Braillito Maps
Accessibility guides
Accessibility requirements explained for the people who need them: how steep a ramp can be, how wide a door has to be, what an accessible restroom needs, what the bumps on a curb ramp mean, and where a guide dog can go. Every figure links to the official text it comes from. To size a ramp for a given rise, use the ADA ramp calculator.
The ADA, measurement by measurement
The 2010 ADA Standards, part by part, for businesses and for the people who visit them.
ADA compliance
A checklist for small businesses, with the 2010 Standards section behind each item.
2010 ADA Standards
What each of the ten chapters covers, since when the Standards apply and to which buildings, with the guide for each element.
ADA Title II
What state and local governments have to make accessible: existing buildings, new construction, streets and curb ramps, parks, programs and the 2024 web rule.
Accessible parking
ADA parking requirements: how many spaces, how wide, the access aisle and the sign.
ADA ramp slope
The 1:12 rule, width, landings, handrails and edge protection.
ADA curb ramps
Curb ramp slope, counter slope, width, flared sides, the top landing, diagonal ramps, islands and detectable warnings.
ADA sidewalk requirements
Clear width, passing spaces, grade, cross slope, surface, protruding objects and street furniture, on public sidewalks and on site.
ADA hallway width
Clear width of hallways and corridors, the 32-inch exception, width at turns, passing spaces, floor and slope, and objects that stick out from the walls.
ADA handrail requirements
Handrail height, diameter, clearance from the wall and the extensions at ramps and stairs.
ADA stair requirements
Riser height, tread depth, nosings, open risers, landings and which stairs the 2010 Standards cover.
ADA door width
32 inches of clear width, maneuvering space, thresholds, hardware and opening force.
ADA elevator requirements
Car dimensions, door width and timing, call button height, audible and visible signals, and braille on the jambs and buttons.
ADA platform lifts
Where a wheelchair lift may replace a ramp or an elevator, platform size, doors and gates, controls and use without an attendant.
ADA turning space
The 60-inch turning circle, the T-shaped turn, the 30 by 48 inch clear floor space and where the ADA asks for each.
ADA reach range
Forward and side reach, with and without an obstruction, and where the 15 to 48 inch range applies: switches, outlets and controls.
ADA counter height
How high and how long the accessible part of a sales, service or check-out counter must be, and what applies at bars.
ADA table height
How high an accessible table, desk or work surface is, the knee and toe space under it, and how many have to comply.
ADA drinking fountains
Spout height for wheelchair users and for standing people, hi-lo units, knee clearance, controls and water flow.
Braille signage
Which signs need braille under the ADA, how high they go, on which side of the door, and the size of the dots.
ADA pool lift requirements
How many means of entry a pool needs, and the seat, height, capacity and controls of a pool lift.
ADA restrooms, fixture by fixture
The accessible restroom as a whole, and then each part of it: the toilet, the urinal, the grab bars, the sink, the shower, and the mirror and dispensers.
ADA bathroom requirements
Toilet height and position, grab bar height, sink height, stall sizes and turning space.
ADA toilet height
Seat height, distance from the side wall, clear floor space, flush control, toilet paper and stalls.
ADA urinal height
Rim height, depth, clear floor space, privacy screens, flush control and how many urinals have to comply.
ADA grab bars
Grab bar height, length, diameter and wall spacing, and where the bars go at the toilet, in the shower and at the bathtub.
ADA sink height
34 inches to the rim, knee and toe clearance, faucets, insulated pipes and the mirror above the sink.
ADA shower requirements
Transfer and roll-in shower sizes, the seat, grab bars, controls, the hand-held shower and the threshold.
ADA mounting heights
Mirror, paper towel and soap dispenser, hand dryer, toilet paper and coat hook heights, and the reach ranges most of them come from.
Getting around
What blind and low-vision people use to find their way, what it means, and the paratransit ride for those who cannot use the bus.
Truncated domes and tactile paving
What the bumps on curb ramps and platform edges mean, and their sizes in the US and the UK.
Accessible pedestrian signals
How the push button, the locator tone, the walk tick and the vibrating arrow tell blind pedestrians when to cross.
The white cane
What it tells the person using it and the people around them, and White Cane Safety Day.
Guide dogs
How they work, where they can go under the ADA, and how to act around one.
