English
Get the app

Braillito Maps · Accessibility guides

ADA mounting heights: mirrors, dispensers, hand dryers and hooks

Most restroom accessories have no height of their own in the 2010 ADA Standards. A paper towel dispenser, a soap dispenser or a coat hook goes within reach, and the reach ranges of section 308 say where that is: 15 to 48 inches (380–1220 mm) above the floor when nothing is in the way (2010 ADA Standards, 308.2.1 and 308.3.1). Only a few accessories get a figure of their own, the mirror and the toilet paper dispenser among them. These are the heights, each with its section of the standard, and why most of them come from the same range.

This is a summary. The official 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design are the reference.

ADA mounting heights at a glance

Each accessory, next to the rule that sets its height. Where the Standards give no figure for an item, the table says so and gives the general rule it cites instead.

Mounting heights for restroom accessories in the 2010 ADA Standards.
Accessory Height Section
Mirror above a sink or counter bottom edge of the reflecting surface 40 inches (1015 mm) above the floor at most 2010 ADA Standards, 603.3
Mirror anywhere else bottom edge of the reflecting surface 35 inches (890 mm) above the floor at most 2010 ADA Standards, 603.3
Paper towel and soap dispensers no figure of their own; an advisory note places them within the reach ranges of 308, usable from the accessible sink 2010 ADA Standards, advisory 606.1
Hand dryer not mentioned in the Standards; see the hand dryer section below for the general rules on controls and on objects that stick out from the wall 2010 ADA Standards, 205.1, 307.2 and 309
Toilet paper dispenser outlet 15 to 48 inches (380–1220 mm) above the floor, 7 to 9 inches (180–230 mm) in front of the toilet, not behind the grab bars 2010 ADA Standards, 604.7
Coat hook within one of the reach ranges of 308 2010 ADA Standards, 603.4
Shelf 40 to 48 inches (1015–1220 mm) above the floor 2010 ADA Standards, 603.4
Coat hook and shelf in a toilet stall the same two rules 2010 ADA Standards, 604.8.3

The toilet paper dispenser is the other accessory with a figure of its own: its outlet goes 15 to 48 inches (380–1220 mm) above the floor and 7 to 9 inches (180–230 mm) in front of the toilet (2010 ADA Standards, 604.7). The full toilet paper rules are in ADA toilet height, next to the seat and the flush control, and the grab bars it may not be placed behind in ADA grab bar requirements.

Why most heights come from the reach ranges

Where the Standards give an accessory no figure, they send it to the reach ranges of section 308, and with nothing in the way those ranges go from 15 inches (380 mm) minimum to 48 inches (1220 mm) maximum above the floor, for a forward reach and for a side reach alike (2010 ADA Standards, 308.2.1 and 308.3.1). That is why the same two numbers keep coming back in a restroom. The top drops when the arm has to go over a counter: a forward reach over an obstruction up to 20 inches (510 mm) deep still goes to 48 inches, and over a deeper one, up to 25 inches (635 mm), to 44 inches (1120 mm) (2010 ADA Standards, 308.2.2). The side reach over an obstruction, the rules for operable parts and the exceptions are in ADA reach range.

ADA mirror height: 40 inches over a sink, 35 elsewhere

The mirror is one of the few accessories with a figure of its own. A mirror above a lavatory or a countertop is installed with the bottom edge of its reflecting surface no more than 40 inches (1015 mm) above the floor. A mirror that is not above a lavatory or countertop goes lower: its bottom edge is no more than 35 inches (890 mm) above the floor (2010 ADA Standards, 603.3). What is measured is the reflecting surface, the glass you see yourself in.

Not every mirror in a restroom has to meet this. Where mirrors are provided, at least one complies with 603.3 (2010 ADA Standards, 213.3.5).

  • The top edge: the advisory note recommends at least 74 inches (1880 mm) above the floor, so the same mirror works for people who stand and people who use wheelchairs (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 603.3).
  • A full-length mirror: the same note says a single full-length mirror can accommodate more people, children among them (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 603.3).
  • Advisory, not required: advisory notes explain or illustrate the requirements, but they do not establish enforceable requirements of their own (2010 ADA Standards, 28 CFR 36.406(b)). The 40 and 35 inches are the rule; the 74 inches are a recommendation.

