Section 1143A — SIGNAGE

2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-29 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

1143A.1 General. ¶

When signs and/or identification devices are provided they shall comply with this section.

When both visual and tactile characters are required, either one sign with both visual and tactile characters, or two separate signs— one with visual and one with tactile characters— shall be provided.

Exception: Signs need not be provided within dwelling units.

Note: See Section 1127A.7 for additional signage requirements applicable to sanitary facilities, and Section 1124A for additional signage requirements applicable to elevators.

1143A.2 Identification signs. ¶

When signs identify permanent rooms and spaces of a building or site, they shall comply with Sections 1143A.1, 1143A.5, 1143A.6 and 1143A.7.

Exception: Exterior signs that are not located at the door to the space they serve shall not be required to comply with Section 1143A.6.

1143A.3 Directional and informational signs. ¶

When signs direct to or give information about permanent rooms and spaces of a build- ing or site, they shall comply with Sections 1143A.5.

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HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY

1143A.4 Accessibility signs. ¶

When signs identify, direct or give information about accessible elements and features of a building or site, they shall include the appropriate symbol of accessibility and shall comply with Section 1143A.5 .

1143A.5 Visual characters. Signs with visual characters shall comply with this section. ¶

1. Finish and contrast. Characters and their background shall have a non-glare finish. Characters shall contrast with their back- ground, either light on a dark background or dark on a light background.

2. Character type. Characters shall be uppercase, lowercase or a combination of both. Characters shall be conventional in form, and shall not be italic, oblique, script, highly decorative or of other unusual forms.

3. Proportions. Characters on signs shall be selected from fonts where the width of the uppercase letter “O” is 60 percent mini- mum and 110 percent maximum of the height of the uppercase letter “I”.

4. Character height. Visual characters shall be sized in accordance with Table 1143A.5. Viewing distance shall be measured as the horizontal distance between the character and an obstruction preventing further approach towards the sign. Character height shall be based on the uppercase letter “I”. 5. Height from finish floor. Visual characters shall be 40 inches (1016 mm) minimum above the finish floor.

Exceptions:

1. Visual characters indicating elevator car controls.

2. Floor-level exit signs complying with Chapter 10.

6. Stroke thickness. Stroke thickness of the uppercase letter “I” shall be 10 percent minimum and 20 percent maximum of the height of the character.

7. Character spacing. Character spacing shall be measured between the two closest points of adjacent characters, excluding word spaces. Spacing between individual characters shall be 10 percent minimum and 35 percent maximum of character height.

8. Line spacing. Spacing between the baselines of separate lines of characters within a message shall be 135 percent minimum and 170 percent maximum of the character height.

9. Character format. Text shall be in a horizontal format.

TABLE 1143A.5—VISUAL CHARACTER HEIGHT

*HEIGHT TO FINISH FLOOR* *FROM BASELINE OF CHARACTER*	*HORIZONTAL* *VIEWING DISTANCE*	*MINIMUM* *CHARACTER HEIGHT*
40 inches (1016 mm) to less than or equal to 70 inches (1778 mm)	Less than 72 inches (1829 mm)	5/8 inch (15.9 mm)
40 inches (1016 mm) to less than or equal to 70 inches (1778 mm)	72 inches (1829 mm) and greater	5/8 inch (15.9 mm), plus1/8 inch (3.2 mm) per foot (305 mm) of viewing distance above 72 inches (1829 mm)
Greater than 70 inches (1778 mm) to less than or equal to 120 inches (3048 mm)	Less than 180 inches (4572 mm)	2 inches (51 mm)
Greater than 70 inches (1778 mm) to less than or equal to 120 inches (3048 mm)	180 inches (4572 mm) and greater	2 inches (51 mm), plus1/8 inch (3.2 mm) per foot (305 mm) of viewing distance above 180 inches (4572 mm)
Greater than 120 inches (3048 mm)	Less than 21 feet (6401 mm)	3 inches (76 mm)
Greater than 120 inches (3048 mm)	21 feet (6401 mm) and greater	3 inches (76 mm), plus1/8 inch (3.2 mm) per foot (305 mm) of viewing distance above 21 feet (6401 mm)

1143A.6 Raised characters and pictorial symbol signs. ¶

When raised characters are required or when pictorial symbols (pictograms) are used on such signs, they shall comply with this section. Raised characters and pictorial symbols shall be duplicated in Braille comply- ing with Section 1143A.7. 1. Character type. Raised characters on signs shall be [1] / 32 inch (0.8 mm) minimum above their background. Characters shall be sans serif uppercase, and shall not be italic, oblique, script, highly decorative or of other unusual forms. 2. Character height. Character height measured vertically from the baseline of the character shall be [5] / 8 inch (15.9 mm) minimum and 2 inches (51 mm) maximum based on the height of the uppercase letter “I”.

3. Character format. Characters and Braille shall be in a horizontal format.

4. Proportions. Raised characters on signs shall be selected from fonts when the width of the uppercase letter “O” is 60 percent minimum and 110 percent maximum of the height of the uppercase letter “I”.

