Guide
ADA ramp permits: what to check before you build
Two systems govern a ramp in the United States, and they are not the same system. The ADA Standards say what an accessible ramp must be. A state, county or local building department decides whether you may build it, reviews the drawings and inspects the work. This guide separates the two and lists what plan reviewers and inspectors actually look for.
General information, not legal advice or a permit determination. Permit triggers, fees and review procedures vary by jurisdiction; confirm them with your local building department before you file.
Two systems, one ramp
The ADA is a civil rights law. Title II covers state and local government facilities; Title III covers public accommodations and commercial facilities. The 2010 ADA Standards set minimum scoping and technical requirements for newly designed, newly constructed and altered facilities, and they are enforced through the Department of Justice, complaints and litigation.
A building permit is an administrative act by a local government. It confirms that a proposed project may proceed under the adopted building code, and it creates inspection points. The two systems overlap because local codes usually incorporate accessibility provisions, and because the ADA compliance date for a project is often measured from the permit application. They are still separate obligations, and passing one does not prove the other.
Who issues the permit
Your state, county, city or town building department, often called the authority having jurisdiction. ADA.gov’s own text refers to a permit application certified complete, or received, by a state, county or local government, which is a plain illustration of where the function sits. There is no federal ramp permit and no ADA permit stamp.
Two practical consequences follow. First, the answer to “do I need a permit for this?” comes from that office, not from a national rule. Second, the drawings you submit are a record: if the ramp is later questioned, the approved plan set and the inspection history are the clearest evidence of what was built and when.
When a permit is typically required
Permit triggers are set locally, so treat this as a list of questions rather than a rule:
- New construction. A new ramp as part of a new building or site improvement almost always needs a permit.
- Alteration. Rebuilding a landing, changing a slope, replacing handrails or cutting a curb is usually permit work, because it affects structure or egress.
- Change of use. Converting a space often triggers accessibility upgrades, and the permit review is where that is tested.
- Decks and raised platforms. A ramp serving a deck or entrance is commonly reviewed with the building permit for that structure.
- Right-of-way work. A curb ramp on a public street or sidewalk usually runs through a separate right-of-way permit process.
- Temporary event access. Temporary ramps for an event are often handled outside the building permit system, but may need an event or encroachment approval.
The honest answer for a specific address is a phone call. Ask two questions: does this scope require a permit, and does the department want accessibility calculations on the drawings?
The permit date can decide the standard
For Title III facilities, ADA.gov sets the compliance date for new construction and alterations by reference to the permit process. The relevant date is the date the last application for a building permit or permit extension is certified complete by a state, county or local government; where the government does not certify completion, the date the application is received; or, if no permit is required, the start of physical construction or alteration.
If that date falls on or after 15 March 2012, the 2010 Standards apply. Between 15 September 2010 and 15 March 2012, either the 1991 Standards or the 2010 Standards could be used. That is why a project’s permit file matters years later: it fixes which edition of the standard governs the work.
What the drawings must show
The Access Board’s guide to the ADA Standards is the clearest list of what a reviewer will check. Put these on the plan, not in a note:
| Element | ADA requirement |
|---|---|
| Running slope | 1:12 maximum; alterations where space is limited may use 1:10 for a 6 inch rise or 1:8 for a 3 inch rise |
| Cross slope | 1:48 maximum |
| Rise per run | 30 inches maximum, with no limit on the number of runs |
| Clear width | 36 inches minimum, measured between handrails where provided |
| Landings | Level, at top and bottom of each run; 60 inches minimum by 60 inches where the ramp changes direction |
| Handrails | Both sides where the rise exceeds 6 inches; 34 to 38 inches high; 12 inch extensions at top and bottom |
| Edge protection | Curb at least 4 inches high, or a barrier preventing passage of a 4 inch sphere, or a surface extending 12 inches beyond the handrails |
| Surface | Firm, stable and slip-resistant; landings designed to prevent water accumulation |
Slope is usually the item that fails first, because a design that fits the site at 1:10 is not the same as a compliant 1:12 ramp. Run the numbers before you draw: theADA ramp calculator gives the required length, landings and a printable spec sheet, and theADA ramp requirements page collects the underlying rules with citations.
