Technical Memorandum TM 2013-20 Valet Parking

TM 2013-20

Valet Parking

Effective Date: October 3, 2010

2012 TAS Reference: 208 and 209.4 

The 1994 TAS (and 1991 ADAAG) required valet parking facilities to provide a passenger loading zone but exempted the facilities from providing accessible passenger and van parking spaces. They were also exempted from complying with the increased parking space percentages for outpatient and rehabilitation facilities.

All of these exemptions were removed from the 2012 TAS (and 2010 ADA); therefore, in addition to the passenger loading zone requirements of TAS 209.4 and 503, valet parking facilities must also comply with TAS 208 and TAS 502.

The following excerpt from the “Guidance on the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design” issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (www.ada.gov) addresses the reason for the elimination of the exemptions:

The provision was eliminated because valet parkers may not have the skills necessary to drive a vehicle that is equipped to be accessible, including use of hand controls, or when a seat is not present to accommodate a driver using a wheelchair.

This clarification does not constitute a substantive change to the compliance requirements of TAS 208 or 209.4.