General Information: ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities

Requirements for State and Local Governments

State and local governments must ensure that services, programs and activities, when viewed in their entirety, are accessible to people with disabilities. This is part of public entities’ program accessibility obligations. Alterations to older buildings may be needed to ensure program accessibility. Generally this is a greater obligation than “readily achievable barrier removal” the standard that applies to public accommodations. State and local governments are not required to take any action that would result in undue financial and administrative burdens.

State and local governments’ ADA obligations for program accessibility are in the Department of Justice’s ADA Title II regulations 28 CFR Part 35.150.

Requirements for Places of Public Accommodation

Businesses and non-profit organizations that serve the public must remove architectural barriers when it is “readily achievable” to do so; in other words, when barrier removal is “easily accomplishable and able to be carried out without much difficulty or expense.”

The decision of what is readily achievable is made considering the size, type, and overall finances of the public accommodation and the nature and cost of the access improvements needed. Barrier removal that is difficult now may be readily achievable in the future as finances change.

Public accommodations’ ADA obligations for barrier removal are in the Department of Justice’s ADA Title III regulations 28 CFR Part 36.304.

Priorities for Accessibility

The ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities follows the four (4) priorities that are listed in the Department of Justice ADA Title III regulations. These priorities are equally applicable to state and local government facilities.

An accessible route from site arrival points and an accessible entrance

Priority 1 - Accessible Approach and Entrance

    • Parking
    • Exterior Accessible Route
    • Curb Ramps
    • Ramps
    • Entrance
Layout of the building allowing people with disabilities to obtain goods and services.

Priority 2 - Access to Goods and Services

    • Interior Accessible Route
    • Ramps
    • Elevators - Full Size and LULA (limited use, limited application)
    • Platform Lifts
    • Signs
    • Interior Doors - to classrooms, medical exam rooms, conference rooms, etc.
    • Rooms and Spaces - stores, supermarkets, libraries, etc.
    • Controls - light switches, security and intercom systems, emergency/alarm boxes, etc.
    • Seating: Assembly Areas - theaters, auditoriums, stadiums, theater style classrooms, etc.
    • Seating: At dining surfaces (restaurants, cafeterias, bars, etc.) and non-employee work surfaces (libraries, conference rooms, etc.)
    • Seating: General - reception areas, waiting rooms, etc.
    • Benches - In locker rooms, dressing rooms, fitting rooms
    • Check-out Aisles - supermarkets, large retail stores, etc.
    • Sales and Service Counters - banks, stores, dry cleaners, auto repair shops, fitness clubs, etc.
Sink with handles.

Priority 3 - Access to Public Toilet Rooms

    • Accessible Route
    • Signs at Toilet Rooms
    • Entrance
    • In the Toilet Room
    • Lavatories
    • Soap Dispensers and Hand Dryers (2010 Standards - 603)
    • Water Cloets in Single-User Toilet Rooms and Compartments (Stalls)
    • Toilet Compartments (Stalls)
Public telephones accessible to people with disabilities.

Priority 4 - Additional Access

    • Drinking Fountains
    • Public Telephones
    • Fire Alarm Systems