Braillito Maps · Accessibility guides
ADA bathtub requirements: clearance, seat, grab bars and controls
Under the 2010 ADA Standards, where bathtubs or showers are provided, at least one bathtub or one shower has to be accessible (2010 ADA Standards, 213.3.6). An accessible bathtub has a clear space in front of it, a seat, grab bars on the walls around it, controls you can reach from outside the tub and a hand-held shower, all set out in section 607 (2010 ADA Standards, 607). 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.
ADA bathtub measurements at a glance
Measurements in inches and millimeters, as the standard gives them.
| Element | Measurement | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Clear space in front of the tub | the full length of the bathtub, 30 inches (760 mm) wide minimum; with a permanent seat, it extends 12 inches (305 mm) minimum beyond the head end wall | 2010 ADA Standards, 607.2 |
| Seat height | 17 to 19 inches (430–485 mm) from the bathroom floor to the top of the seat | 2010 ADA Standards, 610.2 |
| Removable in-tub seat | 15 to 16 inches (380–405 mm) deep, capable of secure placement | 2010 ADA Standards, 610.2 |
| Permanent seat at the head end | 15 inches (380 mm) deep minimum, from the back wall to or beyond the outer edge of the tub | 2010 ADA Standards, 610.2 |
| Seat strength | 250 pounds (1112 N) applied at any point | 2010 ADA Standards, 610.4 |
| Back wall grab bars | two: one 33 to 36 inches (840–915 mm) above the floor, the other 8 to 10 inches (205–255 mm) above the rim of the tub | 2010 ADA Standards, 607.4.1.1, 607.4.2.1 and 609.4 |
| Control end wall grab bar | 24 inches (610 mm) long minimum, at the front edge of the tub | 2010 ADA Standards, 607.4.1.2 and 607.4.2.2 |
| Head end wall grab bar | only without a permanent seat: 12 inches (305 mm) long minimum, at the front edge of the tub | 2010 ADA Standards, 607.4.2.3 |
| Controls | on an end wall, between the rim and the grab bar, and between the open side and the centerline of the tub; one hand, 5 pounds (22.2 N) maximum | 2010 ADA Standards, 607.5 and 309.4 |
| Hand-held shower | a hose 59 inches (1500 mm) long minimum, usable fixed or hand-held, with an on/off control | 2010 ADA Standards, 607.6 |
| Hot water | 120°F (49°C) maximum from the spray unit | 2010 ADA Standards, 607.6 |
The clear space in front of the bathtub
The clear space runs along the whole length of the tub and is at least 30 inches (760 mm) wide. A sink that meets the lavatory rules may sit at the control end of that space (2010 ADA Standards, 607.2), but the Access Board recommends keeping sinks out of it, because a clear control end makes the controls easier to reach (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, bathtubs).
With a permanent seat at the head end, the clear space goes at least 12 inches (305 mm) beyond the head end wall (2010 ADA Standards, 607.2), so that a person in a wheelchair can line up with the seat and slide across onto it. The seat wall often sticks out past the edge of the tub, and the Access Board asks for any offset it causes to be kept small (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, bathtub with permanent seat).
The room around the tub follows the rules of an accessible restroom: a turning space inside the room, and a door that does not swing into the clear space of any fixture (2010 ADA Standards, 603.2.1 and 603.2.3). Those measurements are in ADA bathroom requirements.
The bathtub seat: removable or permanent
Every accessible bathtub has a seat: either a permanent seat at the head end of the tub or a removable seat that sits inside it (2010 ADA Standards, 607.3).
Removable in-tub seat: 15 to 16 inches (380–405 mm) deep, and capable of secure placement (2010 ADA Standards, 610.2), so that it stays put while a person moves onto it and bathes. A seat with a back is advisable but not required (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, bathtubs).
Permanent seat: at the head end, at least 15 inches (380 mm) deep, running from the back wall to the outer edge of the tub or beyond it (2010 ADA Standards, 610.2).
Both kinds: the top of the seat is 17 to 19 inches (430–485 mm) above the bathroom floor (2010 ADA Standards, 610.2), and it withstands 250 pounds (1112 N) applied at any point on the seat, its fasteners, its mounting or the structure behind it (2010 ADA Standards, 610.4).
