ADA restroom checklist: CBC 11B vs ADA
Every accessible restroom dimension in California CBC 11B next to the 2010 ADA Standards, with a field checklist for CASp inspections.
Restrooms produce more CASp findings than any other room, because almost every fixture has its own dimension and a small shift of an inch puts it out of compliance. California's CBC 11B is tighter than the 2010 ADA in several places, so check both and apply the stricter number.
Water closet: CBC 11B-604 vs ADA 604
| Item | CBC 11B (California) | 2010 ADA |
|---|---|---|
| Centerline from side wall | 17 to 18 in · 11B-604.2 (17 to 19 in in ambulatory stalls) | 16 to 18 in · 604.2 |
| Clearance around the toilet | 60 in from the side wall × 56 in from the rear wall · 11B-604.3.1 | 60 × 56 in · 604.3.1 |
| Seat height | 17 to 19 in to top of seat · 11B-604.4 | 17 to 19 in · 604.4 |
| Side grab bar | 42 in long min, 12 in max from rear wall, extends 54 in min from rear wall · 11B-604.5.1 | Same · 604.5.1 |
| Rear grab bar | 36 in long min, 12 in on one side of the centerline and 24 in on the other · 11B-604.5.2 | Same · 604.5.2 |
| Flush control | Open side of the toilet, 44 in max above floor · 11B-604.6 | Open side, within reach range · 604.6 |
| Toilet paper dispenser | 7 to 9 in in front of the bowl to the dispenser centerline, outlet 19 in min and below the grab bar, never behind it · 11B-604.7 | 7 to 9 in in front of the bowl, outlet 15 to 48 in · 604.7 |
Rest of the room
| Item | CBC 11B (California) | 2010 ADA |
|---|---|---|
| Turning space | 60 in circle or T-shaped space inside the room · 11B-603.2.1, 11B-304 | Same · 603.2.1, 304 |
| Door swing | Must not swing into any fixture's clear floor space (exception for single-user rooms with clear space beyond the swing) · 11B-603.2.3 | Same rule · 603.2.3 |
| Mirror | Bottom of the reflecting surface 40 in max above a lavatory, 35 in max elsewhere · 11B-603.3 | Same · 603.3 |
| Accessories (soap, towels, seat covers) | Operable parts 40 in max above floor · 11B-603.5 | Reach range, 48 in max · 308 |
| Lavatory | Rim or counter 34 in max, knee and toe clearance below · 11B-606.3 | Same · 606.3 |
| Urinal | Rim 17 in max above floor, elongated 13½ in deep · 11B-605.2 | Same · 605.2 |
| Door symbol | Geometric symbol on the door: circle (women), triangle (men), triangle on circle (all-gender), 12 in, ¼ in thick, centered 58 to 60 in above floor · 11B-216.8, 11B-703.7.2.6 | Not required |
Field checklist
Getting in
- Door clear width 32 in min, hardware usable with one hand, opening force within limits.
- Geometric symbol on the door and a tactile/braille sign on the wall at the latch side.
Inside
- 60 in turning space, not reduced by the door swing beyond what 11B-603.2.3 allows.
- Toilet centerline measured from the side wall, not from the grab bar.
- Seat height to the top of the seat, not the rim.
- Grab bars: length, distance from rear wall, 33 to 36 in to the top of the gripping surface, and nothing mounted in the 12 in space above them.
- Dispenser position measured to its centerline, outlet height, and not behind the grab bar.
- Flush control on the open (wide) side.
- Lavatory height, insulated or protected pipes below, faucet operable without tight grasping.
- Mirror, soap, towel and seat-cover dispensers at their maximum heights.
Most restroom fixes are cheap: moving a dispenser, lowering a mirror, rotating the flush valve. A centerline or clearance problem usually means moving the toilet, so write the measured value and give it an honest priority. See how to write a CASp report for the finding format.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Codes and statutes change; always check the current edition of the California Building Code, the 2010 ADA Standards and the Civil Code before you rely on a number.
Write the report in the fieldPARS CASp checks your level and tape readings against CBC 11B and the 2010 ADA side by side, keeps photos with each finding, and builds the CASp report for you. iPhone, iPad and Mac.
See PARS CASp →