Many businesses seek out Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant signage in order to obtain their Certificates of Occupancy and avoid the consequences of a violation. It is absolutely critical to ensure that your signs follow the rules, but ADA compliant signs aren’t just there to meet a regulation; ADA signage enables your customers and other visitors to get where they need to go, regardless of their abilities. Here’s what you need to know.
What does it mean to have ADA compliant signs?
ADA compliance involves a variety of factors including the height and placement of the sign and the usage of Braille or tactile letters . Visitors with limited or no vision should be able to easily feel for the tactile elements on your sign, hence the standardized location. Granted, that’s not all: to be ADA compliant, a sign must use easy-to-read colors and text. While your exterior signage is unlikely to contain Braille, it’s still a best practice to make your sign as readable as possible for visitors and passersby with limited vision. Even if a visitors’ vision is not impaired in any way, this will enable them to quickly and easily read your sign.
What signs need to be ADA compliant?
Not all signs are required to comply with ADA regulations. For instance, the exterior signs with your business name or logo are under no obligation to be ADA-compliant. Channel letter, dimensional letter, monument, and pylon signs are not dictated by ADA regulations, though townships and cities typically have their own regulations. Exterior signs are often large enough for those with minor vision impairment to read. Generally, the signs that need to be ADA compliant are interior, such as bathroom signs, permanent room identification signs, and some directional (also known as wayfinding) signs.
ADA standards: The basic guidelines
The ADA’s website features a guide outlining their standards for accessible design, which includes a section on signage. It’s a long document, and understanding all the specifics of ADA compliant signs can be confusing for a non-expert. Thankfully, many of the features that make signs ADA compliant will make your sign clear, attractive, and effective. To break it down as simply as possible, ADA signs should follow these general guidelines:
- The visual lettering on an ADA sign needs to be as clear as possible. Contrast is key for readability. That means the background color should be in contrast to the color of the lettering: either light on dark or dark on light.
- Your fonts must be as easy to read as possible and can’t be decorative in any way.
- Tactile letters and Braille must follow specific guidelines regarding character height, spacing, and proportions.
- Identifying signs (such as bathroom signs or signs that denote the entrance to a room) need to be placed next to the door, though there are some exceptions.
- When using the International Symbol of Access (the symbol seen on handicapped parking spaces) to mark an accessible entrance, bathroom, or feature, it’s necessary to use the official symbol rather than deviating in style.
Still not feeling confident about ADA-compliant signs? No worries!
ADA compliance is a tad complex and nuanced, but luckily, there’s no need for all business owners and property owners to become experts. A sign company with experience creating and installing ADA signage, on the other hand, should have no trouble navigating the requirements. When choosing a sign provider, make sure you pick one that is familiar with ADA compliance and can be trusted to ensure you’re not in violation. Dealing with ADA compliance may seem tedious, but that’s why you hire a professional. Ultimately, ensuring your signs are compliant will make your space accessible to a wider range of folks, enabling you to attract more visitors.
