Toilets and bathrooms must be made accessible for everyone including disabled and handicapped people. ADA requirements are based on the needs of disabled persons. These requirements serve as a guideline when building a bathroom or toilet; there should be enough space in the bathroom so that users with disabilities can use it. Even in toilets, the doors and hardware should comply with the ADA requirements for door openings.

Space Requirements

To grant disabled users easy accessibility, all restroom hallways, aisles, and other passways must be 41-48 inches wide and height of 80 inches. Every accessory in the bathroom must have a clear space of 30 inches by 48 inches that allows a forward approach. This clear floor space may be located beneath accessories or other bathroom fixtures if it doesn’t affect the required knee or toe clearance.

Turning Spaces

An ADA-compliant bathroom must have enough floor space so that people using wheelchairs can turn around easily. The turning space could be circled in shape (with a 60-inch diameter) or T-shaped( which should not be smaller than a 60-inch by 60-inch square). A portion of this turning space can be located beneath fixtures or accessories if it doesn’t impact the knee and toe clearance.

Toilet Compartments/Stalls

Toilet stalls have two main designs made to allow users with disabilities to have access to it, they include Wheelchair Accessible Toilet Compartments and Ambulatory Accessible Toilet Compartments. These designs must meet the ADA regulations for toe clearance and compartment doors.

Wheelchair Accessible Toilet Compartments

A wheelchair-accessible toilet compartment is a stall with enough space that accommodates people using wheelchairs. Each public restroom must have a minimum of one wheelchair-accessible stall. According to ADA bathroom requirements, this type of stall should be 59 inches deep for floor-mounted toilets and 56 inches deep for wall-hung toilets. It must have a width of 60 inches measured from the right angle of the sidewall. A toilet compartment that is up to the ADA standard makes it easy for a person in a wheelchair to move comfortably and safely around the stall.

Ambulatory Accessible Toilet Compartments

An Ambulatory Accessible Toilet Compartment is a smaller toilet compartment that is specially designed for people who need support on both sides to use the toilet (i.e people using crutches). An Ambulatory Toilet Compartment must be in restrooms with more than six urinals combined.

These compartments must be 60 inches deep and 35-37 inches wide. Toilets will be located at the back of the stall. Also, the doors should be designed so that it doesn’t swing into the minimum clearance area just like the wheelchair-accessible stall.

Toe Clearance

The minimum toe clearance for accessible stalls according to ADA bathroom requirements is 9 inches above the finished floor. This implies that there should be at least 9 inches of space between the top and bottom partition.

At All Things Inspector, we can help you meet the ADA toilet clearance requirements. We have experts and professionals who are trained in toilet clearance ADA.