Braille ADA Specs

Specifications

• Braille ADA specifications require the height of the Braille dots to be .019 inches. The diameter of the Braille dots shall be .057 inches. The dots shall be spaced from center to center .092 inches apart. The line spacing of Braille cells shall be at least .400 inches from the center of the adjacent line's dots.

History

• The standards for Braille ADA specifications come from the standards used for paper. While the Americans With Disabilities Act has requirements for the size and spacing of the Braille used, many states have created their own standards to be used with their building codes. The guidelines used in the Americans With Disabilities Act have been taken from the Library of Congress standards for Braille on paper.

Approval

• In 2004, updated guidelines were published by the Access Board. The specifications for Braille size and spacing were changed. These specifications are the first that require the Braille dots to be "domed." On September 15, 2010, the Department of Justice published revised ADA regulations that will take effect on March 15, 2012. These regulations incorporate and update the Braille specification contained in the 2004 Access Board guidelines.

Individual States

• Individual states have the right to require specifications that exceed the federal law requirements. The requirements of the Americans With Disabilities Act are the minimum the states must enforce. California is an example of a state that has required more then just the minimum for Braille specifications. The state created what is known as "California Braille" in 1980. The California Braille specifications require the dots to be 1/40 inch in height, 1/10 inch on the center of the cell and 2/10 of an inch spaced. These requirements were implemented to reduce vandalism and improve readability.