If your business is open to the public, ADA signage isn't optional — it's federal law. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, any permanent room or space in a commercial or public building must be identified with a sign meeting specific standards for tactile characters, braille, contrast, and mounting height. Getting it wrong can mean costly fines and facility audits. The good news? Compliant signs can look exceptional.

What makes a sign ADA-compliant?

The ADA Standards for Accessible Design (Section 703) lay out precise requirements for any sign identifying a permanent room or space:

Requirement	Standard
Characters	Raised 1/32" min, uppercase sans-serif
Braille	Grade 2 contracted braille below text
Contrast	70% min. light-dark contrast
Finish	Non-glare surface on sign and characters
Mounting height	Centerline at 60" AFF, latch side of door
Clearance	18" x 18" clear floor space at the sign

Which spaces require ADA signs?

Any room or space with a permanent function must be identified — restrooms, conference rooms, offices, stairwells, storage rooms, mechanical spaces, and more. Restrooms carry additional requirements, including the International Symbol of Accessibility for accessible facilities. When in doubt, err on the side of compliance; a sign costs far less than a violation.

Common mistakes — and how to avoid them

The most frequent compliance errors we see are mounting violations (sign placed on the door rather than the wall beside it), incorrect braille (Grade 1 instead of Grade 2), and insufficient contrast. A sign can look great in a design file and still fail if the materials don’t hit the 70% luminance ratio. Professional fabrication eliminates these risks — we handle the braille translation, material spec, and finish selection so you don’t have to navigate the standards yourself.

Brand and compliance aren’t opposites

The ADA standards govern character type, braille, contrast, and mounting — not your logo, color palette, or design language. Client logos integrate naturally into fully compliant sign systems, and many of our most visually striking interior projects have been full ADA sign programs: wayfinding systems, directory signs, and room identification suites that reflect the building’s identity at every turn.

Ready to get your building into compliance?

Whether you’re outfitting a new facility, updating an existing building, or replacing a few non-compliant signs, we can help. We handle design, fabrication, and installation — all under one roof in Colorado Springs. We typically turn quotes around within the hour.

Contact Signarama Colorado Springs South today.

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