What applies in Arizona
The Americans with Disabilities Act sets accessibility requirements for commercial parking lots, and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design are the reference most properties work from. Arizona and local jurisdictions can add requirements for signs, symbols and enforcement. Always confirm with your city or an accessibility specialist before you plan work.
How many accessible spaces does a lot need?
The number depends on the total number of parking spaces in the lot, according to the table in the ADA Standards.
| Total spaces in the lot | Minimum accessible spaces | | --- | --- | | 1 to 25 | 1 | | 26 to 50 | 2 | | 51 to 75 | 3 | | 76 to 100 | 4 | | 101 to 150 | 5 | | 151 to 200 | 6 | | 201 to 300 | 7 | | 301 to 400 | 8 | | 401 to 500 | 9 | | 501 to 1,000 | 2 percent of total | | Over 1,000 | 20, plus 1 for each 100 over 1,000 |
At least one in every six accessible spaces, and never fewer than one, must be van accessible.
Dimensions and access aisles
Typical requirements for accessible spaces include:
- Car spaces at least 96 inches wide, with an access aisle at least 60 inches wide.
- Van spaces either 132 inches wide with a 60-inch access aisle, or 96 inches wide with a 96-inch access aisle.
- Shared aisles. One access aisle can serve two adjacent spaces.
- Slope. The space and aisle must be level, with a slope no steeper than 1:48 (about 2 percent) in any direction.
- Route. Accessible spaces should be on the shortest accessible route to the entrance they serve.
Striping and markings
Access aisles are normally marked so drivers know not to park in them, often with hatched lines. Many properties also paint the international symbol of accessibility in the stall. The sign is the element the federal standard requires, while the painted symbol and color follow local convention and code. Re-striping is where these markings are renewed, so parking lot striping is the point at which they most often get corrected, or accidentally lost.
Signs
Each accessible space needs a sign showing the symbol of accessibility, mounted high enough that a parked vehicle does not block it. The sign for a van space adds the words "van accessible." Signs are separate from pavement markings and are not part of striping.
Resurfacing, re-striping and alterations
Changing a lot's layout or surface can count as an alteration under the ADA and can trigger accessibility requirements for the work area and the route to it. This is why resurfacing and re-striping are good times to check compliance. Our asphalt paving and parking lot striping pages explain how we plan for accessible stalls from the start. For a compliance decision on your property, consult an accessibility specialist or your building department.
Fire lanes are separate
Fire lanes are governed by the local fire code and your property's approved plan, not by the ADA. They are striped and marked to those requirements, and they should be kept visible.