Safe Rating Calculator
Safe specification from value stored and threat level.
About this calculator
This calculator recommends a UL burglary rating for a safe based on how much value you're protecting and the threat level you're guarding against, then estimates cost, weight, and fire-protection add-ons for a safe meeting that spec. The rating ladder runs from RSC (Residential Security Container, the baseline UL listing for consumer safes) up through B-Rate/TL-5, TL-15, TL-30, TRTL-30 (TL-30 that also resists torch attacks), and TXTL-60 — each of these classifications comes from UL 687, UL's own published standard for burglary-resistant safes, and each step means the safe is certified to resist a specific attack method for a specific time (the "TL" number is minutes of resistance using common hand and power tools; adding "R" or "X" means it must also resist torch or explosive attacks for that same duration). The calculator steps up the recommended rating as either threat level or stored value increases, and each rating tier carries its own assumed minimum steel wall thickness and per-cubic-foot cost baseline, so cost isn't a smooth function of value stored — it jumps at each rating threshold.
Fire protection is priced as a separate upcharge on top of the burglary rating, scaled by fire-resistance duration (30 minutes up to 2 hours), since fire lining and burglary-resistant steel serve different threats and both add cost independently. Estimated weight combines a rating-based minimum with a per-cubic-foot allowance, and safes estimated under 750 lbs are flagged for bolt-down, since a safe that light can typically just be carried out by determined thieves rather than defeated on-site — this recommendation is based purely on the safe's estimated weight, and the "Bolt down?" input you provide is collected but does not affect any output. Insurable coverage is capped at roughly 3x the safe's own cost, reflecting how insurers commonly limit payouts relative to the safe's rated capacity.
Inputs
Results
Recommended UL rating
2
Figures current as of 2025. Source: UL Solutions, UL 687, Standard for Burglary-Resistant Safes, Edition 15 (revised July 1, 2025)
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the total value of items to be stored ($) and the required interior size (cubic feet).
- Set the threat level (1 = opportunistic, 2 = skilled burglar, 3 = professional, 4 = extreme) so the calculator can determine the recommended UL rating (RSC, B-Rate/TL-5, TL-15, TL-30, TRTL-30, or TXTL-60).
- Indicate whether fire protection is needed and choose the fire rating (0 = none, 1 = 30 min, 2 = 1 hour, 3 = 2 hour).
- Review the recommended UL rating, minimum wall thickness, estimated weight, estimated cost, and fire protection upcharge.
- Anchor safes with an estimated weight under 750 lbs to the floor or wall, as flagged by the bolt-down recommendation.
What each input means
- Value stored ($)
- Total value of items to be stored in the safe.
- Threat level
- 1 = Opportunistic, 2 = Skilled burglar, 3 = Professional, 4 = Extreme/organized.
- Interior size (cu ft)
- Required interior storage volume in cubic feet.
- Fire protection?
- 1 if fire protection is needed, 0 if not.
- Fire rating
- 0 = None, 1 = 30 min, 2 = 1 hour, 3 = 2 hour fire rating.
- Bolt down?
- 1 if the safe will be bolted to floor/wall, 0 if freestanding.
What each result means
- Recommended UL rating
- 1=RSC, 2=B-Rate/TL-5, 3=TL-15, 4=TL-30, 5=TRTL-30, 6=TXTL-60.
- Estimated safe cost
- Approximate purchase price for a safe meeting these specifications.
- Min wall thickness (in)
- Minimum steel wall thickness in inches for the recommended rating.
- Estimated weight (lbs)
- Approximate weight of a safe meeting these specifications.
- Fire protection upcharge
- Additional cost for the selected fire rating.
- Bolt-down needed (1/0)
- 1 if bolting is strongly recommended due to weight under 750 lbs.
- Insurable coverage
- Typical maximum insurable value based on safe rating.
- Drill time (min)
- Estimated locksmith drill time if combination is lost.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersValue stored ($) = 25000, Threat level = 2, Interior size (cu ft) = 4, Fire protection? = 1 = 6 input(s) provided
- Calculate Recommended UL rating2 = 2
- Calculate Estimated safe costEstimated safe cost2300 = $2,300
- Calculate Min wall thicknessMin wall thickness0.25 = 0.25
Figures and sources
- UL 687 burglary-resistant safe classifications (RSC, TL-15, TL-30, TRTL-30, TXTL-60) (2025) — UL Solutions, UL 687, Standard for Burglary-Resistant Safes, Edition 15 (revised July 1, 2025)
Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the calculator decide when to step up from one UL rating to the next?
Each tier checks both threat level and value stored together, not either one alone: RSC only applies at threat level 1 with under $10,000 stored, B-Rate/TL-5 covers threat level 2 or below with under $50,000, TL-15 extends that same threat range up to $200,000, and so on up through TXTL-60 for the highest threat level regardless of value. Raising either input can push you into a higher tier, but a high-value/low-threat combination and a low-value/high-threat combination can land on different ratings even at similar risk-cost trade-offs. These tier names — RSC, TL-15, TL-30, TRTL-30, TXTL-60 — are the actual classification labels UL 687 defines, not an informal naming scheme this calculator invented.
Why does insurable coverage sometimes equal the full value stored, and sometimes get capped?
The calculator compares your stored value against 3 times the safe's estimated cost: if stored value is at or below that threshold, insurable coverage is reported as the full stored value; if it exceeds the threshold, coverage is capped at 3 times the safe's cost instead. In practice this means underinsuring shows up only when you're storing considerably more value than the recommended safe tier's cost would suggest is appropriate.
Why does fire protection cost scale with duration rather than being a flat add-on?
The fire upcharge is looked up by fire rating tier: $200 for 30 minutes, $500 for 1 hour, and $1,000 for 2 hours, reflecting that longer fire resistance requires thicker insulating fill and more robust door seals. This cost is applied on top of the burglary-rating cost independent of threat level or value stored, since fire protection and burglary resistance are treated as two separate engineering problems in the underlying rating system.
Why would a locksmith need to drill a safe, and why does drill time vary so much by rating?
Drill time estimates what it takes a locksmith to defeat the safe's lock mechanism when a combination is lost or a lock fails — the same resistance-to-attack property that earns the safe its UL rating in the first place also determines how long an authorized drill-out takes. That's why drill time scales from 10 minutes for an RSC-rated safe up to 240 minutes for a TXTL-60 safe: a higher-rated safe is built to resist exactly this kind of forced entry, whether from a thief or a locksmith with legitimate access.
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