ADA Compliant Building Signs
International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA)
Many signs in Title II and Title III facilities are required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This article will discuss the ADA scoping and technical requirements for accessible signs in State and local government facilities, public accommodations, and commercial facilities. 2010 ADA Standard 216 covers scoping requirements for signs and Standard 703 covers technical requirements for signs. The graphic above is representative of the International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA), seen on many ADA compliant signs.
There are three terms that are used frequently within the ADA when it comes to compliant signs: tactile, visual, and pictogram. Each term describes a different characteristic of signs.
A tactile sign is one that can be perceived using the sense of touch. A tactile sign will have raised lettering and symbols for individuals to “read” using their sense of touch, if applicable. A tactile sign can also be read using vision.
A visual sign is one that can be perceived using the sense of sight. A visual sign will have different colors for the lettering and symbols, when compared to the background surface, for individuals to read using their vision. A visual sign will not have raised lettering and symbols.
A pictogram is a pictorial symbol that represents activities, facilities, or concepts. The ISA shown above is a pictogram. A pictogram can be tactile or visual.
Scoping Requirements
2010 ADA Standard 216.1 [Signs] General, states, “Signs shall be provided in accordance with [Standard] 216 and shall comply with [Standard] 703.”
The following list is where ADA compliant signs are required and the associated ADA Standard is shown in brackets:
Means of egress to include exit doors, directional signs, and areas of refuge [216.4]
Accessible parking spaces [216.5]
Where not all entrances are accessible [216.6]
Where not all elevators are accessible [216.7]
Where not all toilet rooms or bathing rooms are accessible [216.8]
Where teletype phones (TTY) are located [216.9]
Where assistive listening systems are located in assembly areas [216.10]
At accessible check-out aisles [216.11]
At amusement ride entries to waiting lines and queues, loading points, and unloading points [216.12]
There are exceptions and special circumstances to some of the locations above. Otherwise, the 2010 ADA Standards apply only where signs are provided, such as at permanent rooms and spaces. Signs not required to comply with the ADA standards include:
Building directories and menus [216.1 exception 1]
Seat and row designations in assembly areas [216.1 exception 1]
Occupant names [216.1 exception 1]
Building addresses [216.1 exception 1]
Company names and logos [216.1 exception 1]
Temporary signs, seven days or less (216.1 exception 3)
Signs in detention and correctional facilities not in public use areas (216.1 exception 4)
Signs that are required to be tactile include:
Signs designating permanent rooms and spaces (216.2)
Signs at doors at exit passageways, exit discharge, and exit stairways (216.4.1)
For elevators:
Floor designations (407.2.3.1)
Car designations for destination-oriented elevators (407.2.3.2)
Car control buttons (407.4.7.1)
Emergency communication (407.4.9)
At rail stations:
Sign at or near entrance identifying the station (810.6.1)
Sign on platform or boarding area identifying the station (810.6.2)
Limited Vision Using Door Installation to Navigate
The standards limit the requirements for tactile characters to those types of signs that are usually located at a door or doorway. For people with little or no vision, doors and doorways provide a cue that helps locate signs by touch. Other types of signs, including informational and directional signs, are not as easy to locate tactilely because they are often not placed in proximity to doors. The graphic on the left is representative of a person with limited vision using a door installation to navigate through a facility. When this person identifies the door, they expect to find a tactile door sign on the latch side, which will identify the space beyond the door.
Visual signs are required at the following locations:
Signs designating permanent rooms and spaces (216.2) and exit doors (216.4.1) (one sign with tactile and visual characters or a sign with visual characters and a sign with tactile characters (703.1))
Directional and informational signs
Required signs for areas of refuge (216.4.2)
Required signs providing direction to accessible means of egress (216.4)
Required signs at inaccessible elements giving directions to the nearest accessible element:
Exterior entrances (216.6)
Toilet rooms and bathing rooms (216.8)
Directional signs to public TTYs (216.9.2)
Required signs indicating the availability of assistive listening systems (ALS) (216.10)
The graphic below is representative of a directional visual sign that is at an inaccessible exterior entrance (steps) giving directions to the nearest accessible entrance.
Visual Directional Sign Indicating Nearest Accessible Entrance
Examples of other visual directional and informational signs include:
Signs providing direction to or information about interior spaces and facilities
Rules of conduct
Occupant load
Department names
“Authorized Personnel Only”
ADA Compliant Sign Components
It is common for ADA compliant signs to have three parts, a pictogram, text, and braille. The graphic on the right is representative.
