1) EXTERIOR

• Parking Spaces
• Passenger Loading Zones
• Accessible Entries
• Inaccessible Entries

New site signage MUST comply with requirements such as character size, high contrast, non-glare finish, etc.

2) PERMANENT ROOMS & SPACES

• Room numbers and/or names
• Rest Rooms
• Exit Signs

MUST have raised (tactile) Upper Case Sans Serif characters which are 5/8" - 2" high.

MUST have Grade II Braille.

MAY require pictograms.

MUST be installed on wall adjacent to latch side of the door.

MUST be mounted 60" AFF to centerline of sign & in a location so a person can safely approach within 3".

MUST have non-glare finish.

MUST have characters which contrast highly with background (70%-100%).

MUST meet other technical criteria.

3) SIGNS INDICATING ACCESSIBILITY

• Parking Areas
• Entrances & Exits
• Restrooms
• Areas of Rescue Assistance
• Text Telephones
• Volume Control Telephones
• Assistive Listening Systems
• Check-out Counters
• ATMs

Specific Internationally-recognized pictograms must be used to indicate accessibility of the above.

4) DIRECTIONAL & INFORMATIONAL

• Directional such as "Accounting Upstairs "
• Informational such as "No Smoking"

Tactile & Braille are not required.

Both upper & lower case are permitted.

No size stated for characters & pictograms.

Pictograms can be used without accompanying text.

No particular mounting specifications.

MUST conform to requirements for non-glare finish and contrast.

MUST meet typestyle requirements for width to height and stroke to height ratios.

MUST meet all other technical criteria.

NOTE: Temporary signs, such as building directories, tenant names & logos on doors, and items such as menus & price tags do not need to meet the ADA's signage design standards..

QUALITY COUNTS

If evaluating tactile signage, look for:

• Clean, easy-to-read typestyles.
• Thin, consistent line strokes.
• Easy-to-trace characters.
• Well-separated characters.

Avoid signs with tactile characters that:

• Are "exotic", hard to read.
• Have varying stroke widths.
• Are too large.

Look for Braille which:

• Is well separated from other raised elements so the finger touches only the Braille.
• Has dots with rounded or domed shape that are clearly separated.
• Has numbers distinguished from letters.

Avoid Braille which:

• Is squeezed in between other raised elements.
• Has straight sides and flat tops.
• Is too large to read with fingertips.

The signage requirements of the ADA can be quite confusing, or even intimidating. Do not rely on sign fabricators to assure compliance with the law. "Wayfinding" is very important, not just for people with mobility or visual impairments, but for the non-disabled public. If you have specific questions, or need more help, send us an e-mail.

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