More than 2.5 million Americans suffer from a visual impairment – not just blindness. High contrast ADA-compliant signs help seniors, the visually impaired and blind access and navigate your facility safely and confidently.
You are required to display ADA-compliant signs in every permanent room or space in your building.
Below, you’ll understand how ADA-compliant signs should be installed. But always defer to your local building authority for regulations and code updates.
Mounting Your ADA Signs
Although signs can be installed at varying heights, we suggest installing all your signs at 54” from the door to the center of the sign. Install your ADA signs with double sided tape by removing the tape backing installed by Ace Sign. Then place the sign on a level and press it firmly against the wall. Add clear silicone to the back of heavy or oversized signs.
Mounting Height
The baseline of the tactile copy should be mounted between 48” at the lowest point to 60” at the highest point. This allows signs of different sizes to be mounted on the same visual plane. Elevators are excluded from this rule.
Mounting Location
Signs should be mounted to the wall on the latch side of the door. If there is no room on that wall, the sign may be mounted on the nearest adjacent wall.
- Single door: Mount sign next to door on the latch side
- Double doors (two active leaves): Mount sign to the right of the right-handed door
- Double doors (one active leaf): Mount sign on inactive leaf
- Inward swinging doors (e.g. kitchen or restroom doors): Mount sign on door if these three criteria are met:
- The door closes automatically
- The sign is mounted on the push side of the door
- The door does not have a hold-open device.
- Outward swinging doors: Mount sign on the wall outside of the arc of the door swing. The sign should be located within an 18” x 18” square of clear door space (18” away from the door and 18” away from the wall).
Overhead Signs & Projecting Signs
The bottom of your overhead signage must be 80” above the door. Projecting wall-mounted signs must be a minimum of 27” off the floor and have a maximum protrusion of 4” into a pathway. Signs should not interfere with or block any door function, emergency equipment or sprinklers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all my signs need to be ADA-compliant and have Braille and tactile letters?
No, there are a number of signs that are not required to be ADA-compliant, including building addresses, directories, parking signs and temporary signs (used for fewer than 7 days).
Do I need ADA-compliant signs in the stairwells of my building?
You are required to have a tactile sign next to each door inside a stairwell. These signs should identify the door level, stair level and exit level. Some local fire codes have size requirements for these signs. Check with your local and state code authorities to ensure you’re compliant.
Who enforces ADA laws?
The Department of Justice has ultimate responsibility for enforcing ADA laws. In practice, though, the actual assessment of signs is usually handled by local and state code inspectors. Because we can’t stay up-to-date on every municipality’s ever-changing regulations, ensure you’re compliant with your respective laws. Citations can range as high as $75,000 for the first offense.
If you have any questions about installing ADA signs in your facility, connect with our team of ADA experts at Ace Sign.