5. Stroke thickness. Stroke thickness of the uppercase letter “I” shall be 15 percent maximum of the height of the character.

6. Character spacing. Character spacing shall be measured between the two closest points of adjacent raised characters within a message, excluding word spaces. When characters have rectangular cross sections, spacing between individual raised char- acters shall be [1] / 8 inch (3.2 mm) minimum and 4 times the raised character stroke width maximum. When characters have other cross sections, spacing between individual raised characters shall be [1] / 16 inch (1.6 mm) minimum and 4 times the raised charac- ter stroke width maximum at the base of the cross sections, and [1] / 8 inch (3.2 mm) minimum and 4 times the raised character stroke width maximum at the top of the cross sections. Characters shall be separated from raised borders and decorative elements [3] / 8 inch (9.5 mm) minimum.

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HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY

7. Line spacing. Spacing between the baselines of separate lines of raised characters within a message shall be 135 percent mini- mum and 170 percent maximum of the raised character height.

8. Location. When a tactile sign is provided at a door, the sign shall be located alongside the door at the latch side. When a tactile sign is provided at double doors with one active leaf, the sign shall be located on the inactive leaf. When a tactile sign is provided at double doors with two active leafs, the sign shall be located to the right of the right hand door. When there is no wall space at the latch side of a single door or at the right side of double doors, signs shall be located on the nearest adjacent wall. Signs containing tactile characters shall be located so that a clear floor space of 18 inches (457 mm) minimum by 18 inches (457 mm) minimum, centered on the tactile characters, is provided beyond the arc of any door swing between the closed position and 45 degree open position. When permanent identification signage is provided for rooms and spaces they shall be located on the approach side of the door as one enters the room or space. Signs that identify exits shall be located on the approach side of the door as one exits the room or space.

9. Height. Signs with raised characters shall be located 48 inches (1219 mm) minimum above the finish floor, measured from the baseline of the lowest Braille cells and 60 inches (1524 mm) maximum above the finish floor, measured from the baseline of the highest line of raised characters.

Exception: Tactile characters for elevator car controls shall not be required to comply with this section.

10. Pictorial symbol signs (pictograms). Pictorial symbol signs (pictograms) shall be accompanied by a text description located directly below the pictogram field. The text description shall comply with Sections 1143A.6 and 1143A.7. The outside dimension of the pictogram field shall be a minimum of 6 inches (152 mm) in height. Characters and Braille shall not be located in the pictogram field.

1143A.7 Braille. ¶

Contracted Grade 2 Braille shall be used wherever Braille is required in other portions of these standards.

1143A.7.1 Dimensions and capitalization. Braille dots shall have a domed or rounded shape and shall comply with Table 1143A.7.1. The indication of an uppercase letter or letters shall only be used before the first word of sentences, proper nouns and names, individ- ual letters of the alphabet, initials and acronyms.

1143A.7.2 Position. Braille shall be positioned below the corresponding text in a horizontal format, flush left or centered. If text is multilined, braille shall be placed below the entire text. Braille shall be separated [3] / 8 inch (9.5 mm) minimum and [1] / 2 inch (12.7 mm) maximum from any other tactile characters and [3] / 8 inch (9.5 mm) minimum from raised borders and decorative elements.

Exception: Braille provided on elevator car controls shall be separated [3] / 16 inch (4.8 mm) minimum and shall be located directly below the corresponding raised characters or symbols.

TABLE 1143A.7.1—BRAILLE DIMENSIONS

*MEASUREMENT RANGE*	*MINIMUM IN INCHES* *MAXIMUM IN INCHES*
Dot base diameter	0.059 (1.5 mm) to 0.063 (1.6 mm)
Distance between two dots in the same cell1	0.100 (2.5 mm)
Distance between corresponding dots in adjacent cells1	0.300 (7.6 mm)
Dot height	0.025 (0.6 mm) to 0.037 (0.9 mm)
Distance between corresponding dots from one cell directly below1	0.395 (10 mm) to 0.400 (10.2 mm)
1. Measured center to center.	1. Measured center to center.

1143A.8 Symbols of accessibility. ¶

Symbols of accessibility and their background shall have a non-glare finish. Symbols of accessibility shall contrast with their background with either a light symbol on a dark background or a dark symbol on a light background. Symbols of accessibility shall comply with the following:

1. International Symbol of Accessibility. The “International Symbol of Accessibility” shall consist of a white figure on a blue background. The color blue shall approximate FS 15090 in Federal Standard 595C. (See Figure 11A-1A.)

2. International Symbol of TTY. (See Figure 11A-11C.)

3. Volume Control Telephones. (See Figure 11A-11D.)

4. Assistive Listening Systems. (See Figure 11A-11E.)

5. Cleaner Air Symbol. (See Chapter 11B.)

6. Toilet and Bathing Facilities Geometric Symbols. ( See Section 1127A.7.)

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2025 California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)