ADA Requirements for Ramps: Slope, Width, Landings and Handrails

ADA requirements for ramps come down to a few key numbers: a maximum running slope of 1:12, a clear width of at least 36 inches, a maximum rise of 30 inches per run, and a level landing at least 60 inches long at the top and bottom of every run. Ramps that rise more than 6 inches also need handrails on both sides.

This guide explains each requirement in the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, mostly found in section 405 (ramps) and section 505 (handrails), which you can read in the U.S. Access Board’s guide to the ADA Standards. It also covers curb ramps, wet conditions and the rules for existing buildings.

This is general information, not legal or design advice. Local building codes can be stricter, so confirm details with your code official.

What Counts as a Ramp Under the ADA

The ADA defines a ramp as a walking surface with a running slope steeper than 1:20 (5 percent). Anything flatter is a walking surface, not a ramp, and does not need ramp features like handrails and landings.

Ramps are part of an accessible route, the continuous path people take from parking, sidewalks and transit stops into and through a building. They serve wheelchair users and people who use walkers, canes or crutches. Parents with strollers, delivery drivers and older adults benefit too.

Quick Reference: ADA Ramp Requirements

Maximum Slope and Cross Slope

Running Slope

The running slope is the slope in the direction of travel. For new construction, it can be no steeper than 1:12 (405.2): for every inch of rise, the ramp needs at least 12 inches of length. Gentler slopes are easier for everyone, so use a flatter slope where space allows.

Steeper Slopes in Existing Buildings

When space is limited in an existing building or site, the Standards allow steeper slopes for very short rises only (Table 405.2):

• 1:10 to 1:12 for a maximum rise of 6 inches
• 1:8 to 1:10 for a maximum rise of 3 inches

These exceptions are meant for things like a single step at an old storefront. They are not available for new construction.

Cross Slope

The cross slope is the side-to-side tilt. It can be no steeper than 1:48 (405.3). A steeper cross slope pushes wheelchairs toward one edge and makes them harder to steer.

How Long Does an ADA Ramp Need to Be?

Multiply the total rise in inches by 12 to find the minimum ramp length at a 1:12 slope. Because a single run can rise no more than 30 inches, higher rises need more than one run, with level landings between them.

Landings add to the total length. Each intermediate landing is at least 60 inches long, and top and bottom landings are needed as well. For large rises, a lift or elevator may take less space than a long ramp.

How Wide Must an ADA Ramp Be?

The clear width of a ramp run must be at least 36 inches (405.5). When handrails are installed, the 36 inches is measured between the handrails, so plan the structure wider than 36 inches.

The ADA minimum is often not enough in practice:

• Two-way traffic: hospitals, schools and shopping centers benefit from wider ramps so people can pass each other.
• Local codes: some building codes require wider ramps, commonly 44 inches or more on egress routes.
• Turns: a ramp that changes direction needs a larger landing at the turn, described below.

Rise and Landings

Maximum Rise per Run

No single ramp run can rise more than 30 inches (405.6). There is no limit on the total height a ramp system can climb, as long as each run stays within 30 inches and has a landing at each end.

Landing Requirements

Landings give people a flat place to rest, turn and open doors (405.7):

• Location: at the top and bottom of every ramp run.
• Slope: level, with a slope no steeper than 1:48 in any direction. Changes in level are not allowed on landings.
• Width: at least as wide as the widest ramp run leading to it.
• Length: at least 60 inches clear.
• Change in direction: where a ramp turns, the landing must be at least 60 by 60 inches.
• Doorways: where a door is next to a landing, the landing must also provide the maneuvering clearance required at that door (404.2.4). A door that swings onto a landing usually means the landing has to be larger.

Surfaces and Wet Conditions

Surface Requirements

Ramp runs and landings must be firm, stable and slip resistant (302). Changes in level other than the running slope and cross slope are not allowed on ramp runs (405.4). A lip, seam or raised joint that would be tolerable on a sidewalk is not permitted on the ramp itself.

Outdoor Ramps and Wet Conditions

Outdoor ramps and landings must be designed so water does not accumulate on their surfaces (405.10). In practice that means:

• Build in drainage so water runs off rather than pooling on landings.
• Choose a surface that stays slip resistant when wet, such as broom-finished concrete.
• Add a roof or canopy where ice and snow are common.

Maintenance counts too. The ADA requires businesses to keep accessible features in working order (28 CFR 36.211). Clear snow, ice, leaves and debris promptly, and repair cracks before they become trip hazards.

Edge Protection

Edge protection keeps wheels, crutch tips and feet from slipping off the side of a ramp. It is required on each side of ramp runs and landings (405.9), with a few exceptions, such as curb ramps and landings that adjoin a wall. You can meet it in one of two ways:

• Extended surface: the ramp or landing surface extends at least 12 inches beyond the inside face of the handrail (405.9.1).
• Curb or barrier: a curb or barrier that prevents a 4-inch sphere from passing through where any part of the sphere is within 4 inches of the ramp surface (405.9.2). A curb, a low rail or a solid guard can all work.

Older guidance called for a 2-inch curb. The 2010 Standards use the 4-inch sphere test instead.

