What is an ADA Sign?
Almost every sign that would be considered an “architectural” sign must comply with one or another of the ADA Guidelines. In other words, if a sign identifies a permanent room or space of a facility, including exits, directs or informs about functional spaces of the facility, or identifies, directs to, or informs about accessible features of the facility, it must comply. (Signs for advertising and marketing purposes, temporary signs, company logos and company names are examples of signs or sections of signs that do not have to comply.)
ADA Suite Sign
As a business owner, do you know what the current laws are for Title 24 ADA Compliance? If not, it’s possible you are opening yourself up for possible lawsuits or citations from the city your business operates in. North Coast Signs is up to date with all the current compliance regulations for ADA requirements and we can help you make sure that your business signage is all up to date. Here are some of the newest requirements in the State of California:
Restroom Signs
ADA Restroom Sign
At a national level, the ADA only requires one sign to identify every public restroom. Under California law, however, two signs are required for every public restroom—a law that predates the 1990 ADA. The California-mandated signs feature two geometric tactile symbols without braille, text, or pictograms—blank signs that California residents learned to identify by sight and feel. These remained in use after the ADA was adopted in 1990, with the state choosing to add the new ADA-standard signage rather than replacing its existing signage requirements.
Handicap Signs
Any disabled person who encounters a building condition that does not meet the accessibility requirements of the ADA or the California Building Code (CBC) is entitled to file a lawsuit and receive a minimum of $4,000 in statutory damages plus attorney’s fees. While the ADA laws were enacted to protect the rights of the disabled, they have also led to an expensive flood of ADA lawsuits by individuals intent on taking advantage of the system.
Building Signs
ADA is not just about having braille or handicap icons on your signage. There are rules about what height you hang your signs, what location you can hang them, what character size your fonts are at, what colors you choose, even what materials are allowed to fabricate them.
ADA Compliant Building Signs are allowed. As you can see, it could become very complicated if you aren’t up with the laws like we are.
Knowing the current laws and regulations are part of our job as a sign company. We can help make sure your ADA signs are up to code. We can come by and do a site survey to make sure that all your signage meets current ADA requirements, and if they don’t, we can help you update them so they do. We can use our creativity to make sure that any new signage blends with your branding while still meeting code regulations.
ADA Tactile Signage
If you would like us to come by for a site survey, contact us online or give us a call at 760-536-5454. We’re a full service sign shop which means we handle everything from the site survey, design, permits, fabricating and installation. We’re looking forward to hearing from you and helping make sure your business is ADA Compliant!
ADA Handicap Signage