ADA parking requirements can feel complicated, but the basic rules are clear, and correct striping costs little more than incorrect striping. Here are the fundamentals we apply on every commercial striping layout. This overview uses plain language and is not legal advice; current codes and local amendments govern.
How many accessible stalls
The federal table scales with lot size: 1 accessible space for lots up to 25 total spaces, 2 for up to 50, 3 for up to 75, 4 for up to 100 — continuing upward from there. Medical facilities carry higher requirements. Count your stalls before assuming you're covered; lots that grew over time are often a space short.
Van spaces and access aisles
At least one in every six accessible spaces must be van-accessible — wider stall or wider aisle to fit a ramp deployment. Every accessible space needs an adjacent access aisle, marked to discourage parking in it, and two spaces may share one aisle. The aisle is the part most often painted wrong: it's not decoration, it's where the wheelchair goes.
Location and route
Accessible spaces belong on the shortest accessible route to the entrance, on a level area, with a path that does not force wheelchair users behind parked cars. Correct ADA work requires careful layout, not just a stencil.
Signage and maintenance
Spaces need vertical signs (mounted high enough to be visible over a parked vehicle — pavement symbols alone don't satisfy the requirement), and everything must stay visible: faded ADA markings are a compliance gap, which is one reason restriping every 12–24 months matters beyond cosmetics.
The good news: a restripe is the perfect moment to fix all of this at once. We review ADA layout as part of every commercial striping plan — getting it right the first time is dramatically cheaper than retrofitting after a complaint.
