ButterflyMX Visitor Passes for Contractors: What Residents and Property Staff Can Set

A contractor is coming Monday. They'll be there for a week, or a month. You don't want to hand over a key, and you don't want to be at the door every morning.

ButterflyMX Visitor Passes are built for this. But the time limits depend on who creates the pass. A resident in the app and a property administrator in the dashboard get different limits. Mix them up and a contractor shows up to a door that won't open.

Who can create a pass

Residents and tenants create passes in the ButterflyMX mobile app, using the "+ Visitor Pass" button. ButterflyMX says the property owner or manager must turn Visitor Passes on first. If you don't see the button, talk to your property owner or manager. ButterflyMX can't turn it on at your property.

Property administrators create passes in the admin dashboard, in a browser at butterflymx.com (not in the mobile app). ButterflyMX says an administrator can create a pass for the leasing office profile, or for a specific tenant by opening that tenant in the Tenants tab. The administrator enters the visitor's name, picks the day the pass becomes active, selects the expiration time and chooses how it's sent. The visitor receives a QR code and PIN.

What a resident can set (in the app)

These options come from ButterflyMX's "How to Create and Use Visitor Pass" page:

• Custom Duration: You choose a door, a start time and an end time. The end time can be up to one year in the future.
• Recurring Access: You pick the days and the hours on those days. It can last up to a year, with an expiration date up to a year ahead. For example, every Monday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Business Hours: Preset to Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You can adjust the schedule.
• Full Day Use: Valid for one day. Expires at 11:59 PM that day.
• One-Time: Expires after one use, or at 11:59 PM on the chosen date if not used.

For a contractor on a multi-week job, Custom Duration or Recurring Access usually fits. Name the pass clearly, like "Kitchen Contractor, week of June 15th," which is ButterflyMX's own style of example.

What property staff can set (in the dashboard)

Per ButterflyMX's Property Management Training Guide, a pass made by an administrator has an expiration time that "caps out at 48 hours."

That works for a delivery of materials, a one-day inspection or a weekend repair. It doesn't cover a three-week renovation on its own. Staff would have to issue a new pass when it ends.

Staff can also see what's active. The Active Visitor Access tab shows all active visitor passes sent out by tenants and administrators.

Delivery passes

ButterflyMX says delivery passes expire in 30 days if they aren't used. The pages we read don't say who creates them, so we don't assign that number to either group above. A delivery pass is for package carriers. ButterflyMX says to use a delivery pass, not a visitor pass, for unknown delivery drivers. For a contractor, use a visitor pass.

Which one to use

• A contractor for one day: a resident can use a Full Day Use or One-Time pass. Property staff can use a pass within the 48-hour limit.
• A contractor for a week or a month, entering a door you choose: a resident can use Custom Duration or Recurring Access.
• A contractor working across the building, for weeks: a 48-hour staff pass would need repeated renewal. If your building also has access control, ask about a credential with an end date. See contractor and vendor access.

Rules that apply to every pass

• Settings can't be changed after you create a pass. ButterflyMX says that once it's created, you can't adjust the settings. If something is wrong, delete it and make a new one.
• You can't see or resend the code after sharing. ButterflyMX says each pass makes a unique code for that recipient, and after sharing you can't view, resend or retrieve it.
• Treat a pass like a key. ButterflyMX says anyone with an active pass can enter during the active period. Share only with people you trust.
• Set the shortest window that does the job. ButterflyMX says shorter access windows are safer.
• Use a clear name so you can find the pass later.
• Review active passes monthly and delete the ones you no longer need, as ButterflyMX recommends.
• Know the intercom takes a photo. ButterflyMX says the video intercom takes a time- and date-stamped photo of the person who uses a pass, kept in the app for 365 days.

If a pass doesn't work

• Check that the date, time and door are right. A pass can't be edited, so make a new one.
• Check that Visitor Passes are enabled for your property. If the "+ Visitor Pass" button is missing, the owner or manager has to turn them on.
• Ask the contractor to follow the steps ButterflyMX gives: tap the Visitor Pass button on the intercom, or hold the QR code up to the intercom.
• Check with building staff whether the property has set any rules of its own.

Commercial buildings may differ

ButterflyMX's pages are written mostly for residential properties. We haven't seen them state how Visitor Passes work in every commercial building, and neither page says whether a property can lower a limit. If you manage or work in a commercial building, call us and we will help you check before you rely on any number here.

If you'd rather not do it alone

If the Visitor Pass button is missing, a pass won't open your door, or your building needs a clear rule for contractors, call PAX at (855) 440-5353 or email info@paxsecurity.com. You can also reach us through https://paxsecurity.com/contact-us. For more on managing a ButterflyMX property, see adding, moving out and editing tenants.

Sources

• ButterflyMX Help Center, How to Create and Use Visitor Pass (updated 2026-07-20): https://help.butterflymx.com/hc/en-us/articles/35345464139156-How-to-Create-and-Use-Visitor-Pass
• ButterflyMX Help Center, Property Management Training Guide (updated 2026-10-20): https://help.butterflymx.com/hc/en-us/articles/54563498064276-Property-Management-Training-Guide
• ButterflyMX Help Center, What is a Visitor Pass? (formerly Best Practices for Visitor Passes; updated 2026-07-16 per Alex): https://help.butterflymx.com/hc/en-us/articles/38934479021716-Best-Practices-for-Visitor-Passes
• Accessed 2026-11-02. Vendor pages change, so check the current page before you follow a step.