/T 73-2015.
The standard eliminates sawing resistance for safe locks, as they do not directly lock the door but the bolt mechanism. Safe locks must resist technical attacks for over 30 minutes—surpassing Class C of GA/T 73-2015.
Locks must pass drop tests (from 1 meter, 10 times) and impact tests (50J from six directions, 10 hits each). Durability must reach 10,000 cycles without failure.
4.2 Mechanical Locks
Divided into key-operated and combination locks.
Combination locks are classified into two grades. Grade 1 must resist technical attacks for over 20 hours; Grade 2 for over 2 hours. Key locks must resist for over 30 minutes.
The standard sets strict tolerances for dial accuracy (even after durability testing).
Mechanical locks must meet or exceed Class B requirements of GA/T 73-2015 for wear, flexibility, and mutual opening rate.
4.3 Electronic Locks
Electromagnetic locks are not allowed.
Must resist technical attacks for 20 hours. External wiring must not allow bypass under 0–1,000V, ≤600W bidirectional DC attacks.
Non-mechanical keys must be non-visible, with encrypted, non-plaintext key storage.
Biometric-only unlocking is not permitted. A digital key must be used for identity verification due to risks of false acceptance.
Locks must meet GA 374-2001 Class B standards for data storage, read rate, interference resistance, safety, and stability.
These upgrades mark the biggest shift in the new standard, aligning domestic products with global security expectations. Many safes currently on the market, especially those using mechanical locks and electromagnetic electronic locks, do not meet these new requirements.
Expanded Classification for Protection Levels
Safes are now categorized into 12 levels based on resistance time and tools used. These levels range from A10 to C90 and are shown in Table 2. The classification includes:
A-class: withstands basic hand tools and portable electric tools.
B-class: adds cutting torches.
C-class: adds explosives.
Safes marked with “×1” indicate that the door has higher resistance than the cabinet body. The classification system helps consumers select products based on realistic risk scenarios and installation requirements.
Revised Product Marking System
The new marking system includes five parts:
Safe type code: FRG (ATM: FRG01, Modular: FRG02, Deposit: FRG03)
Security level
Lock type (J for mechanical, D for electronic)
Cabinet height (in cm)
Manufacturer’s product code
Safes below B60 must have at least one lock; B60 and above must have two. C-class safes require at least one Grade 1 mechanical or electronic lock. Products using electronic locks are classified as electronic safes.
Updated Burglary Test Methods
The standard defines tools and testing conditions in detail (e.g., saws, grinders, drills, explosives).
Testing targets a product’s weakest points—locks, locking mechanisms, and structural joints.
For safes ≤450 mm in height, a 3-meter drop test is followed by a manual attack that must take at least 10 minutes to breach.
ATM safes must have two relocking mechanisms and shielding to prevent visibility or access to bolts and locks during an attack.
Dimensional Requirements
Unlike the 2001 version, the new standard no longer specifies panel flatness, diagonal deviation, door gap, or wobble. These are considered appearance or process quality indicators and are left to market preference. Similarly, shelf and door load-bearing requirements are based on user needs.
Documentation and Labeling
The standard emphasizes documentation due to the product’s high-security nature. Safes must come with design drawings and user manuals that clearly explain:
Structure
Installation
Lock settings
Hinge placement
Password change procedures
Low voltage indicators
Testing uses these documents as part of the inspection process.
Each product must have a clear, permanent label showing:
Product name
Trademark or manufacturer
Standard number
Serial number
Production date
Security grade label (see Figure 1), made of paper, plastic, or metal and attached with adhesive or rivets.
Conclusion
Companies preparing for testing under the new standard should keep three key points in mind:
Use locks that meet the new technical requirements and provide certified third-party test reports to avoid redundant testing.
Conduct baseline testing to determine the product’s protection level and ensure accurate labeling.
Prepare detailed structural drawings and user manuals, as these are part of the inspection criteria.
This standard reflects the goals of China’s standardization reform. By unifying standards with similar functions and incorporating modern security technologies, it aligns closely with international norms and helps Chinese products thrive in global markets.
