Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction – Deep Dive for Permit Compliance 2026

The Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction (FACBC) is Florida's state-adopted accessibility standard for all construction regulated under the Florida Building Code. The FACBC is based on the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design but includes Florida-specific modifications and additions. Understanding the FACBC is essential for every architect, engineer, contractor, and property developer in South Florida because accessibility compliance is reviewed during plan review and inspected during construction — and non-compliant construction must be corrected at full cost to the property owner before a Certificate of Occupancy can be issued.

The Florida Accessibility Code — Foundation Documents

The FACBC is adopted as Chapter 11 of the Florida Building Code 8th Edition (2023). It incorporates by reference the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design published by the U.S. Department of Justice. The FACBC applies to all new construction and alterations of buildings and facilities except for single-family residential dwelling units (which are covered by the Fair Housing Act accessibility requirements described in other blogs).

The FACBC covers accessible routes, parking, entrances, doors and doorways, ramps, stairs, elevators and platform lifts, windows, floor surfaces, protruding objects, reach ranges, ground and floor surfaces, drinking fountains, water closets and toilet rooms, bathing rooms, kitchens and kitchenettes, saunas and steam rooms, exercise machines, swimming pools, assembly areas, dining surfaces and work surfaces, service counters, and occupant-controlled lighting. Each element has specific dimensional and design requirements that must be incorporated into the architectural drawings.

Accessible Routes — The Foundation of Accessibility

An accessible route is a continuous unobstructed path connecting all accessible elements and spaces of a building or facility. The accessible route must be compliant with FACBC requirements for: minimum clear width (36 inches minimum, 60 inches minimum in corridors); passing spaces for wheelchair users (60 x 60 inches minimum at maximum 200-foot intervals where the route is less than 60 inches wide); changes in level (maximum 1/4 inch vertical without treatment; 1/4 to 1/2 inch requires a beveled transition at 1:2 maximum slope; greater than 1/2 inch requires a ramp or other code-compliant vertical change); and surface condition (firm, stable, slip-resistant).

Accessible routes must connect the accessible site entrance (parking or pedestrian access point) to the building entrance, and must extend within the building to all public areas, tenant spaces, employee work areas, and accessible restrooms. The accessible route cannot include stairs, changes in level greater than 1/2 inch without a ramp, or any obstruction that reduces the clear width below the minimum.

Accessible Parking Requirements

The FACBC specifies the number of accessible parking spaces required based on total parking lot size: 1 to 25 total spaces require 1 accessible space; 26 to 50 require 2; 51 to 75 require 3; 76 to 100 require 4; and so on up to 1,001 total spaces and above requiring at least 20. One in every six accessible spaces (and at minimum one space) must be van-accessible, with an 8-foot-wide vehicle space and an 8-foot-wide access aisle. Standard accessible spaces require a 5-foot access aisle adjacent to an 8-foot stall (for side-transfer accessibility) or a 5-foot access aisle between two accessible spaces.

Accessible parking spaces must be located on the shortest accessible route to the accessible building entrance. Locating accessible spaces at the far end of a parking lot while the entrance is nearby is a compliance violation. Accessible spaces must be signed with the International Symbol of Accessibility on vertical signs 60 to 66 inches above the ground surface.

Accessible Restrooms — Detailed Requirements

Accessible restroom design is one of the most detailed and most frequently cited accessibility compliance items in South Florida building permit plan review. Key requirements include: minimum 60 x 56 inches clear floor space at the toilet for a forward approach; 18 inches minimum clear from the toilet centerline to the side wall or partition for grab bar installation; 42 inches minimum clear from the toilet centerline on the transfer side; rear wall grab bar (36 inches minimum length, centered at 36 inches AFF); side wall grab bar (42 inches minimum length, with the front end 54 inches from the rear wall); toilet height 17 to 19 inches AFF; toilet paper dispenser 7 to 9 inches in front of the toilet, 15 to 48 inches AFF; and lavatory under-counter clearance to allow wheelchair forward approach.

In unisex single-occupancy restrooms used by people with disabilities, FACBC requires a 60-inch turning circle or T-shaped turning space within the restroom to allow wheelchair users to turn around. Family/companion care restrooms and single-occupancy restrooms accessible to the public must comply with these requirements. Multi-stall restrooms must include at least one accessible toilet stall meeting FACBC requirements.

Accessible Entrances and Doors

At least 60 percent of all public entrances must be accessible in new construction. The primary entrance must be accessible. Accessible entrances must be connected by accessible routes to parking, public transportation stops, and all accessible building elements.

Accessible doors must have: minimum 32 inches clear opening width when the door is open 90 degrees; door hardware that is operable with a closed fist (lever handles, push/pull plates — not round knobs); maximum 5 pounds of opening force for interior doors; automatic door closers that provide at least 5 seconds for a person to pass through; and no level change at the threshold greater than 1/2 inch.

Power-assisted doors and automatic doors are increasingly used to eliminate the force and dexterity requirements of manually operated doors in commercial facilities. Power operator permits may require electrical permits for the operator installation and building permits for structural modifications to the door frame and adjacent wall.

Accessibility in Historic Structures

The FACBC includes provisions for historic structures that recognize the inherent difficulty of making historic buildings fully accessible without destroying their historic character. If making a specific accessible route element (such as a ramp at a historic entrance) would threaten or destroy the historic significance of the structure or feature, the FACBC allows alternative accessible approaches — for example, providing access at a secondary entrance instead of the primary historic entrance.

Historic preservation compliance (satisfying the Coral Gables Board of Architects or the Miami Beach Historic Preservation Board) and accessibility compliance must both be satisfied for construction in historic districts. When there is tension between the two requirements — for example, when installing a ramp at a historic entrance would require removing historic masonry steps — the project team must develop a design that satisfies both the historic preservation authority and the building department accessibility reviewer. This often requires pre-application consultation with both agencies before final designs are developed.

Plan Review for Accessibility Compliance

Accessibility compliance is reviewed by the building department's plan reviewer during the standard plan review process. In Miami-Dade County RER, accessibility review is part of the building/architectural plan review discipline. A licensed architect must certify accessibility compliance on the construction documents — the architect is professionally responsible for the accuracy of the accessibility design.

Common plan review comments for accessibility deficiencies include: missing accessible route shown from parking to entrance; accessible parking count incorrect; accessible toilet stall dimensions shown incorrectly; handrail extension missing at top and bottom of ramp; door hardware not specified as operable without grasping; and missing turning space in single-occupancy restrooms. Addressing these comments requires architectural plan revisions and resubmittal — each revision cycle adds time to the permit timeline.