Return to ShortCodes Home Page

There are two accessibility standards that are commonly used in the US for new and existing buildings, and the door-related requirements in these standards are almost identical.  The two predominant accessibility standards are:

2A – Accessibility Standards

The Fair Housing Act is a US federal law that applies to most multifamily dwelling units built since March of 1991.  The Act requires all covered multifamily units - including apartments,  condominiums, assisted living units, time-share/vacation units, public housing, dormitory rooms, and hospice facilities - to be accessible and usable by people with disabilities.

2B – Fair Housing Act

[caption id=

2C – Clear Opening Width, Height, and Projections

The area around a manually-operated door is required to be kept clear of obstructions, in order to allow a person using a wheelchair, walker, or crutches sufficient space to maneuver when opening the door.  This area is called the maneuvering clearance, and the size of the required clear space can vary depending on whether it is on the push side or pull side of the door, and if the approach to the door is from the front, the latch side, or the hinge side.

2D – Maneuvering Clearance

[caption id=

2E – Changes in Level

Door and gate hardware is required by the accessibility standards to have a shape that is easy to grasp with one hand and that does not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist.  Lever handles, extended-length thumbturns, panic hardware, and many door pulls meet these requirements.  Because keys are not considered an

2F – Accessibility Requirements for Operable Hardware

[caption id=

2G – 10-inch Flush Surface

Back in the 1980s and 90s, when accessibility standards began to be applied more rigorously to new and existing buildings, some of the accessibility standards included a requirement for hardware to have a tactile warning.  Although this requirement disappeared from most accessibility standards decades ago, questions still arise.

2H – Tactile Warning

The accessibility standards include limitations on the amount of opening force required to open a door and the amount of closing speed allowed for doors equipped with door closers or spring hinges. These limitations are intended to ensure that doors on an accessible route open easily and close slowly so they do not impede building occupants who are attempting to use the doors. Often, these requirements can be met by adjusting the door closer.

2J – Opening Force and Closing Speed

The accessibility standards do not require doors to have vision lights, although there are other code requirements that mandate vision lights in certain instances.  When a vision light is provided in a door or sidelight that is part of an accessible route, the light must be mounted at a height where it can be used by all building occupants - including those using a wheelchair.  If a door opening has multiple vision lights or sidelights, only one light must be located at the height prescribed by the accessibility standards.

2K – Vision Lights and Viewers

Return to ShortCodes Home Page