2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design

ADA sign requirements, in one place

What the ADA requires of a sign: where it goes, how high, what has to be raised and in braille, which fonts pass, and what is exempt. Every figure has its section number beside it and links to the official text. Written for the people who design, make, install and inspect signs.

48–60 intactile characters above the floor, to the baselines
5/8–2 inraised uppercase characters, sans serif
Grade 2braille, below the text, 3/8 in clear
Latch sidewhere tactile signs go at a door
18 × 18 inclear floor space, beyond a 45° door swing
40 in minvisual-only characters above the floor
60 in minto the bottom of a parking sign
80 inheadroom under overhead signs

Does this sign need braille?

SignRaised + brailleVisual rules
Room number or permanent room name, restroom, stair or floor labelyesyes
Door to an exit stair, exit passageway or exit dischargeyesyes
Directional and informational signsnoyes
Parking space signsnoISA, 60 in to bottom
Directories, menus, occupant names, logos, addresses, temporary signsnono

The full list, with the section for each line, is on which signs have to be ADA compliant (216).

Requirements

Which signs have to be ADA compliant?What needs raised characters and braille, what only needs to be readable, and what is exempt.ADA sign mounting height48 to 60 inches for tactile signs, 40 inches for visual ones, 60 inches to the bottom of parking signs.Where to put ADA signs at doorsLatch side, double doors, the 18 by 18 inch clear floor space and when a sign can go on the door.Braille on ADA signsGrade 2, dot sizes and spacing, where it goes and what gets capitalized.Raised (tactile) charactersUppercase sans serif, 5/8 to 2 inches, 1/32 inch deep, with spacing and stroke limits.Visual characters and letter heightMinimum character height by mounting height and viewing distance, plus stroke and spacing.ADA compliant fontsThere is no approved list. How to check a font against the proportions yourself.ADA sign contrast and finishLight on dark or dark on light, non-glare, and why there is no percentage in the rule.Pictograms on ADA signsThe 6 inch field, text descriptors, and which pictograms the rules do not cover.Accessibility symbols: ISA, TTY, hearing lossWhere the International Symbol of Accessibility is required, and the other three symbols.

Sign types

ADA restroom sign requirementsTactile room ID, pictograms, the wheelchair symbol and directional signs.ADA room and office signsRoom numbers and names are tactile; occupant names and directories are exempt.ADA exit signsWhich exit doors need tactile signs, and how areas of refuge are signed.ADA parking signsThe symbol, "van accessible", 60 inches to the bottom, and how many spaces.ADA elevator signsTactile floor designations on both hoistway jambs, the star at the main level.California ADA sign requirements (CBC 11B)Door symbols, the $250 fine and tow-away signs, and white-on-blue parking signs.

Tools

ADA character height calculatorMinimum visual letter height from mounting height and viewing distance.ADA sign checklistEvery requirement on one printable page, to check a proof or an install.

Federal rules, state codes, local permits

The 2010 ADA Standards are the federal minimum for new construction and alterations, and they have applied since March 15, 2012. States and cities adopt building codes, usually the International Building Code with ICC A117.1, that match them closely and sometimes add to them; California's Chapter 11B is the best-known example. Exterior signs are a separate matter again: building identification, pylon and channel letter signs are exempt from the ADA and permitted under each city's zoning code, which you can look up in sign code summaries by city.

Summaries here are checked against the source text and are not legal advice. See about and sources.