The Americans with Disabilities Act sets specific requirements for elevator accessibility. Whether you are a building owner, property manager, or condo association board member, understanding these requirements protects you from liability and ensures your building serves all residents and visitors.
Call Button Requirements
Hall call buttons must meet these specifications:
- Centered at 42 inches above the floor
- Minimum 3/4 inch diameter
- Visual feedback when pressed (illumination)
- Raised or flush buttons - not recessed
- Tactile symbols (raised) for up and down
Elevator Cab Requirements
Interior Dimensions
- Door opening minimum 36 inches wide
- Minimum car dimensions depend on door position per 2010 ADA Table 407.4.1: 68 in. wide × 51 in. deep for side-door cars; 80 in. wide × 51 in. deep for centered doors
- Stretcher accommodation is a separate building-code requirement (24 × 84 in. ambulance stretcher) that generally requires a larger cab
- Existing elevators only: cars providing at least 16 sq ft of clear floor area with minimum 54 in. depth and 36 in. width are permitted to remain
Control Panel Specifications
- Highest button no more than 48 inches from the floor (54 inches is permitted only in limited cases, such as certain existing elevators with a parallel approach)
- Buttons minimum 3/4 inch diameter with raised characters
- Braille adjacent to each button
- Main entry floor marked with raised star symbol
- Emergency controls grouped at bottom of panel
Handrails
- Not an ADA requirement in elevator cabs - handrails are a recommended accessibility feature
- If installed, follow general ADA handrail specifications: gripping surface 34 to 38 inches above the floor
- 1.25 to 2 inches in diameter for circular profiles
- 1.5 inches clearance from wall
Signage Requirements
- Floor designations on both door jambs at 60 inches height
- Characters minimum 2 inches high with Braille below
- High contrast between characters and background
- Non-glare finish on signs
Audio and Visual Signals
- Hall lanterns visible from call button location
- Audible signals: one tone for up, two tones for down
- Verbal annunciation of floors for visually impaired passengers
- Emergency communication must work for hearing impaired (visual confirmation)
Door Operation
- Doors must remain open minimum 3 seconds
- Reopening device must detect objects without requiring contact
- Door sensors should detect objects from 5 to 29 inches from floor
- From hall-signal notification, doors must remain open long enough for a person walking 1.5 ft/s from the call button to reach them (minimum 5 seconds)
Two-Way Communication
- Emergency intercom must not require handset
- Controls within reach of wheelchair user
- Visual signal to confirm call was received (for deaf users)
Common Compliance Issues We Find
During our inspections, we frequently identify:
- Worn Braille that is no longer readable
- Buttons placed too high after cab renovations
- Missing audible floor announcements
- Door sensors that require physical contact to reopen
- Emergency phones that do not work for hearing impaired
