ADA Parking Sign Placement & Mounting in Oregon

The Sign Is Half the Compliance

A perfectly striped accessible space with the symbol painted on the pavement is still not compliant if it lacks a proper vertical sign. The pavement marking can be obscured by a parked car or covered by snow; the vertical sign stays visible. That is why the sign is not decoration, it is a core compliance element, and sign problems are among the most common and most easily spotted violations in any parking lot.

This page covers where and how to mount accessible parking signs in Oregon, including the federal mounting rules and the Oregon-specific additions. It complements our broader ADA parking signage requirements page; here the focus is placement and mounting. The general standard is in our ADA parking compliance guide for Oregon.

The 60-Inch Rule

The single most important mounting number is height. Accessible parking signs must be mounted so the bottom of the sign is at least 60 inches above the ground surface. That is five feet to the bottom of the sign, not the top and not the center.

The reason is visibility. A sign mounted lower can be blocked by a parked vehicle, defeating its purpose. At 60 inches to the bottom, the sign clears the roofline of a parked car and stays visible to a driver looking for the space. A sign at 48 or 54 inches is a measurable, photographable violation, and it is one of the most frequent findings in our 10 most common ADA parking violations page.

R7-8 and the Sign Itself

The standard accessible parking sign is the R7-8, the familiar sign bearing the International Symbol of Accessibility (the white wheelchair on a blue background) that designates the space as reserved for accessible parking. For van-accessible spaces, an additional "Van Accessible" sign, often designated R7-8a or as a supplemental plate, is mounted below the main sign.

So a van-accessible space carries two pieces: the R7-8 symbol sign and the "Van Accessible" designation beneath it. A van space missing its "Van Accessible" plate is non-compliant even if the main sign is correct.

The Oregon Fine Plate

This is where Oregon diverges from many other states. Oregon law contemplates accessible-parking signage that communicates the penalty for unauthorized parking, a supplemental fine plate indicating the dollar amount a violator faces. This element goes beyond the basic federal R7-8 requirement, and it is one of the clearest ways Oregon's requirements exceed the federal floor.

A sign assembly that satisfies the federal R7-8 standard can still fall short of Oregon's expectation if it lacks the supplemental fine information. For an Oregon lot, the sign is not just the symbol; it includes the Oregon-specific penalty messaging. Our Oregon ADA parking requirements page covers the state layer, and the exact current fine-plate requirement should be confirmed with your local building department.

Per-Stall, Not Per-Lot

A requirement that trips up many lots: each accessible space needs its own sign. Accessible parking is designated stall by stall, not by a single sign covering a row. A lot with four accessible spaces needs four sign assemblies, one at each space, each van space carrying its "Van Accessible" plate.

Owners sometimes assume one prominent sign at the front of the accessible area is enough. It is not. The sign has to be at the head or foot of each individual space so a driver pulling into that specific stall sees that it is reserved. Lots that consolidated their signage into one or two signs for a whole row of accessible spaces are non-compliant.

Where the Sign Goes

Placement matters as much as height. The sign should be located at the head of the parking space, positioned so it is clearly associated with that space and visible to a driver approaching it. It cannot be tucked behind landscaping, turned at an angle that hides it, or placed where a parked vehicle in an adjacent space blocks it.

Common placement problems:

• Behind a planter or shrub that has grown to obscure the sign
• Mounted on a wall at the wrong height or position relative to the space
• Knocked askew by a vehicle so it no longer faces approaching drivers
• Set back too far so it does not clearly correspond to the specific space

A sign that is technically present but not visible from the approach is functionally a missing sign in the eyes of an auditor.

Keeping Signs Compliant Over Time

Signs degrade. They fade under UV, get knocked by vehicles, rust at the post, or get obscured by growing landscaping. A sign that was compliant at installation can drift out of compliance as it fades or leans. Because signs are the most visible compliance element, a faded or damaged sign is also the most likely to draw a drive-by complaint.

Periodic inspection keeps them right: confirm each space has its sign, the height is still 60 inches to the bottom, the van plates are present, the Oregon fine messaging is there, and nothing is blocking the view. This is general guidance, and your lot's specific signage needs depend on its accessible-space count and layout, which a site survey confirms.