What makes a stair handrail ADA compliant?

Section 505 of the 2010 ADA Standards asks for rails on both sides, continuous along each flight, 34 to 38 inches to the top of the grip, at least 1-1/2 inches off the wall, and 1-1/4 to 2 inches across if round. Each rail extends 12 inches past the top riser and one tread depth past the bottom.

Does a ramp need handrails on both sides?

Under the ADA Standards, any ramp run that rises more than 6 inches needs handrails, and they go on both sides. The Florida Building Code, Building, says the same in section 1012.8. Ramp rails extend at least 12 inches level beyond both the top and the bottom of the run.

Can a small business get a tax credit for ADA handrails?

Yes, if it qualifies. The IRS disabled access credit, claimed on Form 8826, covers half of eligible access spending above $250, up to a $5,000 credit. A business qualifies with $1 million or less in gross receipts, or 30 or fewer full-time employees, in the prior year. Check the current rules with your tax preparer.

Do old handrails have to be torn out to add ADA extensions?

Not always. If the existing rail is the right height and grip size, an extension piece at each end may be enough. In alterations, the ADA Standards waive full extensions where they would create a hazard because of the floor plan. A rail that is too thick or too low has to be replaced.

ADA Handrails in Tallahassee, FL

ADA Handrail Types in Tallahassee

Section 505 of the 2010 ADA Standards covers every handrail required at a public stair or ramp. Florida's own accessibility code, the Florida Building Code, Accessibility, uses the same 505 section numbers. The work falls into three kinds of job.

Stainless steel handrail extending level past the top riser onto a concrete landing

ADA Stair Handrails

A public stair needs a rail on each side, and each rail runs unbroken along the flight. On a switchback or dogleg stair, the inside rail continues from one flight to the next. The gripping surface has to stay clear along its top and sides, and brackets may block no more than 20% of its underside. The rail can't spin in its fittings.

Height: 34 to 38 inches to the top of the gripping surface, the same along the whole run
Clearance: at least 1-1/2 inches to the wall
Round rail: 1-1/4 to 2 inches outside diameter; non-round rails 4 to 6-1/4 inches around and no more than 2-1/4 inches across
Extensions: 12 inches level at the top, starting above the first nosing; one tread depth at the stair's slope at the bottom

Aluminum handrails on both sides of a concrete ramp to a building entrance

ADA Ramp Handrails

A ramp run that rises more than 6 inches needs handrails on both sides. The Florida Building Code, Building, repeats the 6-inch trigger in section 1012.8 and caps the slope of an egress ramp at 1 in 12. Ramp rails differ from stair rails at the ends: both the top and the bottom extensions run level, not sloped.

Trigger: rise over 6 inches
Sides: both
Extensions: at least 12 inches level beyond the top and bottom of each run
Ends: returned to a wall, guard or the landing surface, or joined to the next run's rail

Steel extension piece welded to an existing handrail and returned down to the floor

Handrail Extension Retrofits

A rail that stops at the last nosing is missing its extensions. If the existing rail already has the right height and grip size, an added extension at each end may be all it needs. Each new end must return to a wall, guard or the floor so nobody catches a bag or a cane on it. The standards allow two easings here: no extension at the inside turn of a continuous switchback rail, and no full extension in an alteration where the floor plan would make it a hazard.

Top of stair: add 12 inches of level rail
Bottom of stair: add one tread depth at the stair slope
Ask first: whether the rail's height and diameter pass, or the whole rail has to go

Hands measuring handrail height above a stair tread with a tape measure

Why Tallahassee homeowners call Tallahassee Stair Railing

Free for homeowners: the installer quotes you directly
Your request goes to one railing installer, not a call list
Ask for the rail height, baluster gap and material in writing
Ask for a written quote before paying any deposit

ADA Handrail Cost and Tax Credits

National cost-guide figures put a single stair handrail at about $675 to $2,076 installed (handrail installation), and an ADA stair needs a rail on each side. HomeAdvisor counts 5 to 10 hours of labor for most railing installs.

Two federal tax breaks can offset the bill for a business:

Disabled access credit (Form 8826)
an eligible small business claims 50% of access spending above $250 and up to $10,250, so the credit tops out at $5,000 a year
Who qualifies
$1 million or less in gross receipts, or 30 or fewer full-time employees, in the year before
Barrier removal deduction (Section 190)
up to $15,000 a year for removing architectural barriers in a business building

Rules and limits change, so confirm both with your tax preparer before counting on them.

What to Ask an ADA Handrail Installer

The rail diameter and height, written into the quote, so you can check them against 505
How each extension ends
Wall return, guard or floor
What the brackets fasten into, and whether any bracket blocks the grip from above
Whether the job needs a permit from the City of Tallahassee or Leon County (permit rules)

For railings across a whole apartment complex, office or church campus, see commercial railing. Guards along a ramp's open edge follow separate height and gap rules, also on the code upgrades page.