"Americans with Disabilities Act" (A.D.A.) Signage Regulations

(From the Department of Justice's federal register)

Character Proportion: 4.30.2

Letters and numbers on signs shall have a width-to-height ratio between 3:5 and 1:1 and a stroke width-to-height ratio between 1:5 and 1:10.

Character Height: 4.30.3

Characters and numbers on signs shall be sized according to viewing distance from which they are to be read. The minimum height is measured using an uppercase X. Lowercase characters are permitted. Regulations state that suspended or projected signs must allow at least 80 inches minimum clear head room above a finished floor in walks, halls, corridors, passageways, aisles, or other circulation areas. Characters on signs must be a minimum of 3 inches in height.

Raised and Brailled Characters and Pictorial Symbol Signs (Pictograms): 4.30.4

Letters and numerals shall be raised 1/32 inches, uppercase only, sans serif or simple serif type, and shall be accompanied with Grade 2 Braille. Raised characters shall be at least 5/8 inch high, but no higher than 2 inches. Pictograms shall be accompanied by the equivalent verbal description placed directly below the pictogram. The border dimension of the pictogram shall be 6 inches minimum in height.

Finish and Contrast: 4.30.5

Characters and symbols shall contrast with their background — white characters on a black background.

Mounting Location and Height: 4.30.6

Where permanent identification is provided for rooms and spaces, signs shall be installed on the wall adjacent to the latch side of the door. Where there is no wall space to the latch side of the door, including at double leaf doors, signs shall be placed on the nearest adjacent wall. Mounting height shall be 60 inches above the finished floor to the centerline of the sign. Mounting location for such signage shall be so that a person may approach within 3 inches of signage without encountering protruding objects or standing within the swing of a door.