Striping ADA Passenger Loading Zones

What an Accessible Passenger Loading Zone Is

An accessible passenger loading zone is a marked area where a vehicle can pull up so a passenger using a wheelchair or mobility device can transfer to and from the vehicle on level, protected ground. It is not the same as an accessible parking space. A parking space is where a driver leaves a vehicle and walks away. A loading zone is a drop-off and pick-up area, common at hospital entrances, hotel canopies, medical clinics, senior facilities, schools, and venues that move people in and out by van or shuttle.

The two get confused on plan sheets all the time, but they are striped differently and serve different functions. This guide covers how an accessible passenger loading zone is marked, the dimensions that govern it, and when your site is actually required to provide one. For where loading zones fit in the broader accessibility picture, see our pillar on ADA parking compliance in Oregon.

The Core Dimensions

An accessible passenger loading zone has two parts that work together: the vehicle pull-up space and the access aisle alongside it.

Element	Requirement
Vehicle pull-up space length	At least 20 feet long
Access aisle width	At least 60 inches (5 feet) wide
Access aisle length	Runs the full 20-foot length of the pull-up space
Access aisle position	Adjacent to and at the same level as the pull-up space
Vertical clearance	At least 114 inches along the vehicle route to, at, and from the loading zone

The 60-inch by 20-foot access aisle is the heart of it. That width gives a person room to deploy a side ramp or lift and maneuver a wheelchair clear of traffic. The aisle has to sit at the same level as the pull-up space so there is no curb or step between the vehicle and the person transferring out of it.

The 114-inch vertical clearance is the detail people forget. A high-roof accessible van needs overhead room to reach the zone, sit in it, and leave it. Low canopies, drive-through overhangs, and parking-structure beams can quietly defeat an otherwise perfect loading zone.

How the Striping Is Laid Out

Marking a loading zone is straightforward once the dimensions are set, but precision matters because the access aisle must read clearly as a no-park zone.

• Outline the access aisle as a 60-inch-wide strip running the full 20-foot length beside the pull-up space.
• Apply diagonal hatching inside the access aisle so it visually reads as off-limits to parking, the same convention used for parking-space access aisles.
• Add "NO PARKING" text within the aisle where local practice calls for it, oriented to be read by an approaching driver.
• Keep the pull-up lane clear of hatching so a vehicle can occupy it; only the aisle gets hatched.
• Tie the aisle into an accessible route that connects to the building entrance without steps, abrupt level changes, or excessive slope.

The same hatching discipline used for parking access aisles applies here. If you want the full treatment on aisle width, hatch spacing, and no-park markings, our ADA access aisle striping spec covers it in depth.

Slope and the Connecting Route

The loading zone and its access aisle should be close to level. Excessive slope makes a wheelchair transfer dangerous, and standing water in a low spot signals a grading problem. As a working target, the surface should hold to a maximum of 2 percent slope in all directions across the loading zone and aisle, the same tolerance that governs accessible parking stalls.

A loading zone is only useful if it connects to the door. The access aisle has to feed a continuous accessible route, no curb without a ramp, no step, no break in the surface, leading to the accessible entrance. A perfectly striped zone that dumps a wheelchair user at a six-inch curb is not compliant. Our guide on the accessible route from parking to the door explains how that connection has to hold together.

When Is a Loading Zone Required?

Not every site needs an accessible passenger loading zone. The trigger is generally tied to whether your facility provides a passenger loading zone at all. The principle under the 2010 ADA Standards is that where loading zones are provided, accessible ones must be too. Certain facility types are specifically called out:

• Medical care and long-term care facilities where people are dropped off and picked up by vehicle are expected to have an accessible passenger loading zone at an accessible entrance.
• Valet parking facilities must provide an accessible passenger loading zone on an accessible route to the entrance.
• Any site that stripes a general passenger loading zone generally needs at least one accessible loading zone meeting the dimensions above.

If your site has a canopy drop-off, a covered entry lane, or a valet stand, you are very likely in loading-zone territory. Oregon code may add specifics on top of the federal baseline, so a site survey is the right way to confirm whether your particular entrance requires one and how many.

Common Loading Zone Mistakes

• Too-narrow aisle. A 4-foot aisle borrowed from a striping habit instead of the required 60 inches leaves no room for a side lift.
• Aisle shorter than the space. The access aisle must run the full 20-foot pull-up length, not a token segment at one end.
• Low overhead clearance. A canopy or beam under 114 inches blocks high-roof vans even when the paint is perfect.
• No connecting route. The zone exists but a curb or stair severs it from the door.
• Hatching the wrong area. The pull-up lane gets hatched by mistake, leaving nowhere for the vehicle to actually stop.
• Treating it as a parking stall. A loading zone is not a parking space and cannot substitute for required accessible parking counts.

Get Your Loading Zone Striped Right

If your medical office, hotel, school, or venue has a drop-off lane, it likely needs an accessible passenger loading zone striped to spec, and tied to an accessible route. Cojo Excavation & Asphalt lays out loading zones with the correct 60-inch aisle, 20-foot length, hatching, and route connection. See our professional striping services, or request a free quote and we will assess your entrance.