Accessible Parking Requirements & Stall Dimensions (ADA)

Direct answer

The 2010 ADA Standards set accessible parking with a scoping table and a set of dimensions. Section 208.2 gives the number required against the total spaces in the facility, starting at one accessible space for a lot of 1 to 25 and increasing in steps from there, and Section 208.2.4 requires at least one in every six accessible spaces to be van accessible. Section 502 sets the geometry: car spaces are 96 inches wide minimum and van spaces 132 inches minimum, each served by an access aisle at least 60 inches wide, and two spaces may share one aisle. The aisle must be at the same level as the space it serves, marked so it is not used for parking, and connected to an accessible route to the entrance. Spaces are located on the shortest accessible route to the accessible entrance they serve.

Content and cited inputs reviewed by Harth team · Published 2026-08-14 · Updated 2026-08-14.

What are the key takeaways?

• Accessible spaces (1–25 total): 1 minimum
• Van-accessible ratio: 1 in every 6 accessible
• Car stall + access aisle: 96" (8') + 60" (5')
• Van stall + access aisle: 132" (11') + 60" (5')

Which dimensions and applicability rules control the design?

Accessible parking design answers two things: the number of accessible spaces required for each parking facility (scoping, ADA Section 208), and the dimensions of each space and its access aisle (technical, ADA Section 502). The 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design set the federal minimum; IBC Chapter 11 and state codes such as California's CBC Chapter 11B add their own, sometimes stricter, rules.

How many accessible spaces (ADA Table 208.2)

The count is calculated separately for each parking facility (lot or garage) on a site, not from the site total.

• Van spaces (208.2.4): for every 6 accessible spaces, or fraction of 6, at least 1 must be van accessible. A lot that needs 1 accessible space makes that space a van space.
• Hospital outpatient facilities (208.2.1): 10% of patient and visitor spaces.
• Rehabilitation and outpatient physical therapy facilities (208.2.2): 20% of patient and visitor spaces.
• Residential facilities (208.2.3): resident parking follows its own rules; guest and employee parking uses Table 208.2.
• Rounding (104.2): fractions round up to the next whole space.

Worked example: a 1,250-space garage needs 20 + 3 = 23 accessible spaces (250 over 1,000 is 2 hundreds plus a fraction), and 4 of them must be van accessible (23 ÷ 6 = 3.8, rounded up).

Stall, aisle, slope and clearance dimensions (ADA Section 502)

Two spaces may share one access aisle (502.3). The aisle must adjoin an accessible route and must not overlap the vehicular way; it can go on either side of the space, except that angled van spaces need the aisle on the passenger side (502.3.4). Where four or fewer spaces are provided on a site, the accessible space does not need a sign (216.5 Exception 1), though it still needs the dimensions above.

Parking aisle width: access aisle vs drive aisle

"Parking aisle" can mean two different things:

• ADA access aisle: the striped zone beside an accessible space, 60 inches (5 feet) wide minimum, or 96 inches where the 8-foot van option is used.
• Drive aisle: the lane cars use to pull into stalls. The ADA does not set this width; local zoning or parking codes do. A two-way aisle serving 90-degree stalls is commonly about 24 feet, with narrower one-way aisles for angled parking. Check the local parking ordinance.

Accessible route width and vehicle overhang

The accessible route from the access aisle to the entrance is 36 inches wide minimum (403.5.1), with short 32-inch pinch points allowed for up to 24 inches of length. Parked cars and vans must not overhang into that clear width (502.7). Where the route runs along the head of the stalls, wheel stops or a wider walk keep bumpers out of it. The access aisle must not overlap the vehicular way (502.3.4); where the accessible route has to cross a drive lane, the Access Board advises a marked crossing and avoiding routes that pass behind parked vehicles.

Parking garages

• The 98-inch clearance in 502.5 applies to van spaces, their access aisles and the vehicle route from the entrance to those spaces and back out.
• All van spaces may be grouped on one level of a multistory garage (208.3.1 Exception 1), so only that level and its route need 98 inches.
• Each garage is its own parking facility for the Table 208.2 count, and accessible spaces in a garage go on the shortest accessible route to a pedestrian entrance.

California: CBC Chapter 11B differences

California's Chapter 11B uses the same count table and 1-in-6 van ratio, but its spaces are larger and its markings more specific. The text below is the same in the 2022 and 2025 CBC.

Do the 2010 Standards still apply?

Yes. The 2010 ADA Standards have been mandatory for new construction and alterations since March 15, 2012, and the Department of Justice has not issued a replacement, so a "2022" or "2026" ADA parking requirement is the same 2010 table and dimensions. Building codes such as the IBC (which references ICC A117.1) and the CBC are revised on their own cycles; they apply alongside the ADA and can be stricter, but they do not change the ADA itself.

Location and route

• Place accessible spaces on the shortest accessible route to the accessible entrance served (208.3.1).
• Disperse spaces when parking serves multiple accessible entrances.
• Spaces may sit in a different parking facility only if it gives equal or better access in distance, fee and convenience (208.3.1 Exception 2).

Verify before you rely on it

The scoping table, van ratio and dimensions here are typical minimums from the 2010 ADA Standards and CBC Chapter 11B. State and local codes may be stricter, and drive-aisle widths are set locally. Confirm every figure against the ADA Standards and the AHJ-adopted edition of the building code before final layout.

Accessible Parking Requirements & Stall Dimensions (ADA): applicability and dimension record

Project-use verification: confirm scope and edition before using any dimension. Record exceptions and measure from the reference points defined by the controlling text.

Where can you explore related guidance?

• Explore all design standards guidance
• Minimum Corridor Width & Egress Width (IBC) + Occupant Load
• Minimum Ceiling Height Requirements (IBC & IRC)
• ADA Restroom Dimensions & Clearances (Typical Minimums)
• IBC Stair Code vs. IRC: Riser, Tread, Headroom & Width

Sources and method

Typical minimums from the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (§208 scoping, §502 parking spaces, §403.5.1 accessible route width) and, for California, CBC Chapter 11B (§11B-208 and §11B-502, same text in the 2022 and 2025 editions). The AHJ-adopted code edition and the ADA Standards are authoritative; values shown are typical minimums to verify. Official references: 2010 ADA Standards; 2024 IBC. Values checked against the US Access Board text of the ADA Standards (208.2, 208.2.4, 208.3.1, 216.5, 403.5.1, 502.1–502.7) and CBC Chapter 11B (11B-208, 11B-502).

Source links

• ada.gov

• codes.iccsafe.org

• access-board.gov

• codes.iccsafe.org