Braille on ADA signs
Grade 2 (contracted) braille, domed or rounded dots, placed below the raised text and at least 3/8 in from it and from any border (703.3). Dots are 0.059–0.063 in across and 0.025–0.037 in high.
Braille is needed wherever raised characters are: room identification and exit door signs, not directional signs.
Dimensions
| Measurement | Range | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Dot base diameter | 0.059–0.063 in | 703.3.1 |
| Dot height | 0.025–0.037 in | 703.3.1 |
| Between two dots in the same cell (center to center) | 0.090–0.100 in | 703.3.1 |
| Between corresponding dots in adjacent cells | 0.241–0.300 in | 703.3.1 |
| Between corresponding dots, one cell to the cell directly below | 0.395–0.400 in | 703.3.1 |
| Gap to raised text and to borders | 3/8 in min | 703.3.2 |
| Gap on elevator car controls | 3/16 in min | 703.3.2 |
| Height above floor, braille baseline | 48 in min | 703.4.1 |
Dots have to be domed or rounded. Flat-topped or sharp dots, which some cheap engraving and printing processes produce, fail 703.3.1 even when the spacing is right.
Placement
Braille goes directly below the text it repeats. If the text runs to two or more lines, the braille goes below the whole block, not line by line (703.3.2). Where a sign has separate blocks of text, the Access Board says braille can sit below each logical block. Keep it 3/8 inch from the raised characters and 3/8 inch from raised borders or decorative elements. The one exception is elevator car controls, where braille can sit beside or below the raised characters with 3/16 inch separation.
Braille is measured into the height rule. On most signs it is the lowest tactile line, so its baseline is what has to be at least 48 inches above the floor (mounting height). Braille is not subject to the finish and contrast rules; it can be clear.
Grade 2, contractions and capitals
Grade 2 braille uses contractions: single cells that stand for common words and letter groups. It is shorter than letter-for-letter (Grade 1) braille and it is what braille readers expect. The Braille Authority of North America adopted Unified English Braille (UEB) in 2016, and the Access Board accepts UEB as Grade 2 for ADA signs.
Capital indicators are used only before the first word of a sentence, proper nouns and names, individual letters, initials and acronyms (703.3.1). "RESTROOM" printed in capitals is not capitalized in braille; "ROOM 204B" gets a capital indicator for the B.
Translate, then have someone who reads braille check the proof. Translation software gets contractions wrong at word boundaries, with abbreviations and with room codes like "B-204". A braille font on its own does no translation: it maps letters to cells one for one, which gives you Grade 1. Raster braille (spheres set into drilled holes) and photopolymer both hold the domed shape; check that the process you use hits the dot height range after finishing.
Characters that must be in braille
Only content that has to be tactile needs braille: the room name or number on an identification sign, the words on a tactile exit sign, the text descriptor under a restroom pictogram. Content that only has to be visual, like hours, directions or occupant names, needs none. If a sign repeats its text in a second language, only the English has to comply.
Questions
What grade of braille do ADA signs use?
Contracted braille, called Grade 2 (703.3). Unified English Braille, the official braille code in the U.S. since 2016, is contracted braille and the Access Board accepts it as Grade 2 for ADA signs.
Does braille go above or below the text?
Below. Braille goes below the corresponding text, and below the whole block if the text runs to more than one line, separated from the text and from any border by at least 3/8 inch (703.3.2).
Is braille capitalized on ADA signs?
Only before the first word of a sentence, proper nouns and names, single letters, initials and acronyms (703.3.1). A sign printed in all capitals does not get all-capital braille.
Do all ADA signs need braille?
No. Braille is required wherever raised characters are required: signs that identify permanent rooms and spaces, and the doors to exit stairs, exit passageways and exit discharge. Directional and informational signs need only visual characters.
What size are braille dots on ADA signs?
Dot base diameter 0.059 to 0.063 inch, dot height 0.025 to 0.037 inch, 0.090 to 0.100 inch between dots in a cell, 0.241 to 0.300 inch between corresponding dots of adjacent cells, and 0.395 to 0.400 inch from a cell to the one directly below (Table 703.3.1).
Last checked against the source text 2026-09-25. Section numbers refer to the 2010 ADA Standards unless marked otherwise.