Grab bars at the bathtub, with and without a permanent seat
Where the bars go depends on the seat. With a removable seat there are bars on three walls; with a permanent seat, on two, because the seat wall at the head end gives back support and has no bar (2010 ADA Standards, 607.4.1 and 607.4.2; U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, bathtub with permanent seat).
| Wall | With a permanent seat | Without a permanent seat |
|---|---|---|
| Back wall | two bars, one 33 to 36 inches (840–915 mm) above the floor and one 8 to 10 inches (205–255 mm) above the rim; each no more than 15 inches (380 mm) from the head end wall and 12 inches (305 mm) from the control end wall (2010 ADA Standards, 607.4.1.1) | the same two bars, each at least 24 inches (610 mm) long, no more than 24 inches (610 mm) from the head end wall and 12 inches (305 mm) from the control end wall (2010 ADA Standards, 607.4.2.1) |
| Control end wall | one bar at least 24 inches (610 mm) long, at the front edge of the tub (2010 ADA Standards, 607.4.1.2) | one bar at least 24 inches (610 mm) long, at the front edge of the tub (2010 ADA Standards, 607.4.2.2) |
| Head end wall | no bar: the seat is there | one bar at least 12 inches (305 mm) long, at the front edge of the tub (2010 ADA Standards, 607.4.2.3) |
The higher back wall bar follows the general height for grab bars, measured to the top of the gripping surface (2010 ADA Standards, 609.4). No maximum distance from the front edge is set for the end wall bars; the Access Board says they should be as close to it as the bar and its fastening allow (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, bathtubs).
Every bar is 1 1/4 to 2 inches (32–51 mm) across if round, sits 1 1/2 inches (38 mm) from the wall, has 12 inches (305 mm) clear above it and holds 250 pounds (1112 N) (2010 ADA Standards, 609.2.1, 609.3 and 609.8). Bars can be left out, if the walls are reinforced to take them later, in a single-user bathroom reached only through a private office and not for common or public use, and in residential dwelling units (2010 ADA Standards, 607.4, exceptions).
The ADA Standards do not require a vertical grab bar at the bathtub; the Access Board notes that the ICC A117.1 standard does (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, questions). Every grab bar rule, at the toilet and the shower too, is in ADA grab bar requirements.
Controls, the hand-held shower and hot water
Controls, except the drain stopper, go on an end wall, between the rim of the tub and the grab bar, and between the open side of the tub and its centerline (2010 ADA Standards, 607.5). That puts them below the grab bars and toward the front, within reach from outside the tub (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, bathtubs). They work with one hand, without tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist, and with no more than 5 pounds (22.2 N) of force (2010 ADA Standards, 607.5 and 309.4).
The hand-held shower. Every accessible bathtub has a shower spray unit on a hose at least 59 inches (1500 mm) long that works both as a hand-held shower and as a fixed shower head, with an on/off control with a non-positive shut-off (2010 ADA Standards, 607.6). That control reduces the flow without stopping it completely, and the main control still turns the water off (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, questions). An advisory note asks for the hand-held unit to deliver water pressure substantially equivalent to a fixed shower head (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 607.6).
If the shower head slides on a vertical bar, the bar must not get in the way of the grab bars (2010 ADA Standards, 607.6). At some showers a fixed head no higher than 48 inches can replace the hand-held unit; at a bathtub it cannot (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, shower spray units).
Hot water. The spray unit at the bathtub delivers water no hotter than 120°F (49°C) (2010 ADA Standards, 607.6).
Enclosures, tub size and rim height
An enclosure on the tub, such as sliding glass doors, cannot block the controls, the faucets or the shower spray unit, and cannot get in the way of a transfer from a wheelchair onto the seat or into the tub. No track can run along the rim of the open side (2010 ADA Standards, 607.7).
Section 607 gives no length, width or depth for the tub itself: it sets the space in front of it, the seat, the bars and the controls (2010 ADA Standards, 607). It does not set the height of the tub walls either; the Access Board suggests making the outside wall of the tub the same height as the seat, 17 to 19 inches, for an easier transfer (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, questions).
These rules are for bathtubs used for bathing. A spa tub follows the spa rules instead, with a lift, a transfer wall or a transfer system as the way in (2010 ADA Standards, 242.4; U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, questions).
Where an accessible bathtub is required
- Any bathing room: where bathtubs or showers are provided, at least one bathtub that meets 607 or at least one shower that meets 608 (2010 ADA Standards, 213.3.6). So an accessible bathtub is one way to comply, not an obligation in itself: a bathroom can have an accessible shower instead, and in the Access Board’s example bathrooms a bathtub takes the place of a shower compartment (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, bathroom with a bathtub).
- Hotels: in each guest room with mobility features, at least one bathtub or shower meets sections 603 to 610 (2010 ADA Standards, 806.2.4). A share of those rooms must have a roll-in shower; table 224.2 counts the others as “rooms without roll-in showers”, and the Access Board says those get transfer showers and/or bathtubs (2010 ADA Standards, table 224.2; U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, questions). A hotel with 76 to 100 rooms, for example, needs 4 accessible rooms without a roll-in shower and 1 with one (2010 ADA Standards, table 224.2). The accessible rooms are also spread among the room types, and an advisory note lists bathroom fixtures such as hot tubs and spas among the choices to compare (2010 ADA Standards, 224.5 and advisory 224.5). The rest of the room is in ADA hotel room requirements.
