Frequently Asked Questions

Signs identifying permanent rooms and spaces, such as room numbers and restroom labels, generally need tactile information when provided. Directional and informational signs usually follow visual requirements. Requirements depend on the sign's purpose, so Braille is not required on every sign.

Check the lettering, Braille, contrast, finish, placement, and installation together. Tactile signs use raised characters and contracted Grade 2 Braille; visual characters need a non-glare finish and light-on-dark or dark-on-light contrast. A required room-identification pictogram has its own field and tactile description. Correct mounting height alone does not establish compliance.

Use the applicable sign schedule and project requirements when selecting products.

Yes. Sign Optima offers custom signage. Send your wording, quantities, dimensions, colors, and artwork so we can discuss a suitable layout. Branding choices still need to allow the required tactile content, contrast, and spacing.

Ask about a custom sign project.

For common tactile identification signs, federal ADA §703.4.1 measures from the finished floor to the character baselines: at least 48 inches to the lowest tactile character and no more than 60 inches to the highest. Do not measure to the panel's center or edges.

California measures the lower limit to the lowest Braille baseline (48 inches minimum) and the upper limit to the highest raised-text baseline (60 inches maximum).

Read the ADA Sign Mounting Height guide and measurement examples.

At a single door, the usual location is the latch-side wall. At double doors, use the inactive leaf if only one leaf operates, or the wall to the right of the right-hand door if both operate. If the specified side has no wall space, use the nearest adjacent wall.

See the door-placement guidance.

Provide a minimum 18-by-18-inch reading space, centered on the tactile characters, outside the door's swing from closed through 45 degrees. Keep that space clear of protrusions up to 80 inches high. Door maneuvering clearances are a separate requirement.

There is no universal distance from the door frame that replaces these checks.

Check the door arrangement first. The federal exception permits push-side mounting on a door with a closer and no hold-open device. California restricts this exception to alterations where the specified sign locations are obstructed or unavailable. A geometric restroom door symbol has separate rules.

Review the mounting guide and confirm the permitted location on your project's plans.

Match the wording and location to the sign schedule. Dry-fit the sign, mark the actual text and Braille baselines, and check the door swing and reading area. Follow the supplied mounting instructions for the surface and fasteners or adhesive. Recheck the finished installation before moving to the next sign.

The geometric entrance symbol and tactile room-identification sign serve different purposes. Where both are required, the geometric symbol alone does not replace the tactile sign.

Read California Restroom Sign Requirements for sign sets, dimensions, and placement.

California uses a triangle for men's facilities, a circle for women's, and a combined circle-and-triangle for unisex facilities. Mount the symbol's centerline 58–60 inches above the finished floor and, on a door, within 1 inch of its vertical centerline.

See the restroom guide for size, thickness, and contrast requirements.

California Health and Safety Code §118600 requires all-gender identification for covered single-user toilet facilities in businesses, public accommodations, and state or local government agencies. The definition includes a user-controlled lock and no more than one toilet and one urinal. Construction jobsites are excepted.

Match the sign set to the facility. Learn more about California all-gender restroom signs.

Do not assume so. Under the 2025 California Building Code, all-gender multi-user facilities require the combined geometric symbol plus identification stating “ALL-GENDER MULTI-USER.” Match the wording to the facility and approved plans.

Under federal ADA §502.6, required space-identification signs display the International Symbol of Accessibility. Van spaces also need the designation “van accessible.” State and local rules may add colors, dimensions, fine notices, or other wording.

Read Accessible Parking Sign Requirements for federal and California details.

The federal minimum is 60 inches above the ground to the bottom of the sign. This is a bottom-edge measurement, unlike tactile wall-sign baselines. California requires 80 inches minimum where the sign is in a circulation path.

See parking sign height and placement examples.

No, where a posted identification sign is required. Pavement markings do not replace that sign. The federal standards have limited identification-sign exceptions, including sites with four or fewer total parking spaces and certain assigned residential spaces; state requirements can differ. Check the requirements for your site.

Review the parking guide before selecting signs and markings.

The federal ADA designation identifies the space's van-accessible features; it does not itself restrict use to vans. Eligibility and enforcement are governed by applicable parking laws. Keep the access aisle clear and follow posted restrictions.

Email sales@signoptima.com with your sign schedule or list, quantities, wording, dimensions, material or finish preferences, and artwork. Include relevant plans or site photos and your requested delivery date so we can review the scope.

You can also contact Sign Optima through our contact page.

Sign Optima provides a draft for customer approval before custom-order production. Check spelling, room numbers, layout, dimensions, and the specified sign type carefully. Resolve changes before approving the draft.

Pricing depends on material, dimensions, design, and quantity. Check the current product price for standard options, or request a quote for custom signs and larger sign schedules. Share your specifications so the quote reflects the signs you actually need.

Timing varies by product, customization, order volume, and destination. Production or processing time is separate from carrier transit time. Check our Shipping & Returns policy for current estimates, and contact us before ordering if you have a firm installation deadline. Tracking information is emailed when the order is ready to ship.

Most eligible items can be returned within 30 days of delivery. Custom or personalized signs are not returnable or exchangeable under our policy. A 20% restocking fee and return-shipping charges may apply; defect or order-error exceptions are described in the policy.

Read the full Shipping & Returns policy and contact info@signoptima.com before returning an item.