How Many Handicap Parking Signs Do You Need?

How Many Handicap Parking Signs Does Your Parking Facility Need?

It’s commonly known that businesses are required to have handicap accessible parking spaces, but is there a specific number that is required? The answer is yes! The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires a certain number of handicap accessible parking spots for all businesses and government buildings. The required number of accessible parking spaces varies depending on how many parking spaces there are, the type of building it is, and whether it’s new construction.

Additionally, there is a requirement for van accessible parking spaces. There must be one “van accessible” parking space for every six (or a fraction thereof) accessible parking spots.

For example, if there are six accessible parking spots, you’d need to make one of those van accessible. If you had seven accessible parking spots, you’d need to make two van-accessible parking spaces.

For garages or parking lots that are new construction, the table below outlines the needed number of handicap accessible spaces:

• Total Amount of Parking Spaces in Parking Facility (Garage or Lot)	Minimum Amount of Accessible Parking Spaces Required by the ADA
  1 - 25	1
  26 - 50	2
  51 - 75	3
  76 - 100	4
  101 - 150	5
  151 - 200	6
  201 - 300	7
  301 - 400	8
  401 - 500	69
  501 - 1000	2% of total
  1001 and over	20, plus 1 for each 100, or fraction thereof, over 1000

Table provided by ADA National Network.

Accessible Parking Space Requirement Examples

If a parking lot has a total of 250 spaces, there would need to be at least seven accessible parking spots, and at least two of those parking spaces must be van accessible.

If a parking lot has a total of 76 spaces, there would need to be at least four accessible parking spots, and at least one parking space must be van accessible.

If a parking lot has a total of 25 spaces, there would need to be at least one accessible parking spot, and it must be van accessible.

Accessible Parking Requirements for Medical Facilities

Medical facilities have different requirements for accessible parking than other types of buildings, however, the rule of maintaining one van-accessible spot for every six accessible spots (or a fraction thereof) is the same.

• Hospital outpatient facilities must have at least 10% of their visitor/patient spaces handicap accessible.
• Rehabilitation facilities and outpatient physical therapy facilities must have 20% of their visitor/patient spaces handicap accessible.

There are some exceptions to these ADA handicap accessible parking requirements. If a parking garage or lot is only used for the following vehicles, there is no requirement for accessible parking spaces:

• Delivery vehicles
• Buses
• Law enforcement vehicles
• Trucks
• Impounds

If a parking facility was built before 2010, then these regulations may not apply. There is a “safe harbor” clause for existing parking facilities that allow them to operate under the ADA regulations that were in place during the time the parking facility was constructed. For example, if a parking lot was constructed in 1993, it would need to follow the 1992 ADA regulations.

If a planned alteration to an existing parking facility takes place, then it must be brought up to the latest ADA regulations. This includes adding accessible parking spaces if needed to the "maximum extent feasible."

For more information, please refer to the Safe Harbor section of the ADA's accessible parking fact sheet.

Now that you know more about the required number of parking spaces needed for your parking facility, you need to know which signs you need to use to properly designate them. To find out which handicap accessible parking signs you need in your state, check out our article: Which Handicap Parking Signs do You Need?

For more information on the 2010 ADA requirements, such as accessible parking space dimensions, visit the ADA National Network website.

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