The hoistway door hardware is normally a standard lever or knob latch set. The door is prevented from opening when the cab is not at the landing by an electromechanical interlock device on the upper corner of the door. I suspect the closer would be required if the shaft was required to be fire rated by your state (and the hardware would have to be UL rated) but I haven't seen that before. So, if in doubt you should ask the local building official.

I'll second Renovator8's suggestion to check with your building dept. since every city/county in our state has its own set of exceptions to building codes.

In our home, the elevator has standard wood doors with functional door levers on each floor but they do not have the self-closer you asked about. The doors have a locking device like Renovator8 mentioned. Both the wood door and the metal accordian-style grate must be closed before the elevator will operate. The latch in the upper corner will not ordinarily release unless the elevator cab is in its proper position.

There's a little hole drilled in the wood door through which you could insert a something (flat screwdriver, for example) to release the latch from the outside in case of emergency or for repair work. On the inside there's a spring-pin to release the latch as well.

Thanks, renovator and rockmanor! So i'll push the builder again to ask the elevator guys...guess i'll hold off on buying those door levers. Sounds like passage lever will probably be needed over a dummy lever.