2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design Pocket Guide
703.5 Visual Characters.
Visual characters shall comply with 703.5.
EXCEPTION: Where visual characters comply with 703.2 and are accompanied by braille complying with 703.3, they shall not be required to comply with 703.5.2 through 703.5.9.
703.5.1 Finish and Contrast.
Characters and their background shall have a non-glare finish. Characters shall contrast with their background with either light characters on a dark background or dark characters on a light background.
703.5.2 Case.
Characters shall be uppercase or lowercase or a combination of both.
703.5.3 Style.
Characters shall be conventional in form. Characters shall not be italic, oblique, script, highly decorative, or of other unusual forms. [S.H. 4.30.2]
703.5.4 Character Proportions.
Characters shall be selected from fonts where the width of the uppercase letter “O” is 55 percent minimum and 110 percent maximum of the height of the uppercase letter “I”. [S.H. 4.30.2]
703.5.5 Character Height.
Minimum character height shall comply with Table 703.5.5. Viewing distance shall be measured as the horizontal distance between the character and an obstruction preventing further approach towards the sign. Character height shall be based on the uppercase letter “I”. [S.H. 4.30.3]
| Height to Finish Floor or Ground From Baseline of Character | Horizontal Viewing Distance | Minimum Character Height |
| 40 Inches (1015 mm to less than or equal to 70 inches (1780 mm) |
less than 72 inches (1830 mm) |
5/8 inch (16 mm) |
| 40 Inches (1015 mm to less than or equal to 70 inches (1780 mm) | 72 inches (1830 mm) and greater | 5/8 inch (16 mm), plus 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) per foot (305 mm) or viewing distance above 72 inches (1830 mm) |
| Greater than 70 inches (1780 mm) to less than or equal to 120 inches (3050 mm) | less than 180 inches (4570 mm) | 2 inches (51 mm) |
| Greater than 70 inches (1780 mm) to less than or equal to 120 inches (3050 mm) | 180 inches (4570 mm) and greater | 2 inches (51 mm), plus 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) per foot (305 mm) of viewing distance above 180 inches (4570 mm) |
| Greater than 120 inches (3050 mm) | less than 21 feet (6400 mm) | 3 inches (75 mm) |
| Greater than 120 inches (3050 mm) | 21 feet (6400 mm) and greater | 3 inches (75 mm), plus 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) per foot (305 mm) of viewing distance above 21 feet (6400 mm) |
703.5.6 Height from Finish Floor or Ground.
Visual characters shall be 40 inches (1015 mm) minimum above the finish floor or ground.
EXCEPTION: Visual characters indicating elevator car controls shall not be required to comply with 703.5.6.
703.5.7 Stroke Thickness.
Stroke thickness of the uppercase letter “I” shall be 10 percent minimum and 30 percent maximum of the height of the character. [S.H. 4.30.2]
703.5.8 Character Spacing.
Character spacing shall be measured between the two closest points of adjacent characters, excluding word spaces. Spacing between individual characters shall be 10 percent minimum and 35 percent maximum of character height. [S.H. 4.30.2]
703.5.9 Line Spacing.
Spacing between the baselines of separate lines of characters within a message shall be 135 percent minimum and 170 percent maximum of the character height. [S.H. 4.30.2]
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