How many accessible stalls you need
Requirements scale with total spaces: roughly one accessible stall for every 25 spaces in the first 100, then a reduced ratio above that. At least one in every six accessible stalls must be van-accessible.
Massachusetts Architectural Access Board rules apply alongside federal ADA standards, and the stricter requirement wins.
Stall and access aisle dimensions
A standard accessible stall is 8 feet wide with a 5-foot access aisle. A van-accessible stall is 8 feet wide with an 8-foot aisle, or 11 feet wide with a 5-foot aisle. Aisles must be marked so nobody parks in them — diagonal hatching is the norm.
Signage and placement
Each accessible stall needs its own reserved-parking sign mounted high enough to remain visible with a car parked in the space, and van stalls need van-accessible designation. Stalls must sit on the shortest accessible route to the entrance, on a surface with minimal slope.
Common violations we get called to fix
Nearly every failed inspection we correct involves one of these:
- Missing or too-few van-accessible stalls
- Access aisle too narrow or unmarked
- Faded or missing accessibility symbol
- Sign missing, too low, or knocked down by a plow
- Accessible stall placed far from the entrance
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