Did you know that as per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all public facilities need to have ADA-compliant signs? In this article, we’ll discuss ADA sign requirements in depth!
The ADA aims to remove barriers for people with disabilities. Over 2.5 million people in the US suffer from a visual impairment – not just blindness. Thus, ADA-compliant signs help ensure accessibility for the blind, the visually impaired, and senior citizens.
ADA sign refers to tactile signs used to mark rooms or any other given space. Tactile signs have braille and raised letters, and often raised pictograms.
An ADA-compliant sign is required for each permanent room in a building or facility. In this blog, you will get a thorough understanding of ADA sign requirements.
ADA Sign Height Requirements
The baseline of the tactile copy can be mounted between 48-inch at the lowest point to 60-inch at the highest point. This way, signs of different sizes can be mounted on the same visual plane.
Elevator cars are exempted from this rule.
ADA Sign Mounting Requirements
ADA signs have to be mounted on the wall on the latch side of the door. In case, there’s no space on that wall, the sign can be mounted on the closest adjacent wall.
- Single door: The sign has to be mounted next to the door on the latch side.
- Double door (Both active): Sign has to be mounted towards the right side of the right-handed door.
- Double door (One active): Sign has to be mounted on the inactive door.
- Inward swinging door: Sign can be mounted on the door if the following three criteria are met –
- The door has an automatic closing device
- The door must swing in the push direction
- The door does not have a device to hold it open.
ADA Sign Requirements for Mounting to the Ceiling or Wall
When mounting non-tactile signs to the ceiling or wall, ADA has some specific guidelines including:
- When hanging a sign from the ceiling, the bottom should be at least 80 inches above the floor.
- Signs protruding from the wall should be at least 27 inches above the floor and only project 4 inches into the hallway.
- Signs should not block emergency equipment or doors.
Finish and Contrast Requirements
ADA signs need to have a non-glare finish and a high contrast ratio. Moreover, the background and content of the sign, whether raised or only visual, should be in contrasting colors. This means that sign should have a light background with dark font color or dark background with light font color.
Font and Spacing Requirements
ADA signs need to use the sans serif font and the size should lie between 5/8 to 2 inches. Moreover, the text has to be in uppercase.
In terms of spacing, there should be at least 1/8 inch space between the closest part of two letters.
Last Few Words
At Forerunner Signs & Graphics, we’re seasoned pros when it comes to making ADA signage, so you can simply relax knowing that we’ve got your back.
To get in touch with our team, dial (913) 469-1500, or visit our website here.
