California ADA Requirements

UPDATED: California’s Title 24 is part of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) consisting of 28 sections and released by the Department of the State Architect (DSA). Title 24 covers the California Building Standards Code. Signage regulations are located in multiple areas, but mainly in 1117B.5 Signs and identification. Additional areas of note include but are not limited to 1011.3 for tactile exit signage and 1022.8 for tactile floor identification signs in stairways. The most recent addition of the code was in 2010 and became effective January 1, 2011. Title 24 matches many of the national standards while providing unique requirements. Designers working in California must match Title 24 requirements as long as they are not in conflict with the Standard for Accessible Design (SAD). On July 19, 2012, the DSA released advisories related to code conflicts that will become effective on August 1, 2012. Because Title 24 has had stringent requirements for some time there are very few conflicts. Title 24 is enforced by Certified Access Specialists sanctioned by the state to verify that accessibility standards have been met, particularly in regard to Braille and tactile character standards. Enforcement officials use a document titled Checklist 17 that covers signage criteria that need to be met in buildings, including identification, wayfinding, egress, and areas of refuge.