How to Test Your Garage Door Opener’s Safety Reverse: A Monthly 10 Minute Check

Every automatic garage door opener made after January 1, 1993 must reverse a closing door that touches an object, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The Door and Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA) asks homeowners to test that reverse, and the photo eyes, every month. It takes about ten minutes and needs no tools.

Test 1: The contact reverse test

This test checks that the door reverses when it touches an object.

1. Open the door fully.
2. Lay a 2 by 4 flat on the floor under the center of the door. DASMA’s consumer checklist calls for a solid object about 1½ inches high, which is a 2 by 4 laid flat.
3. Stand inside the garage, safely away from the path of the door.
4. Press the wall button or the remote to close the door.
5. Watch the door touch the board. It should reverse and return to the fully open position. The CPSC says a closing door must reverse within two seconds of touching an object.

Test 2: The photo eye test

The photo eyes are the two small sensors near the floor on each side of the door. DASMA says the beam must be no higher than 6 inches above the garage floor.

1. Open the door fully.
2. Stand inside the garage, safely away from the path of the door.
3. Press close.
4. As the door closes, pass an object through the beam, such as a broom handle. Keep your body out of the path.
5. Watch the door. It should reverse direction and return to the fully open position, according to DASMA’s testing procedure.

What your results mean

Result	What it means	What to do
The door reverses on the 2 by 4 and on the beam	Both safety systems are working	Test again next month
The door pushes on the board or does not reverse	The contact reverse is not working	Stop using the opener and call us
The door ignores the beam	A photo eye is blocked, misaligned, or failing	Wipe both lenses, check that both lights glow steady, and retest. If it still fails, call us
The door reverses with nothing in the way	The opener is misreading the door	See our reversing guide

What not to do

• Do not turn up the force or move the travel limits to make the test pass. Chamberlain warns that improper adjustment can interfere with the safety reverse.
• Do not tape over or bypass a sensor.
• Do not test with your hand, foot, or any part of your body. Use an object.
• Do not keep using an opener that fails a test.

How often to test, and when to get help

Test both every month, as DASMA recommends. Add a yearly checkup by a technician, who can also look at the springs, balance, and drive parts. Our yearly checkup covers the safety reverse, photo eyes, drive parts, remotes, and door balance.

If your opener was made before 1993, it may have no safety sensors at all. See our opener replacement page for how to decide. If a photo eye fails, our sensors guide explains the causes.

Questions About Testing the Safety Reverse