ADA Requirements Overview: By ADA standards, the clear width of a door opening must be a minimum of 32 inches. This clear width measurement is taken between the face of the door and the stop of the frame with the door open to 90 degrees (Figure A).
To assure passage of people using wheelchairs, or crutches, the opening must be at least 32 inches wide. If it is not readily achievable to provide a minimum 32 inch wide opening, then the opening should be as wide as possible.
Lever Handles: ADA guidelines specify that door handles should be operable with a single hand and without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting. The height range for operable parts is typically between 34 inches (865 mm) and 48 inches (1220 mm) above floor level.
What Are ADA Requirements for Doors? An ADA-compliant commercial door should create at least 32 inches of space when opened all the way. Most commercial businesses use 36-inch exterior doors which leaves plenty of room for a 32 inches of doorway clearance.
Thresholds, if provided at a doorway, must not exceed 3/4 inch in height for exterior sliding doors or 1/2 inch for other types of doors. Changes in level up to 1/4 inch can be vertical and do not need an edge treatment. Changes in level between 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch must have a beveled slope equaling 1:2.
The height of thresholds can vary anywhere from 1/4″ tall to 1″ or more. ADA requirements may restrict the height of the threshold to 1/2″ tall and a gradual incline no greater than 1/4″ in vertical rise. Thresholds can be supplied in widths from as small as 2″ wide up to 10″ or more.
Different Door Types Covered Under the ADA
That said, the hardware and direction (handles, latches and which way the door opens) can get a bit confusing. In general, the requirements are a minimum of 32” in width and a maximum of 48” and the door must open to 90 degrees.
The minimum clear opening disabled door width for DDA compliance is typically around 850mm to 900mm. This ensures there's ample space for smooth passage without any obstructions, making it easier for people with disabilities to move in and out comfortably.
Ensure your door has a minimum clear opening width of 32 inches. If your door opening has a pair of doors, at least one leaf must provide a clear opening of 32 inches.
The minimum width of each door opening shall be sufficient for the occupant load thereof and shall provide a clear width of not less than 32 inches (813 mm).
The most crucial elements for ADA compliance are: The opening force required to operate a door, which must not exceed 5 pounds. The operation of the door must be possible with one hand & must not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. The handles must be located 34″ to 48″ above the ground.
A door requires a minimum of 32” with a maximum of 48” which would accommodate most wheelchairs. (Hallways require 36”). The height of a door should be 80”. Hardware, such as handles and locks should not be higher than 48” from the floor.
Awareness: The most important first step for ADA and State code compliance is awareness that compliance requirements exist. These include demands like 10” clearance on the push side of door, 32” clearance when doors open, 5 lbs push or pull force, distraction markers at 30” and 60” AFF (NY Labor Law).
ADA Standards require a door to have a clear width of at least 32 inches and a maximum of 48 inches. Doorways should be clear from all debris.
Operational Mechanism: ADA standards dictate that door hardware should be operable with one hand and should not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. Lever handles, push-type mechanisms, and U-shaped handles are typical examples of ADA-compliant hardware.
ADA bathroom doors shouldn't swing out except if there's an exclusive reason why it should- and if it does then it doesn't make such doors ADA-compliant. So when building a new house or building, considerations should be made for an in-swing door.
By ADA standards, the clear width of a door opening must be a minimum of 32 inches. This clear width measurement is taken between the face of the door and the stop of the frame with the door open to 90 degrees (Figure A). In pairs, at least one of the active leaves must comply with this clear width requirement.
Door Hardware may require that a door swing to only 85° to prevent exterior trim from hitting a wall. Similarly, hardware on the push side of the door may require that the door swing further than 90° to clear the opening of protruding hardware.
Standard widths include 18, 20, 24, 28, 30, 32 and 36 inches. Standard heights include 80, 84 and 96 inches. Customized sizes are available in a wide range of different designs. To measure a prehung door, remove the interior casing and measure the opening.
Door openings shall provide a clear width of 32 inches minimum. Clear openings of doorways with swinging doors shall be measured between the face of the door and the stop, with the door open 90 degrees. Openings more than 24 inches deep shall provide a clear opening of 36 inches minimum.
Doorways need to be wide enough to ensure ample space for a wheelchair to maneuver through openings. The width of a wheelchair typically ranges between 25 to 36 inches. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires doorways to have a minimum of 32 inches of width with the door open.
Required door clearances provide unobstructed space for maneuvering through doorways. Maneuvering clearances must be free of protrusions the full height (80″ minimum) and changes in level (other than thresholds).
With wheelchairs coming in a range of styles and sizes, the minimum width that a doorway should be in order to be wheelchair accessible is 775mm (30.5 inches), although widths between 900–1000mm (35–39 inches) are more ideal as they are easier for individuals in wheelchairs to pass through.
Accessible doors should provide at least 32 inches of clear width. Clear width is measured between the face of the door itself and the opposite stop.
A standard 34-inch-wide (864 mm) door has less than a 32-inch (813 mm) clear opening depending on the thickness of the opposing doorstop, the door thickness and the type of hinge. The building designer must verify that the swinging door specified will in fact provide the required clear width.