- Patient rooms and homes: where a patient or resident sleeping room has its own bathroom, at least one bathtub or shower meets 603 to 610 (2010 ADA Standards, 805.4); in an accessible residential dwelling unit, at least one of each type of fixture provided does (2010 ADA Standards, 809.4).
Bathtub or shower: what changes
Both share the rules for grab bars, seats and controls in chapter 6 of the standard, but they differ in a few places:
- Size: a shower has set sizes, 36 by 36 inches (915 × 915 mm) for a transfer shower and at least 30 by 60 inches (760 × 1525 mm) for a standard roll-in one (2010 ADA Standards, 608.2); a bathtub has none, only the clear space in front of it (2010 ADA Standards, 607.2).
- Seat: a bathtub always has one (2010 ADA Standards, 607.3); a roll-in shower needs one only where it is required in a hotel room with mobility features (2010 ADA Standards, 608.4).
- Fixed shower head: it can replace the hand-held unit at some showers, never at a bathtub (2010 ADA Standards, 608.6, exception; U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, shower spray units).
- Getting in: a roll-in shower lets a person stay in a shower wheelchair without moving to a seat (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, roll-in shower compartments); at a bathtub, the clear space is there for the move onto the seat (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, bathtubs).
Shower sizes, thresholds and the rest of the shower rules are in ADA shower requirements.
Checking a bathtub before you go, and Braillito Maps
Braillito Maps does not ask about bathtubs. Its checklist asks what a place has, and three of its questions decide whether you can reach the bathroom at all: ramp, for a step-free way in; wide doorway, for an entrance a wheelchair fits through; and adapted restroom, for a restroom designed for people with reduced mobility. A place marked with an adapted restroom tells you that much, not whether its accessible room has a bathtub or a shower, or what kind of seat it has.
So when you book a hotel room, it pays to ask:
- Does the accessible room have a bathtub, a transfer shower or a roll-in shower?
- Is the bathtub seat removable or built in, and is it 17 to 19 inches high?
- Are there grab bars on the back wall and at the control end of the tub?
- Is there a hand-held shower on a long hose, with controls you can reach from outside the tub?
- Is the space in front of the tub clear, or is there a sink or a glass door in the way?
When you add a place to Braillito Maps, answering the ramp, doorway and restroom questions saves the next person a trip to find out there is a step at the bathroom door.
Frequently asked questions
What size is an ADA bathtub?
The 2010 ADA Standards give no size for the tub itself. They require a clear space in front of it as long as the tub and at least 30 inches (760 mm) wide, extended 12 inches (305 mm) beyond the head end wall when the tub has a permanent seat (2010 ADA Standards, 607.2). They do not set the height of the tub walls either (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, questions).
How high is an ADA bathtub seat?
17 to 19 inches (430–485 mm) from the bathroom floor to the top of the seat, for a removable in-tub seat and for a permanent seat at the head end (2010 ADA Standards, 610.2).
Where do grab bars go on an ADA bathtub?
On the back wall, two bars: one 33 to 36 inches (840–915 mm) above the floor and one 8 to 10 inches (205–255 mm) above the rim. On the control end wall, one bar at least 24 inches (610 mm) long at the front edge. Without a permanent seat, also one bar at least 12 inches (305 mm) long on the head end wall (2010 ADA Standards, 607.4 and 609.4).
Does a hotel have to have an accessible bathtub?
Not as such. Each guest room with mobility features needs at least one accessible bathtub or shower (2010 ADA Standards, 806.2.4), and a share of those rooms needs a roll-in shower (2010 ADA Standards, table 224.2). The other accessible rooms get transfer showers and/or bathtubs (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, questions).
Does an ADA bathtub need a hand-held shower?
Yes: a spray unit on a hose at least 59 inches (1500 mm) long that also works as a fixed shower head, with water no hotter than 120°F (49°C) (2010 ADA Standards, 607.6). Unlike at a shower, a fixed head cannot replace it (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, shower spray units).
Can a sink be next to an ADA bathtub?
A sink that meets the lavatory rules may sit in the clear space at the control end of the tub (2010 ADA Standards, 607.2). The Access Board recommends keeping it out, for easier access to the controls (U.S. Access Board guide to bathing rooms, bathtubs).
More accessibility guides
- ADA shower requirements: transfer and roll-in shower sizes, the seat, grab bars, controls, the hand-held shower and the threshold.
- 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 bathroom requirements: toilet height and position, grab bar height, sink height, stall sizes and turning space.
- 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 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 compliance: a checklist for small businesses, with the 2010 Standards section behind each item.
- 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.
- Guide to the ADA Accessibility Standards, Chapter 6: Bathing Rooms. U.S. Access Board, read October 2026.
Braillito Maps
Find places with ramps, accessible toilets or tactile paving near you in Braillito Maps
In Braillito Maps, every place answers ten questions. One is the accessible restroom: whether there is a restroom designed for people with reduced mobility. It is built by the people who need it, and every place gets a score out of ten.
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