ADA Signs - What You Can Expect

When you enter a facility that is open to the public, you should be able to read at least some of the most important signs. If you read solely by touch, then you should be able to read the elevator control buttons. When you get off the elevator, you should be able to check that it is the correct floor, because raised and braille signs should be located on the door jambs of the elevator. Men's, women's and unisex restrooms should have identification signs, and so should many other rooms in the building. Although many states ignore this rule, you should be able to find tactile exit signs next to exits and exit stairways.

If you can read some print, then many signs that direct you around the facility should be fairly easy to read. Informational signs such as "No Smoking," or "No Entrance" should also be readable.

In order to give sign designers and sign companies guidelines so that the signs they produce can actually be read, there are specific rules. Most states just follow the basic rules set up by the federal government for the ADA. However, some states like California have rules that are more detailed. New rules may come out soon, and they will be much more detailed and should result in signs that are easier to read.

One of the reasons that the ADA guidelines for signs have not been followed by many businesses and government agencies is that people who are blind haven't complained about the lack of readable signs. That's partly because many people have not known that they are entitled to have access to signs, and don't realize how much it would help them to get around buildings independently. We hope that you will use this guide to help businesses critique their signs.

When you go into a building, especially a building built or remodeled since 1992, check for signs. If there is a sign mounted next to a door, then you should be able to read at least some of the information on that sign. When you go to the restroom in a restaurant, check for a sign next to the door. You shouldn't have to ask which restroom to use. When you use an elevator, make sure the buttons have raised numbers and braille next to them, and that you read the floor level signs on the door jambs as you leave the elevator.

If you don't find these kinds of signs, try to find someone in charge and leave a comment or complaint about the lack of accessible signs. Tell them you'll be back in a couple of months to see if they have improved the signs. If possible, write a letter to the management of the building. Follow up! There are no "ADA sign police," so it is up to you to insist on your civil rights under the law.

The rules for signs are complicated, so we'll just list some broad guidelines that will help you critique the signs you find in facilities open to the public.

1. All the signs or messages on signs that pertain to the building (not advertising signs, temporary signs, personal or company names, or logos) should follow these simple rules. These rules are obviously for people with some usable vision:

A. Non-glare materials for the portion of the sign that has the message. Shiny backgrounds and letters are a no-no, but it's OK to use shiny materials for frames or decorations on the signs, as long as it doesn't interfere with reading the important information.

B. A high contrast (dark on light colors or light on dark colors) between the sign message and the background.

C. The message is made up of letters, numbers and symbols that are large enough to read from where you need to read the sign. Yes, that's both vague and complicated, but it means for instance, that if a sign is 10 feet behind a counter, it needs to be larger than a sign that you can go right up to. Overhead signs or signs very high on walls have to have 3 inch high letters.

D. The style of the letters can't be decorative: no "curliques," for instance. Type doesn't have to be absolutely plain, but it needs to have clear letter shapes and be easy to read.

2. The rules for signs to be read by touch are much more complicated. Of course some signs are made to be read both by touch and by vision, so the rules for those signs favor the touch readers. Of course when signs are meant to be read both ways, they must follow the rules for non-glare and contrast even if touch readers won't be affected.

A. Room identification and exit identification signs must have raised characters (letters and numbers) and braille.

B. These signs are always mounted about eye level, preferably on the latch side of the door that they identify. They have to be mounted so there is no obstruction in front of them and so that the door won't come out and hit you in the face while you are reading the sign. (That's one reason why touch signs aren't mounted on doors. Another reason is that if the door is open, the sign is hidden.)

C. The raised characters on the sign have to be fairly small so you can read them quickly. They range from 5/8 inch to 2 inches in height. They are raised slightly (1/32 inch) from the surface and although the law doesn't require it, you'll probably find them easier to read if they have "soft" rather than sharp edges. All the characters have to be capital letters.

D. Although the federal regulations don't mention it, some states require that raised characters have fairly thin strokes, and that the letter shapes are open, rather than very closed together or condensed. Stretched out letters aren't allowed, either. These rules will soon be adopted by the federal government as well.

E. The braille is easiest to find if it's located about 1/2 inch below the raised characters. The braille must be contracted, or Grade 2 Braille. The federal government has no other regulations at this time, but California does call for rounded braille dots, with slightly greater than usual space between cells to make it easy for beginning readers to read signs.

F. Although braille hasn't been regulated before, new rules are calling for rounded or domed braille dots. You shouldn't have to read sharp sided dots, especially with flat tops, or braille where dots literally run together.

3. Installation rules for tactile signs are simple, but sometimes hard to follow, because older buildings may have problems that don't leave room for tactile signs.

A. First, "do no harm." Therefore, signs are to be installed adjacent to doors and not on doors, so no one can push a door open while you are reading a sign, and injure you or knock you over. The preferred location is on the latch side, so that the door won't be propped open and hide the sign.

B. The sign also needs to be far away enough from the door, if the door opens outward, so that you won't be hit by the swing of the door when it opens. There must not be any obstruction in front of the sign, so you can get right up to it to read it, either visually or by touch.

C. In most buildings, the signs need to be at eye level for the average standing adult. The rule right now is "sixty inches from the floor to the center of the sign." That works well for small signs, but if you have a very long sign and then put the braille at the top, some may have to stand on tiptoe to read it. Ask people to locate the tactile information at the bottom of the sign.

D. For certain buildings, where there are many people in wheelchairs, or a lot of very young children who might learn to read signs, the signs could be as low as 48 inches from the floor to the bottom of the sign.

If exact measurements are important, we can come up with tools to help you measure the letters and the braille on signs. However, measurements are mostly important to attorneys and to building officials. If you cannot read the tactile signs, or if you do use your vision and can't read the signs, then it is time to question if the rules have been followed.

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