New Construction
New construction and alterations must be readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. Here are the compliance dates and the applicable ADA Standards.
| Compliance Date for New Construction or Alterations | Applicable Standards |
|---|---|
| Before September 15, 2010 | 1991 ADA Standards for Accessible Design or Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards |
| On or after September 15, 2010, and before March 15, 2012 | 1991 ADA Standards, Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards, or 2010 ADA Standards |
| On or after March 15, 2012 | 2010 ADA Standards |
All areas of newly designed and newly constructed buildings and facilities and altered portions of existing buildings and facilities must comply with the requirements even if the use type is not listed in the Standards.
Examples
-
There is no section in the ADA Standards called “Science Lab,” however a science lab in a school must be accessible. Designers should use the Chapter 3 building blocks that address reach ranges, knee and toe clearance, clear floor space, protruding objects and operable parts when designing the space.
All areas must comply unless specifically exempted in the Standards or where scoping limits the number of multiple elements required to be accessible.
Examples
-
Single occupant structures accessed only by passageways below grade or elevated above standard curb height, such as toll booths that are accessed only by underground tunnels, are not required to comply with the requirements or to be on an accessible route.
-
If single user toilet rooms of the same type are clustered, only 50% of the rooms are required to be accessible.
-
In buildings and facilities 60% of entrances need to be accessible. If there are three or more entrances, an inaccessible entrance is permitted.
User Comments/Questions
Add Comment/Question