Braillito Maps · Accessibility guides
ADA bathroom requirements: toilet, grab bars, sink and space
An accessible restroom under the 2010 ADA Standards has room to turn a wheelchair, a toilet at the right height and distance from the wall, grab bars on the side and rear walls, and a sink a wheelchair user can roll under. These are the measurements, each with its section of the standard.
This is a summary. The official 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design are the reference.
Turning space, door and stalls
- Turning space: a 60-inch (1525 mm) circle, or a T-shaped space within a 60-inch square, inside the room (2010 ADA Standards, 304.3 and 603.2.1); how each one is measured is in ADA turning space. Where these sections sit in the 2010 Standards, chapter by chapter, is in 2010 ADA Standards.
- Door swing: the door may swing into the turning space, but not into the clear floor space of any fixture (2010 ADA Standards, 603.2.3).
- Wheelchair accessible stall: at least 60 inches (1525 mm) wide, and 56 inches (1420 mm) deep with a wall-hung toilet or 59 inches (1500 mm) with a floor-mounted one; the stall door is self-closing and does not swing into the minimum stall area (2010 ADA Standards, 604.8.1.1 and 604.8.1.2).
- Ambulatory stall: 60 inches (1525 mm) deep and 35 to 37 inches (890–940 mm) wide, with grab bars on both sides. One is needed in addition to the wheelchair stall when a room has six or more stalls, or six or more toilets and urinals together (2010 ADA Standards, 604.8.2 and 213.3.1).
- Urinals: where more than one urinal is provided, at least one complies with section 605: stall-type, or wall-hung with the rim 17 inches (430 mm) maximum above the floor (2010 ADA Standards, 213.3.3 and 605.2). Depth, clear space, privacy screens and flush control are in ADA urinal height.
The toilet
| Element | Requirement | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from the side wall | centerline 16 to 18 inches (405–455 mm) from the side wall or partition; 17 to 19 inches in an ambulatory stall | 2010 ADA Standards, 604.2 |
| Clear space around it | 60 inches (1525 mm) from the side wall by 56 inches (1420 mm) from the rear wall, with no other fixtures in it | 2010 ADA Standards, 604.3 |
| Seat height | 17 to 19 inches (430–485 mm) to the top of the seat; seats do not spring back up | 2010 ADA Standards, 604.4 |
| Flush control | hand operated or automatic, on the open side of the toilet | 2010 ADA Standards, 604.6 |
| Toilet paper | 7 to 9 inches (180–230 mm) in front of the toilet; outlet 15 to 48 inches (380–1220 mm) above the floor, not behind grab bars | 2010 ADA Standards, 604.7 |
The seat height in homes and for children, the flush control and how to check a toilet with a tape measure are in ADA toilet height.
Grab bars: length, position and height
| Element | Requirement | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Side wall bar | at least 42 inches (1065 mm) long, no more than 12 inches (305 mm) from the rear wall, extending at least 54 inches (1370 mm) from the rear wall | 2010 ADA Standards, 604.5.1 |
| Rear wall bar | at least 36 inches (915 mm) long, extending at least 12 inches (305 mm) from the toilet centerline on one side and 24 inches (610 mm) on the other | 2010 ADA Standards, 604.5.2 |
| Height | 33 to 36 inches (840–915 mm) above the floor to the top of the gripping surface, horizontal | 2010 ADA Standards, 609.4 |
| Diameter | 1 1/4 to 2 inches (32–51 mm) for round bars | 2010 ADA Standards, 609.2.1 |
| Space from the wall | 1 1/2 inches (38 mm) | 2010 ADA Standards, 609.3 |
| Strength | withstands 250 pounds (1112 N) applied at any point | 2010 ADA Standards, 609.8 |
The side bar is the one a wheelchair user pulls on to move across from the chair; it has to start close to the rear wall and run past the front of the toilet.
The grab bars in showers and at bathtubs, and the exceptions for homes and private offices, are in ADA grab bar requirements; shower sizes, seats and controls, in ADA shower requirements.
Sink and mirror
- Sink height: the front of the rim or counter, whichever is higher, no more than 34 inches (865 mm) above the floor (2010 ADA Standards, 606.3).
- Knee clearance: space for knees and toes under the sink for a forward approach, measured up to 27 inches (685 mm) above the floor and 30 inches (760 mm) wide (2010 ADA Standards, 606.2 and 306.3).
- Pipes: insulated or configured so no one touches them, with no sharp or abrasive surfaces under the sink (2010 ADA Standards, 606.5).
- Faucets: usable with one hand, without tight grasping; a metering faucet stays on for at least 10 seconds (2010 ADA Standards, 606.4 and 309.4).
- Mirror: above a sink or counter, the bottom of the reflecting surface no more than 40 inches (1015 mm) above the floor (2010 ADA Standards, 603.3). The mirror away from the sink, the towel and soap dispensers, coat hooks and shelves are in ADA mounting heights.
The full knee and toe clearance, the faucets and the exceptions for children’s sinks and kitchens are in ADA sink height.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ADA grab bar height?
33 to 36 inches (840–915 mm) above the floor, measured to the top of the gripping surface (2010 ADA Standards, 609.4).
What is the ADA sink height?
No more than 34 inches (865 mm) to the front of the rim or counter, with knee clearance underneath (2010 ADA Standards, 606.3).
How high is an ADA toilet?
17 to 19 inches (430–485 mm) from the floor to the top of the seat (2010 ADA Standards, 604.4).
How big does an ADA toilet stall have to be?
At least 60 inches (1525 mm) wide, and 56 inches (1420 mm) deep with a wall-hung toilet or 59 inches (1500 mm) with a floor-mounted one (2010 ADA Standards, 604.8.1.1).
How far from the wall does an ADA toilet go?
Its centerline is 16 to 18 inches (405–455 mm) from the side wall or partition (2010 ADA Standards, 604.2).
More accessibility guides
- 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.
- 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 door width: 32 inches of clear width, maneuvering space, thresholds, hardware and opening force.
- 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.
- All accessibility guides
Sources
Every figure in this guide comes from one of these official texts, which we read in October 2026.
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. U.S. Department of Justice, published September 15, 2010; required for new work since March 15, 2012.
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