The sink under the mirror has its own rules, 34 inches to the rim at most and room for the knees underneath, in ADA sink height.

Paper towel and soap dispenser height

The 2010 Standards do not give a number for paper towel or soap dispensers. The advisory note to section 606, on lavatories and sinks, says that where soap and towel dispensers are provided they must be within the reach ranges of section 308, and placed so that a person at the accessible lavatory can use them easily (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 606.1). Four points decide where a dispenser goes:

  • Height: with nothing in the way, between 15 and 48 inches (380–1220 mm) above the floor, for a forward or a side reach (2010 ADA Standards, 308.2.1 and 308.3.1). Over a counter, a forward reach goes up to 48 inches across a depth of 20 inches (510 mm), and up to 44 inches (1120 mm) across 20 to 25 inches (2010 ADA Standards, 308.2.2).
  • Operation: operable parts in accessible rooms follow section 309 (2010 ADA Standards, 205.1), which asks for one-hand use without tight grasping, pinching or twisting of the wrist, and 5 pounds (22.2 N) of force at most (2010 ADA Standards, 309.4). For the toilet paper dispenser the Standards say it in so many words (2010 ADA Standards, 604.7).
  • How far it sticks out: protruding objects on circulation paths comply with section 307 (2010 ADA Standards, 204.1). An object with its leading edge more than 27 inches (685 mm) and not more than 80 inches (2030 mm) above the floor protrudes 4 inches (100 mm) at most into the circulation path (2010 ADA Standards, 307.2), a circulation path being any way of passage for people on foot, hallways included (2010 ADA Standards, 106.5, “circulation path”). The advisory note gives the reason: an object within the range a cane can detect gives a person time to find it with the cane before their body touches it (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 307.2).
  • Where it is measured: the Standards do not say which point of a towel or soap dispenser is measured. For the toilet paper dispenser they measure the outlet (2010 ADA Standards, 604.7).

The note does not set a distance from the sink either. What it asks for is that a person at the accessible sink can use the dispensers easily (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 606.1).

ADA hand dryer height

We read the 2010 Standards looking for hand dryers and found no rule for them: the only dryers in the text are clothes dryers (2010 ADA Standards, 214, 611 and 308.3.2, exception 1). So there is no ADA hand dryer height to give, and this page does not give one.

What the Standards do have are two general rules, and each one covers a part of what a hand dryer is: a control you use with your hand, and a box that sticks out from the wall.

The second rule is the one a cane user notices. The advisory note to 307.2 explains why low objects are treated differently: an element within the range a cane can detect gives a person time to find it with the cane before their body touches it (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 307.2). A dryer mounted higher than that, in a passage, is what the 4-inch limit is for.

ADA coat hook height and shelves

Coat hooks are located within one of the reach ranges of section 308, and shelves are 40 inches (1015 mm) minimum and 48 inches (1220 mm) maximum above the floor (2010 ADA Standards, 603.4). Inside a toilet stall the rule is the same, in a section of its own (2010 ADA Standards, 604.8.3). So with nothing in the way, a hook goes no higher than 48 inches and no lower than 15 (2010 ADA Standards, 308.2.1 and 308.3.1).

  • How many: in a restroom without stalls, where coat hooks or shelves are provided, at least one of each type complies with 603.4. Where stalls have them, the stalls that have to be accessible get at least one of each type complying with 604.8.3. In a bathing room, where they are provided, at least one of each type complying with 603.4 serves the accessible fixtures (2010 ADA Standards, 213.3.7).
  • Inside the toilet clearance: the required clearance around the toilet may overlap coat hooks and shelves, as well as dispensers and sanitary napkin disposal units (2010 ADA Standards, 604.3.2).
  • Above 48 inches: a hook placed higher than that on a wall or a door is outside both unobstructed reach ranges (2010 ADA Standards, 308.2.1 and 308.3.1).
  • Hooks for children: where coat hooks are designed mainly for children, an advisory note gives lower reach ranges by age, as guidance and not as a requirement (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 308.1 and 28 CFR 36.406(b)). The table by age is in reach ranges for children.

