ADA Parking Requirements: A Plain-English Guide

ADA-compliant parking isn't optional — it's federal law, and it applies to virtually every business and public-facing property. The good news: the rules are clear, and getting compliant is usually a one-day striping job. Here's what Washington property owners need to know.

How Many Accessible Spaces Do You Need?

The ADA sets minimums based on your total stall count:

• 1-25 total spaces → at least 1 accessible space
• 26-50 total → at least 2
• 51-75 total → at least 3
• 76-100 total → at least 4
• 101-150 total → at least 5
• 151-200 total → at least 6 (and the scale continues upward)

At least one of every six accessible spaces must be van-accessible — wider, with an adjacent access aisle for wheelchair lifts.

What Makes A Space Compliant

• Location: on the shortest accessible route to the building entrance
• Access aisle: a striped (hatched) no-parking zone next to the stall, wide enough for the space type
• Surface markings: the International Symbol of Accessibility painted in the stall
• Signage: a vertical sign at each space (van-accessible spaces need the additional designation)
• Slope: the space and aisle must be reasonably level

Common Violations We Fix

The issues we see most in Puget Sound lots: faded symbols nobody can see, missing van-accessible stalls, access aisles that cars park in because the hatching wore off, and accessible stalls placed far from the entrance. All of these are fixable in a single striping visit.

This guide is general information, not legal advice — requirements can vary with building codes and local rules. When we stripe your lot, we lay out accessible parking to current ADA standards.