ADA Sign Requirements: A Checklist for Sign Shops
Which signs need raised text and Braille, letter heights, Braille spacing, mounting height and placement under the 2010 ADA Standards, in one practical checklist.
Tool for this: ADA Sign Maker — Lay out tactile room signs with raised text and Grade 2 Braille. Free to design.
ADA sign rules are short on paper but easy to get wrong on the shop floor. A missing Braille cell, a sign on the hinge side of a door or a glossy finish can fail an inspection and cost a remake. This checklist follows the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, sections 216 (where signs are needed) and 703 (how they must be made). We use it on every ADA proof we lay out.
Which signs must be tactile
Signs that identify a permanent room or space must have raised characters and Braille (sections 216.2 and 703.2). Think room numbers, room names that will not change, restrooms, stairs and exit doors. Exit doors to exit passageways, exit stairways and the exit discharge need tactile signs too (216.4.1).
Signs that give directions or information about interior spaces only need to meet the visual character rules (216.3 and 703.5). They do not need raised text or Braille.
Some signs are exempt from section 216, for example building directories, menus, seat and row numbers, occupant names, company names and logos, and temporary signs used for 7 days or less (216.1).
Raised characters (703.2)
- Uppercase only, in a plain sans serif font. No italic, oblique, script or decorative styles.
- Height: 5/8 inch (16 mm) minimum to 2 inches (51 mm) maximum, measured on the uppercase letter I.
- Raised at least 1/32 inch (0.8 mm) from the background.
- Stroke no thicker than 15% of the character height.
- Letter spacing: at least 1/8 inch between characters (for rectangular cross sections), and no more than four times the stroke width.
- Line spacing: 135% to 170% of the character height.
- Keep at least 3/8 inch between raised characters and any raised border or decoration.
Braille (703.3)
Braille must be Grade 2 (contracted) and sit directly below the text it repeats. When the text runs on several lines, the Braille goes below all of it. Keep at least 3/8 inch between the Braille and the raised characters, borders or decoration. Dots must be domed or rounded.
| Braille dimension | Allowed range |
|---|---|
| Dot base diameter | 0.059 to 0.063 in (1.5 to 1.6 mm) |
| Dot to dot in the same cell | 0.090 to 0.100 in (2.3 to 2.5 mm) |
| Cell to cell (same dot) | 0.241 to 0.300 in (6.1 to 7.6 mm) |
| Dot height | 0.025 to 0.037 in (0.6 to 0.9 mm) |
| Line to line (same dot) | 0.395 to 0.400 in (10 to 10.2 mm) |
A common proofing mistake is translating text with capital letters. Braille uses capitals only for the first word of a sentence, proper nouns and names, single letters, initials and acronyms, so "EXAM ROOM" on the face is usually written in lowercase Braille.
Mounting height and location (703.4)
- The baseline of the lowest tactile character must be at least 48 inches above the finished floor, and the baseline of the highest one no more than 60 inches.
- At a single door, mount the sign on the latch side. At double doors with one active leaf, use the inactive leaf. At double doors with two active leaves, mount it to the right of the right-hand door.
- Leave a clear floor space of at least 18 x 18 inches, centered on the tactile characters and outside the door swing.
Put the mounting note and these dimensions right on the proof, so the installer does not have to guess.
What changed in 2025-2026
The federal rule has not changed: the 2010 ADA Standards are still the law for signs across the United States. What is changing is ICC A117.1, the accessibility standard most states and cities adopt through their building codes. Its new edition, A117.1-2026 (expected in fall 2026 and referenced by the 2027 International Codes), revises the contrast rule for signage: instead of simply "light-on-dark or dark-on-light", contrast between characters and background is calculated with a formula using the light reflectance values (LRV) of the two colors. Draft reports pointed to about 65% contrast; check the final published figure.
What this means for your proofs: ask which code edition the project follows, choose colors with known LRV values from the paint or laminate maker, and note the contrast on the proof when a local code requires it. Raised characters, Braille and mounting heights stay as described above unless your local code says otherwise.
Visual characters (703.5)
- Non-glare finish on characters and background, with clear light-on-dark or dark-on-light contrast.
- Uppercase or lowercase is allowed, in a conventional font.
- Minimum height depends on the mounting height and the viewing distance. For signs with the baseline between 40 and 70 inches, viewed from under 6 feet, characters must be at least 5/8 inch.
- Stroke 10% to 30% of the height, letter spacing 10% to 35% of the height, line spacing 135% to 170%.
A single sign can carry both tactile and visual characters, or you can use two separate signs, one tactile and one visual (703.1).
Pictograms and symbols (703.6 and 703.7)
A pictogram needs a field at least 6 inches high, with no text or Braille inside it. The text descriptor goes directly below the field and follows the tactile rules. The International Symbol of Accessibility, the TTY symbol and the hearing loss symbol must also be non-glare and high contrast.
Our quick proof checklist
- Is this a permanent room or exit door? Then raised text and Grade 2 Braille.
- Uppercase sans serif, 5/8 to 2 inches, raised 1/32 inch.
- Braille below the text, 3/8 inch clear, correct lowercase translation.
- Matte finish and strong contrast called out in the material notes.
- Mounting note: latch side, 48 to 60 inches to the baseline.
- Pictogram field at least 6 inches, descriptor below.
- Check the spec and local code for anything stricter.
If you run a sign shop and want ADA proofs laid out like this overnight, under your own name, see our design desk for sign companies. The first small proof is free.