How to check restroom accessories with a tape measure

If you run a café, a shop or an office, or you just want to know what a restroom will be like, five measurements cover the accessories:

  1. Mirror. From the floor to the bottom of the glass: 40 inches at most over a sink or counter, 35 inches anywhere else, and at least one mirror that meets it (2010 ADA Standards, 603.3 and 213.3.5).
  2. Towel and soap dispensers. Between 15 and 48 inches with nothing in the way; over a counter deeper than 20 inches, 44 inches at most; within reach of the accessible sink (2010 ADA Standards, 308.2 and advisory 606.1).
  3. Hand dryer and other wall units. The button works with one hand, and in a passage the unit sticks out 4 inches at most if its lower edge is more than 27 inches above the floor (2010 ADA Standards, 309.4 and 307.2).
  4. Toilet paper. 7 to 9 inches in front of the toilet, outlet between 15 and 48 inches high, not behind the grab bar, and 12 inches clear above the bar (2010 ADA Standards, 604.7 and 609.3).
  5. Hooks and shelves. A hook within the reach range, 48 inches at most with nothing in the way; a shelf between 40 and 48 inches (2010 ADA Standards, 603.4 and 308.2.1).

The accessories are the last part of the room. The door, the turning space and the toilet come first, in ADA bathroom requirements.

Restroom accessories in Braillito Maps

Braillito Maps is a community map where each 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. Each answer is yes, no or no data, and the place gets a score out of ten.

The mirror, the dispensers and the hooks are not questions of their own: they belong to accessible restroom. The checklist does not ask for inches, so the five measurements above are a way to decide what to answer when you add a place. A restroom where you can reach the toilet but not the soap, the towels or a mirror is useful information for the next person, and a question you could not check stays as no data instead of a guess.

Accessible restroom sits next to the two questions that decide whether you can get to it at all, step-free entrance or ramp and wide doorway, and next to braille signage, for the sign on the restroom door. Meet Braillito Maps.

Frequently asked questions

What is the ADA mirror height?

Above a sink or counter, the bottom edge of the reflecting surface is 40 inches (1015 mm) above the floor at most; anywhere else, 35 inches (890 mm) (2010 ADA Standards, 603.3). Where a restroom has mirrors, at least one has to meet this (2010 ADA Standards, 213.3.5).

What height should a paper towel dispenser be under the ADA?

The Standards give it no figure of its own. The advisory note to 606.1 places soap and towel dispensers within the reach ranges of 308 (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 606.1): on a wall with nothing in the way, 15 to 48 inches (380–1220 mm) above the floor (2010 ADA Standards, 308.2.1 and 308.3.1). On a circulation path, a dispenser whose leading edge is more than 27 inches (685 mm) and not more than 80 inches (2030 mm) above the floor sticks out 4 inches (100 mm) at most (2010 ADA Standards, 204.1 and 307.2).

What height should a soap dispenser be under the ADA?

It has no figure of its own either. Where soap dispensers are provided, an advisory note places them within the reach ranges of 308 and where a person at the accessible lavatory can use them easily (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 606.1). Reached from the front over a sink or a counter, the top of the range is 48 inches (1220 mm) for a reach depth up to 20 inches (510 mm), and 44 inches (1120 mm) for a depth up to 25 inches (635 mm) (2010 ADA Standards, 308.2.2).

Is there an ADA height for hand dryers?

Not by name: the 2010 Standards do not mention hand dryers. Their general rules put operable parts within the reach ranges, operable with one hand (2010 ADA Standards, 205.1, 309.3 and 309.4), and limit objects 27 to 80 inches above the floor to 4 inches (100 mm) of protrusion into a circulation path (2010 ADA Standards, 307.2).

What is the ADA coat hook height?

Within one of the reach ranges of section 308, which with nothing in the way means 15 to 48 inches (380–1220 mm) above the floor; shelves go 40 to 48 inches (1015–1220 mm) high (2010 ADA Standards, 603.4 and 308.2.1).

More accessibility guides

  • ADA bathroom requirements: toilet height and position, grab bar height, sink height, stall sizes and turning space.
  • 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 sink height: 34 inches to the rim, knee and toe clearance, faucets, insulated pipes and the mirror above the sink.
  • ADA toilet height: seat height, distance from the side wall, clear floor space, flush control, toilet paper and stalls.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • All accessibility guides

Sources

Every figure in this guide comes from one of these official texts, which we read in October 2026.

  1. 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. U.S. Department of Justice, published September 15, 2010; required for new work since March 15, 2012.

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.

Download on the App Store Meet Braillito Maps

Free · No ads · For iPhone