Braillito Maps · Accessibility guides
Braille signage: which signs need braille, how high and where
A braille sign carries the same words in raised letters and in braille, so a blind person can read it by touch. Under the 2010 ADA Standards it has to be where a hand looks for it: beside the door, on the latch side, between 48 and 60 inches above the floor.
This is a summary. The official 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design are the reference.
Which signs need braille
- Room and space signs. Signs that identify permanent rooms and spaces, such as restrooms and room or floor numbers, have raised characters duplicated in braille, as well as visual characters (2010 ADA Standards, 216.2 and advisory 216.2).
- Exit doors. Doors at exit passageways, exit discharge and exit stairways are identified by tactile signs (2010 ADA Standards, 216.4.1).
- Directional and informational signs only have to meet the rules for visual characters; they do not need braille (2010 ADA Standards, 216.3).
- Exempt: building directories, menus, seat and row designations in assembly areas, occupant names, building addresses, company names and logos, and temporary signs used for 7 days or less (2010 ADA Standards, 216.1).
The UN convention on disability rights also asks countries to provide signage in braille and in easy to read and understand forms in buildings and other facilities open to the public (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, article 9).
Mounting height and location
- Height: the baseline of the lowest tactile character at least 48 inches (1220 mm) above the floor, and the baseline of the highest no more than 60 inches (1525 mm) (2010 ADA Standards, 703.4.1).
- Single door: alongside the door, on the latch side; if there is no wall space there, on the nearest adjacent wall (2010 ADA Standards, 703.4.2).
- Double doors: with one active leaf, on the inactive leaf; with two active leaves, to the right of the right-hand door (2010 ADA Standards, 703.4.2).
- Clear floor space: 18 by 18 inches (455 × 455 mm), centered on the tactile characters and beyond the arc of the door swing between closed and 45 degrees open, so the reader stands clear of the door (2010 ADA Standards, 703.4.2).
- Exception: tactile signs may go on the push side of doors with closers and no hold-open devices (2010 ADA Standards, 703.4.2).
Raised characters
| Element | Requirement | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Depth | raised at least 1/32 inch (0.8 mm) | 2010 ADA Standards, 703.2.1 |
| Case and style | uppercase and sans serif; not italic, script or highly decorative | 2010 ADA Standards, 703.2.2 and 703.2.3 |
| Height | 5/8 inch to 2 inches (16–51 mm), based on the uppercase I; 1/2 inch (13 mm) allowed where separate raised and visual characters carry the same information | 2010 ADA Standards, 703.2.5 |
| Stroke | no more than 15 % of the character height | 2010 ADA Standards, 703.2.6 |
| Finish | characters and background non-glare, light on dark or dark on light | 2010 ADA Standards, 703.5.1 |
The braille
ADA signs use contracted braille, Grade 2, placed below the text it duplicates; with several lines of text, below all of them. It is separated by at least 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) from other tactile characters and from raised borders or decoration. Capital indicators are used only before the first word of a sentence, proper nouns and names, single letters, initials and acronyms (2010 ADA Standards, 703.3, 703.3.1 and 703.3.2). The dots are domed or rounded, with these dimensions (2010 ADA Standards, table 703.3.1):
| Measurement | Range |
|---|---|
| Dot base diameter | 0.059 to 0.063 inch (1.5–1.6 mm) |
| Distance between two dots in the same cell, center to center | 0.090 to 0.100 inch (2.3–2.5 mm) |
| Distance between corresponding dots in adjacent cells | 0.241 to 0.300 inch (6.1–7.6 mm) |
| Dot height | 0.025 to 0.037 inch (0.6–0.9 mm) |
| Distance between corresponding dots in the cell directly below | 0.395 to 0.400 inch (10–10.2 mm) |
To see what a word looks like in braille cells, type it into the braille translator. A printed or painted braille pattern can be seen but not read: the dots have to be raised.
Common problems
- The sign is on the hinge side, or behind the door when it opens.
- The sign is above head height, where a hand will not look for it.
- The braille does not match the print, or is printed flat instead of raised.
- The sign is glossy, so people with low vision cannot read the print in strong light.
- There is braille on the elevator buttons but not at the landing. In Spain, for example, the floor number goes in braille and raised digits on the right-hand door frame as you leave the car (CTE DB SUA, SUA 9, 2.2); the Spanish version of this guide compares several countries. The braille and raised characters of the ADA on the call buttons, the car controls and the hoistway entrances are in ADA elevator requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How high should a braille sign be mounted?
With the tactile characters between 48 inches (1220 mm), measured to the baseline of the lowest, and 60 inches (1525 mm), measured to the baseline of the highest, above the floor (2010 ADA Standards, 703.4.1).
Which side of the door does a braille sign go on?
On the latch side, alongside the door; at double doors with two active leaves, to the right of the right-hand door (2010 ADA Standards, 703.4.2).
Do all signs need braille?
No. Signs for permanent rooms and spaces and exit doors do; directional and informational signs only need readable visual characters, and menus and building directories are exempt (2010 ADA Standards, 216.1 to 216.4).
What grade of braille does the ADA require?
Contracted braille, Grade 2 (2010 ADA Standards, 703.3).
What size are ADA braille dots?
A base diameter of 1.5 to 1.6 mm and a height of 0.6 to 0.9 mm, with 2.3 to 2.5 mm between dots in the same cell (2010 ADA Standards, table 703.3.1).
More accessibility guides
- Accessibility symbols: what the wheelchair symbol means, where it is required and the other access symbols.
- ADA elevator requirements: car dimensions, door width and timing, call button height, audible and visible signals, and braille on the jambs and buttons.
- ADA compliance: a checklist for small businesses, with the 2010 Standards section behind each item.
- ADA door width: 32 inches of clear width, maneuvering space, thresholds, hardware and opening force.
- Accessible museums: what makes a museum accessible: the route, objects you can touch, captions, assistive listening and seating.
- 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.
- Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. United Nations, open for signature since March 30, 2007.
- Código Técnico de la Edificación, Documento Básico SUA (Seguridad de utilización y accesibilidad). Ministerio de Transportes, Movilidad y Agenda Urbana (España), version with the amendments of Real Decreto 450/2022.
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 braille signage: whether signs or buttons can also be read by touch. Another, separate one is the braille menu. It is built by the people who need it, and every place gets a score out of ten.
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