Toilets and restrooms can cause serious confusion if it’s not made to be accessible by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Non-compliance with the ADA’s requirements may hinder toilet use by handicapped people or people with injuries. If these requirements are not met, the owners of such properties may incur compliance actions and lawsuits.

Some ADA bathroom requirements will be explained below:

• Toilets and Toilet Compartments

The toilet should be installed so that the toilet seat is 17″ and 19″ above the floor and 16″ and 18″ away from the wall to the center.

A toilet room must have a turning space of at least 60″ in diameter so that someone in a wheelchair can move around easily. Also, a clearance of at least 60″ must be around a toilet from a side wall. The water closet must be a minimum of 56″ deep wall-mounted unit and 59″ ddeep floor-mountedunted units (this one allows wheelchair users easy access). The flush control must be installed on the open side.

The toilet compartments must have grab bars on the side wall near the toilet and the rear wall. The side wall grab bars should be a minimum of 42″ long and shouldn’t be too far from the rear wall (at least 12”). 

• Mirrors

According to the ADA toilet requirements, the mirrors should be installed 40″ above the floor if it’s above a sink and 35″ if it stands alone with nothing below.

• Toilet Paper Dispensers

Toilet paper dispensers should be installed so that the dispenser’s outlet is between 15″ and 48″ above the floor. Also, it shouldn’t be located in a position where its operation would be disrupted.

• Urinals

A urinal’s rim should not be higher than 17″ above the ground and must be at least 13 ½” from the rim’s outer face to the back of the urinal. Also, a space of at least 30″ should be provided.

• Sinks

A sink should be installed at a height of 34″ above the floor. There should be enough knee clearance of 27″ in height to the sink. Pipes must be covered or insulated and faucets should be installed for easy accessibility and operation (required force not more than 5 Ibs).

• Showers

According to ADA standards, each shower (either a roll-in or transfer shower) has specific allowances for size, location of grab bars and controls, threshold, clear floor space, and permanently installed shower seat. A standard roll-in shower must be at least 30″ wide by 60″ deep and a least entry of 60″ wide.

• Soap Dispensers, Hand Dryers, and Waste Receptacles

Soap dispensers and buttons must be installed so that they can be operated with one hand. It should not require more than 5 Ibs of force to operate. The height of soap dispensers, towel dispensers, and hand dryers depends on if an object is mounted below and the depth of the lower object e.g a countertop.

Dispensers and hand dryers can be installed at a height of 48″ if the object below is less than 20″ deep. And if there’s no object below, the dispenser or dryer may not be more than 48″.

At All Things Inspector, we have everything needed for toilet clearance ADA. Our workers are trained and well-equipped-equipped inspection tool kits.