The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that everyone have equal access to public spaces in California and throughout the country. Therefore, you must be granted reasonable access to public restrooms, and in some cases, this may mean that a property owner may have to create a restroom designed for use by people who have disabilities or modify an existing restroom if the owner of the business is either required to have a restroom for its customers or the owner offers restroom facilities to its customers.
How to create a restroom that complies with ADA requirements
The specific requirement of a restroom are too numerous to set forth here and in some cases, a less strict requirement is used for older buildings where the modification is deemed not readily achievable. The determination of what is and is not readily achievable is a legal issue, so an ADA attorney will need to be consulted. Here are some examples of some items to be addressed in a business’s restrooms that are available to its customers: The height of the toilet, how close it is to walls, the size of the restroom, the number and position of grab bars, the height of any mirrors, the height of the counter, the wrapping of pipes under the sink, the width of the doorway, and similar issues that would make it difficult for some people with disabilities to access or use the restroom.
Don’t forget to create pathways to the toilet room
You must ensure that there is a clear and accessible path to any restroom designed for use by disabled individuals.