2010 ADA Standard 216.2, [Signs] Designations, states, “Interior and exterior signs identifying permanent rooms and spaces shall comply with [Standards] 703.1, 703.2, and 703.5. Where pictograms are provided as designations of permanent interior rooms and spaces, the pictograms shall comply with [Standard] 703.6 and shall have text descriptors complying with [Standards] 703.2 and 703.5.”
Standard 216.2 applies to signs that provide designations, labels, or names for interior rooms or spaces where the sign is not likely to change over time. Examples of these signs include:
Room or floor numbers and letters
Room names
Labels for restrooms, locker rooms, cafeterias, libraries, conference rooms, break rooms, mechanical rooms, areas of refuge, etc.
An exception for this Standard is that raised and braille characters are not required on exterior signs that are not located at a door to the space they serve (Standard 216.2 exception).
Technical Requirements for Tactile Signs
2010 ADA Standard 703 covers the requirements for tactile and visual sign characters and pictograms. The requirements are complex and detailed. This article will focus on the layout and location of ADA compliant signs.
2010 ADA Standard 703.1, [Signs] General, states, “Signs shall comply with [Standard] 703. Where both visual and tactile characters are required, either one sign with both visual and tactile characters, or two separate signs, one with visual, and one with tactile characters, shall be provided.”
Based on these Standards, it is possible for an ADA compliant sign to have parts that are tactile, visual, and exempt from either. The graphic below is representative.
ADA Compliant Sign with Tactile, Visual, and Exempt Components
2010 ADA Standard 703.2, [Signs] Raised Characters, states, “Raised [tactile] characters shall comply with [Standard] 703.2 and shall be duplicated in braille complying with [Standard] 703.3. Raised characters shall be installed in accordance with [Standard] 703.4.” Signs that are required to be tactile are listed above.
The location of tactile signs is important and is covered in 2010 ADA Standard 703.4.
2010 ADA Standard 703.4.1, [Signs] Height Above Finish Floor or Ground, states, “Tactile characters on signs shall be located 48 inches (1220 mm) minimum above the finish floor or ground surface, measured from the baseline of the lowest tactile character and 60 inches (1525 mm) maximum above the finish floor or ground surface, measured from the baseline of the highest tactile character.” The graphic below is representative of this Standard.
ADA Compliant Sign Height Above the Finished Floor or Ground
2010 ADA Standard 703.4.2, [Signs] Location, states, “Where a tactile sign is provided at a door, the sign shall be located alongside the door at the latch side. Where a tactile sign is provided at double doors with one active leaf, the sign shall be located on the inactive leaf. Where a tactile sign is provided at double doors with two active leaves, the sign shall be located to the right of the right hand door. Where there is no wall space at the latch side of a single door or at the right side of double doors, signs shall be located on the nearest adjacent wall. Signs containing tactile characters shall be located so that a clear floor space of 18 inches (455 mm) minimum by 18 inches (455 mm) minimum, centered on the tactile characters, is provided beyond the arc of any door swing between the closed position and 45 degree open position.” The graphic below is representative of a tactile sign located alongside the door at the latch side in an 18 inch clear space that is beyond the arc swing of the entry door.
Clear Space for Tactile Sign Located Alongside the Door at Latch Side
Technical Requirements for Visual Signs
Example of Visual Signage
ADA compliant signs with visual characters can be located almost anywhere and they have different requirements than tactile signs. Requirements for visual signs are covered in 2010 ADA Standard 703.5. The graphic on the right is representative of a visual sign.
2010 ADA Standard 703.5.6, [Signs, Visual Characters] Height From Finish Floor or Ground, states, “Visual characters shall be 40 inches (1015 mm) minimum above the finish floor or ground.” There is no clear space requirement for signs with visual characters only but there are significant requirements for the size of visual characters based on the horizontal viewing distance from the sign. The rules for visual signs change at 6, 15, and 21 horizontal feet from the visual sign.
Technical Requirements for Pictograms
Pictogram Field, Text, and Braille in ADA Sign
Pictograms are covered in 2010 ADA Standard 703.6. 2010 ADA Standard 703.6.1, [Signs] Pictogram Field, states, “Pictograms shall have a field height of 6 inches (150 mm) minimum. Characters and braille shall not be located in the pictogram field.” The graphic on the right is representative of this Standard. Only pictograms used on signs to designate a permanent room or space must comply with requirements in Standard 703.6. The determination of what is a permanent space is not clearly defined in the Standards. For example, in a restaurant with fixed ADA compliant table(s) there should be a clear space for disabled individuals, which can be considered a permanent space. Pictograms are not required to be raised, but the text descriptors below the pictogram are required to be raised (tactile).
Pictograms are required by the ADA for the following:
International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA) (703.7.2.1)
International Symbol of TTY (703.7.2.2)
International Symbol of Access for Hearing Loss (703.7.2.4)