ADA paratransit
Who qualifies, the 3/4 mile service area, fares up to twice the bus fare, next-day booking, companions and how to apply.
Going out and traveling
What to check before a trip, a hotel stay, a cruise, a taxi ride, a meal out, a day at the beach, a museum or a theme park, the playground or a visit to the doctor.
Accessible travel
Your rights on flights in the US and the EU, accessible hotel rooms, and what to ask before you book.
Wheelchair accessible hotels
How to choose and book a room that works: roll-in shower or tub, the bed, turning space, what to ask and your rights under the ADA.
ADA hotel rooms
How many accessible rooms and roll-in showers a hotel needs, rooms for deaf and hard of hearing guests, and what each room has inside.
Wheelchair accessible cruises
Which law covers a cruise ship, booking an accessible cabin, help boarding, wheelchairs on board, tenders and shore excursions.
Wheelchair accessible taxis
What the ADA requires of cabs and drivers: no refusals, no higher fares, help stowing your wheelchair, and which vans need a ramp or a lift.
Accessible restaurants
What to check before you go: the entrance, the tables, the restroom, the menu and service animals.
Accessible beaches
Beach access routes to the water: width, slopes and resting spaces under US federal standards, and what to check.
Accessible museums
What makes a museum accessible: the route, objects you can touch, captions, assistive listening and seating.
Accessible tourist attractions
What to check at a park, zoo, theme park or show: the entrance, the route, rides, tickets, services for blind and deaf visitors, and trails.
Accessible playgrounds
How many play components must be accessible under the ADA, the route, the ground surface and transfer platforms.
Accessible medical equipment
Exam tables that lower to 17–19 inches, wheelchair scales, how many a clinic or hospital needs, and the 2024 deadlines.
Signs, ideas and laws
The symbols on the door, the idea behind the rules, and the laws in each country.
Accessibility symbols
What the wheelchair symbol means, where it is required and the other access symbols.
Universal design
The seven principles, with an example from a building for each.
Accessibility laws by country
The ADA, the UK Equality Act, the Accessible Canada Act, Australia’s DDA and the EU rules, and what each covers.
How these guides are made
Every measurement, number or legal requirement comes from an official text we read, and carries its name, version and a link: the 2010 ADA Standards, ADA.gov guidance from the Department of Justice, the U.S. Access Board’s PROWAG and ABA Standards, the Department of Transportation’s air travel rule, UK Department for Transport guidance, and the laws of the UK, Canada, Australia and the EU. They are listed country by country in accessibility laws by country.
The guides summarize what those texts say; they are not legal advice. For a project or a complaint, the official text in force and your local code are the reference.
The Spanish guides cover the codes of Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Peru as well.
From the guide to the map
Knowing what an accessible ramp looks like is useful for one very practical thing: knowing whether the café on the corner has one. Braillito Maps is a community map that answers ten questions about each place: step-free entrance or ramp, wide doorway, accessible restroom, accessible parking, tactile paving, braille signage, braille menu, audible signals, guide dogs welcome and a quiet environment.
It is filled in by the people who need it. Every place you add saves someone else a trip to find out there are three steps at the door. Meet Braillito Maps.
Frequently asked questions
Do these guides replace the ADA Standards?
No. They summarize the texts they cite and link to them; the official text is the reference for a project or a complaint.
Which countries do the guides cover?
The English guides cover the United States, with UK guidance on tactile paving, white canes and crossings, EU rules for air travel, and the main accessibility laws of the UK, Canada, Australia and the EU. The Spanish guides add Spain, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Mexico and Colombia.
Where do the numbers come from?
From the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, ADA.gov guidance, the U.S. Access Board’s PROWAG and ABA Standards, the federal rules on air travel and hotel reservations, UK Department for Transport guidance and the official texts of each law. Each figure links to its source.
What does this have to do with Braillito Maps?
Braillito Maps is a map of accessible places built by the people who need them. These guides explain what to look for at each place: the ramp, the door, the restroom, the tactile paving and the braille signs.
Braillito Maps
Find places with ramps, accessible toilets or tactile paving near you in Braillito Maps
In Braillito Maps, every place answers ten questions: step-free entrance or ramp, wide doorway, accessible restroom, accessible parking, tactile paving, braille signage, braille menu, audible signals, guide dogs welcome and a quiet environment. It is built by the people who need it, and every place gets a score out of ten.
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