Welcome to ADA: 101

Raised Characters

Raised characters are required on signs that identify permanent rooms, spaces, or features. These characters must meet the following standards under the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design:

• Characters must be raised at least 1/32 inch above the background
  
• Characters must be uppercase
  
• Fonts must be sans serif and conventional in form
  
• Decorative, italic, script, or highly stylized fonts are not permitted
  
• The width of the uppercase “O” must be between 55 percent and 110 percent of the height of the uppercase “I”
  
• Character height must be between 5/8 inch and 2 inches, measured from the uppercase “I”
  
• Stroke thickness must not exceed 15 percent of the character height
  
• Character spacing must fall within ADA-defined minimums and maximums
  
• Line spacing must be between 135 percent and 170 percent of character height

   

Visual Characters

Visual characters are used on directional and informational signs and must be easy to read from a distance. While they share many requirements with raised characters, there are key differences:

• Characters may be uppercase, lowercase, or mixed case
  
• Characters do not need to be raised
  
• Character height is determined by viewing distance and mounting height
  
• Stroke thickness must be between 10 percent and 30 percent of character height
  
• Character spacing must be between 10 percent and 35 percent of character height

When both raised and visual characters are required, the information may be provided on a single sign or split between two signs.

Braille Requirements

Any sign identifying a permanent room, space, or feature must include braille. The ADA requires the use of Grade 2 braille with domed dots.

Federal braille standards specify:

• Dot base diameter between 0.059 and 0.063 inches
  
• Dot height between 0.025 and 0.037 inches
  
• Specific spacing requirements between dots and cells

Braille capitalization is limited and should only be used when required, such as for proper nouns, acronyms, or the beginning of sentences.

Finish and Contrast

All ADA signs must have a non-glare finish, such as matte or eggshell. Glossy or reflective surfaces are not permitted.

Characters must contrast strongly with the background. While the ADA does not mandate a specific contrast ratio, a minimum contrast of 70 percent is widely accepted as best practice. Light characters on dark backgrounds or dark characters on light backgrounds are both acceptable.

Pictograms and Symbols 

Pictograms are not broadly required by the ADA, but they are permitted and commonly used on signage such as restrooms, stairways, elevators, and other life safety or wayfinding signs.

When pictograms are used on ADA-required signage (e.g., tactile room identification signs), they must comply with specific formatting rules outlined in the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design.

ADA Requirements for Pictograms

• Pictogram Field
  • Must be located within a dedicated field.
  • Field height must be at least 6 inches (150 mm).
• No Text in the Pictogram Field
  • The pictogram area cannot contain text or Braille.
• Text Placement
  • Any descriptive text and Grade 2 Braille must be placed directly below the pictogram field.
• Finish and Contrast
  • Pictograms must have a non-glare finish.
  • They must contrast with their background (light-on-dark or dark-on-light).
    
    
    

Important Clarification

The ADA does not limit pictograms to a specific set of symbols. While certain standardized symbols (such as accessibility or communication-related icons) are referenced elsewhere in the standards, pictograms in general signage are not restricted to only those symbols.

Best Practice (Not ADA Requirement)

Pictograms are widely used to improve wayfinding and comprehension, especially for:

• Restrooms
• Stairwells
• Elevators
• Emergency/life safety signage

However, their use in these cases is typically recommended for clarity, not mandated by ADA.