Handrail Requirements

Handrails are required on both sides of any ramp run with a rise greater than 6 inches (405.8). They must meet section 505:

• Height: 34 to 38 inches above the ramp surface, measured to the top of the gripping surface (505.4). The height must be consistent along the run.
• Continuity: continuous along the full length of each run. On switchback ramps, the inside handrail must be continuous between runs (505.3).
• Extensions: extend horizontally at least 12 inches beyond the top and bottom of each ramp run, then return to a wall, guard or the ground (505.10.1). Returns prevent sleeves and bags from catching on a loose end.
• Gripping surface: round rails 1-1/4 to 2 inches in outside diameter. Non-round rails need a perimeter of 4 to 6-1/4 inches and a cross-section no larger than 2-1/4 inches (505.7).
• Clearance: at least 1-1/2 inches between the handrail and a wall or other surface (505.5).
• Unobstructed grip: the top and sides of the gripping surface must be continuous. Brackets underneath may cover no more than 20 percent of the length (505.6).
• Surfaces: smooth, with no sharp or abrasive elements, and edges rounded (505.8). Handrails must not rotate in their fittings (505.9).

Building codes, not the ADA Standards, set the structural load that handrails must carry. Follow your local code for strength and attachment.

Curb Ramps

Curb ramps connect a sidewalk to a street or parking area. They follow section 406 of the 2010 Standards:

• Running slope of 1:12 maximum, and cross slope of 1:48 maximum.
• Clear width of at least 36 inches, not counting flared sides.
• Flared sides no steeper than 1:10 where people may walk across them.
• Counter slopes of adjoining gutters and road surfaces no steeper than 1:20.
• A landing at least 36 inches long at the top of the curb ramp.

Curb ramps in public streets are also governed by the Access Board’s public right-of-way guidelines and state transportation standards. These include detectable warnings, the truncated dome surfaces that alert people who are blind to the edge of the street.

Altering and Adding Ramps in Existing Buildings

• Alterations: when you alter an existing building, the altered elements must meet the Standards for new construction. Where full compliance is technically infeasible, such as when a structural wall prevents a longer ramp, you must comply to the maximum extent feasible.
• Steeper short ramps: the 1:10 and 1:8 slopes described above are available for short rises in existing sites where space is limited.
• Path of travel: when you alter a primary function area of a public accommodation, you must also make the path of travel to it accessible. That includes entrances and ramps, up to a cost of 20 percent of the alteration.
• Barrier removal: existing public accommodations must remove barriers at entrances when readily achievable. Adding a ramp at a stepped entrance is one of the most common examples.

Small businesses may be able to offset costs with the federal Disabled Access Credit (IRS Form 8826) and the barrier removal deduction under Section 190 of the tax code.

Printable ADA Ramp Checklist

1. Is the running slope 1:12 or gentler (or within the existing-building exceptions for rises of 6 inches or less)?
2. Is the cross slope 1:48 or less?
3. Is the clear width at least 36 inches between handrails?
4. Does each run rise 30 inches or less?
5. Is there a level landing at least 60 inches long at the top and bottom of every run, and 60 by 60 inches at every turn?
6. Do landings next to doors include the door’s maneuvering clearance?
7. Are there handrails on both sides of runs rising more than 6 inches, 34 to 38 inches high, continuous and extending 12 inches at each end?
8. Is there edge protection on both sides of runs and landings?
9. Is the surface firm, stable and slip resistant, with no changes in level on the ramp run?
10. Does water drain away, and is there a plan for snow, ice and debris?

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Conclusion

A compliant ramp is a matter of getting the numbers right: 1:12 slope, 36-inch width, 30-inch maximum rise per run, 60-inch landings, and continuous handrails with 12-inch extensions. Measure existing ramps against the checklist above. Fix the easy items like handrail extensions, edge protection and drainage first, and plan bigger changes into your next renovation.

Your website is the front door many customers use before they ever reach your ramp, and the ADA applies there too. Check your website with our free ADA compliance checker or read our ADA website compliance guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum slope for an ADA ramp?

1:12, which means 1 inch of rise for every 12 inches of ramp length (about 8.33 percent). Steeper slopes of 1:10 or 1:8 are allowed only for very short rises in existing buildings where space is limited.

When does an ADA ramp need handrails?

Any ramp run with a rise greater than 6 inches needs handrails on both sides (405.8). Curb ramps and aisle ramps in assembly seating areas are exceptions.

How long does a ramp need to be?

Multiply the rise in inches by 12 to get the minimum ramp length at a 1:12 slope. A 24-inch rise needs at least 288 inches (24 feet) of ramp. Any rise over 30 inches must be split into runs with level landings between them.

Do concrete ramps have different ADA requirements?

No. Concrete ramps follow the same rules as any other ramp: 1:12 maximum running slope, 1:48 maximum cross slope, 36-inch clear width, level landings, handrails when the rise exceeds 6 inches, edge protection and a firm, stable, slip-resistant surface. A broom finish is a common way to make concrete slip resistant.

Do small businesses need an ADA ramp?

If a business is open to the public and its entrance has steps, it must remove that barrier when doing so is readily achievable. A permanent ramp is the usual solution. Businesses of every size are covered, and tax incentives can offset the cost.

Are portable ramps ADA compliant?

Portable ramps can be an acceptable temporary barrier removal measure in existing buildings when a permanent ramp is not readily achievable, but they should meet the ramp requirements as closely as possible and be available whenever the business is open. New construction needs a permanent accessible route.

Should my website mention my accessible entrance?

Yes. Describing step-free entrances, ramps and parking helps visitors plan their trip. Your website itself should also be accessible. Run a free scan to check it.