State guide
California wheelchair ramp requirements
In California, a ramp on an accessible route has to satisfy two rulebooks: the federal ADA Standards and the California Building Code (CBC) Chapter 11B. Where they differ, California is usually stricter, and it is the state code that the building inspector checks.
This is general information, not legal or design advice. Building codes are adopted and enforced locally and can change; verify your design, edition and permits with your local building department.
Which rules apply in California
The ADA is a federal civil rights law. It applies to state and local government facilities (Title II) and to places of public accommodation and commercial facilities (Title III), and its 2010 Standards §405 defines what a compliant ramp is.
The California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) is the state building code. Chapter 11B is the accessibility chapter, and it adopts the ADA Standards as a baseline with California amendments. California law requires compliance with the stricter of the two, and the CBC is what appears in plan review and inspections. The current edition is the 2025 CBC, effective January 1, 2026; its Chapter 11B ramp rules carry over the same requirements described here from the 2022 edition.
Short version: design to the CBC numbers on this page. Meeting them will normally also satisfy the ADA, but meeting only the ADA may fail a California plan check.
Where CBC Chapter 11B applies
Chapter 11B is titled “Accessibility to Public Buildings, Public Accommodations, Commercial Buildings and Public Housing.” In practice it covers:
- public buildings and facilities owned or operated by public entities;
- places of public accommodation and commercial facilities;
- public housing and certain privately owned facilities that provide housing on behalf of a public entity.
Strictly private single-family homes are not covered by Chapter 11B. The code says so directly in its public housing provisions. Privately funded apartment and condominium buildings are handled by Chapter 11A, which focuses on dwelling units and common areas. If you are building a ramp at a business, a clinic, a school or any facility that serves the public, assume Chapter 11B applies and confirm the details with your local building department.
What matches the ADA
Most of the ramp math in California is the same as the federal rule, so the ramp calculator gives you a valid starting plan:
- running slope not steeper than 1:12 (8.33%), 11B-405.2;
- cross slope not steeper than 1:48, 11B-405.3;
- maximum rise of 30 inches per ramp run, 11B-405.6;
- landing clear length of 60 inches minimum, 11B-405.7.3;
- handrail height 34–38 inches above the surface and 12-inch extensions, 11B-505;
- landings in wet conditions designed to prevent water accumulation, 11B-405.10.
What California changes
These are the verified differences between CBC Chapter 11B and the 2010 ADA Standards for ramps. Every one of them makes the California requirement stricter.
| Requirement | 2010 ADA Standards | CBC Chapter 11B |
|---|---|---|
| Clear width of a ramp run | 36 in minimum | 48 in minimum (36 in between handrails in residential uses serving an occupant load of 50 or less) |
| Existing-sites slope exception | Table 405.2 allows steeper slopes with reduced rise where space limits require it | No exception, 1:12 applies; the exception is Reserved |
| Handrails | Required when a run rises more than 6 in | Required on ramp runs, except curb ramps and short runs at door landings (less than 6 in rise or 72 in long) |
| Edge protection | Extended surface, curb or barrier | Curb or barrier only; must be continuous and uninterrupted along the ramp |
| Bottom landing | 60 in minimum clear length | Must extend 72 in minimum in the direction of the ramp run |
| Landing where the ramp changes direction | 60 × 60 in minimum | 60 × 72 in minimum, with the 72 in measured in the direction of downward travel from the upper run |
| Top landing width | At least as wide as the widest run leading to it | 60 in wide minimum |
| Doors at landings | Maneuvering clearances may overlap the landing | Doors may not reduce the landing width by more than 3 in, and never below 42 in in any position |
Source: DSA Advisory Manual, 2025 California Standards for Accessible Design Guide (effective January 1, 2026), §11B-405. The 2022 edition carried the same ramp rules.
Permits and enforcement
A permanent ramp is normally a structure, so expect a building permit and inspection from your local building department. For state-funded projects and public schools, the Division of the State Architect (DSA) reviews accessibility as part of its own process.
For alterations, California uses an annually updated valuation threshold when deciding how much of the path of travel has to be brought up to current accessibility requirements. If your project is an alteration or addition rather than new construction, check the DSA's current threshold and guidance before you scope the work.
The ADA is enforced separately from the building code, by the U.S. Department of Justice, and through private lawsuits. Passing your local inspection does not by itself settle ADA obligations, and California's civil rights law (the Unruh Civil Rights Act) can add state-level exposure for accessibility barriers at businesses. When in doubt, engage a design professional who works in California.
Using the calculator in California
The ADA ramp calculator computes the federal §405 plan: run length at 1:12, number of runs and landings, handrail requirement and a printable spec sheet. In California, start with that plan and then apply the CBC overlays:
- widen the ramp to a 48-inch clear width (unless the residential exception applies);
- size the bottom landing at 72 inches in the direction of travel;
- if the ramp turns, make the landing 60 × 72 inches;
- plan a continuous curb or barrier for edge protection;
- keep handrails on every run except the narrow exceptions above.
Budgeting the build? The wheelchair ramp cost guide covers per-foot ranges and funding options, and the main requirements guide explains each ADA section in plain English.
Ready to plan? Enter your rise in the ADA wheelchair ramp calculator, then adjust the layout for the California numbers above, or start from the full requirements guide.
Sources: DSA Advisory Manual, 2025 California Standards for Accessible Design Guide, Chapter 11B §405(corada.com; published by DSA); California Department of General Services, DSA Access Compliance Reference Materials; 2010 ADA Standards §405(ada.gov).