Permanent versus portable
The Access Board is direct: all required ramps and curb ramps must be permanent and installed at the time of construction or alteration, with few exceptions. Ramps can be added after construction only to provide access to raised work stations in courtrooms, and only where space was designed for them. Only ramps serving temporary structures may be temporary or portable.
If your plan relies on a portable ramp for a required accessible route, expect the plan reviewer or a later complaint to treat that as a missing ramp rather than a temporary solution.
Why ramp plans get rejected
- Running slope above 1:12 on part of a run, often at the transition to a landing.
- Cross slope created by a landing that drains toward the ramp.
- Landing too short, or reduced by a door swing or handrail obstruction.
- Handrails missing on one side, too high, or without the required extensions.
- No edge protection, or a curb lower than 4 inches.
- Clear width measured to the outside of the handrails instead of between them.
- Ramp shown as portable when the route is required to be permanent.
Pre-filing checklist
- Confirm with the building department whether the scope needs a permit.
- Confirm which code edition and which accessibility standard the department will review against.
- Calculate the required ramp length from the actual rise; do not fit the slope to the available space.
- Dimension slope, cross slope, rise per run, clear width, landings, handrails and edge protection on the drawings.
- Show the accessible route to and from the ramp, including door maneuvering clearance.
- Specify the surface and the drainage detail at landings.
- Keep the approved set and inspection record; they are your evidence of what was built.
Sizing the ramp? Use theADA ramp calculator for length and landings, then check the dimension table against thefull ADA ramp requirements before the drawings go out.
Frequently asked questions
Does the ADA issue ramp permits?
No. The ADA is a civil rights law enforced through the Department of Justice and through private complaints and lawsuits. Building permits are issued by state, county or local government. The ADA Standards tell you what to build; the local building department decides whether you may build it and inspects the work.
When is a building permit required for a ramp?
It depends on the local code and the authority having jurisdiction. New construction, structural alteration and a change of use normally require a permit, while a small repair may not. Call the building department before you order materials; the answer is local, and it is not something a website can settle for you.
Which ADA standard applies to my project?
For Title III public accommodations and commercial facilities, the compliance date turns on the date the last building permit application was certified complete or received, or the start of construction where no permit is required. If that date is on or after 15 March 2012, the 2010 Standards apply.
Can I use a portable ramp instead of a permanent one?
Usually not for a required accessible route. The Access Board’s guidance states that required ramps and curb ramps must be permanent and installed at the time of construction or alteration, with narrow exceptions such as raised work stations in courtrooms. Only ramps serving temporary structures may be temporary.
What must the drawings show for a ramp?
Show the running slope and cross slope, the rise of each run, clear width between handrails, landing size and location, handrail height and extensions, edge protection, surface material and drainage. A plan reviewer will look for the same numbers an inspector will measure on site.
Does a permit mean the ramp complies with the ADA?
No. A permit and a passed inspection mean the work matched the approved drawings and the local code. The ADA obligation is separate, and a local code can be more or less demanding on a given point. Keep the drawings and the inspection record as evidence, not as a certificate of ADA compliance.
More general questions are answered on the AccessProof FAQ.
Sources and last checked
Links opened on 24 October 2026. Permit procedures and fees are set locally and were not verified for any jurisdiction on this page.
- U.S. Access Board, Guide to the ADA Standards, Chapter 4: Ramps and Curb Ramps:access-board.gov - checked 24 October 2026.
- ADA.gov, 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (including the Title III compliance date and permit provisions):ada.gov - checked 24 October 2026.
- ADA.gov, Guidance on the 2010 ADA Standards:ada.gov - checked 24 October 2026.