ADA Symbol of Accessibility Stencil Spec: 36" Min + Color Field

The ADA International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA) on parking-lot pavement must meet ADA Std 703.7.2.1 -- 36 inches minimum, white symbol on blue field or blue symbol on white field, with the wheelchair facing right. That spec is what the federal standard demands; the spec citations Oregon code inspectors actually verify against. This guide walks through the federal requirement, how it interacts with ANSI A117.1 and Oregon Building Code, and how to pick a stencil that produces a compliant marking on every ADA stall.

What does ADA Std 703.7.2.1 require?

The U.S. Access Board's ADA Standards for Accessible Design §703.7.2.1 sets the symbol's design baseline:

• Minimum size: 36 inches by 36 inches (the symbol itself, not the surrounding blue field)
• Symbol orientation: wheelchair facing the right
• Color contrast: white symbol on blue field, or blue symbol on white field, both with maximum visual contrast
• Field background: the standard does not require a field, but industry practice paints a square or rectangular blue field around the symbol for visibility

ADA does not specify a particular shade of blue. Industry standard is Pantone PMS 294 (a deep navy blue) or the Federal Standard 595 color number 15102. Most professional stencil manufacturers use one of these two specifications.

How does ADA Std 502.6 interact?

ADA Std 502.6 covers parking signage and identifies that "parking spaces shall be identified by the International Symbol of Accessibility complying with 703.7.2.1." ADA Std 502.6.1 adds the van-accessible designation: van-accessible spaces require the additional "VAN ACCESSIBLE" word marking with letter heights of at least 8 inches.

The interaction is direct: ADA Std 502.6 says "you must mark the space with the symbol," and Std 703.7.2.1 says "this is what the symbol has to look like." Both citations show up on inspector audit reports.

What about the access aisle hatching?

The diagonal hatching inside the access aisle is a separate marking from the wheelchair symbol. ADA does not specify the access aisle hatching color, but industry practice is blue or white at a 4-inch stripe width on 36-inch on-center spacing. Most Oregon municipalities follow the blue convention for visual consistency with the wheelchair symbol. See the ADA parking lot striping guide for the full access-aisle spec.

What does ANSI A117.1 add?

ANSI A117.1 is the accessibility standard adopted by the Oregon Building Code and most other state building codes. It provides the regulatory framework that inspectors actually enforce locally, while ADA itself is enforced at the federal level. ANSI A117.1 §502.7 references the ADA Std 703.7.2.1 wheelchair symbol verbatim, so a stencil that meets ADA also meets ANSI.

The practical difference: ANSI A117.1 is the citation an Oregon building inspector will reference during a routine inspection; ADA is the citation a federal civil-rights complaint will reference. Both end at the same federal symbol spec.

Which stencil sizes meet 703.7.2.1?

Three off-the-shelf sizes cover the typical Oregon ADA stall:

1. 36-inch ADA wheelchair symbol stencil

The federal minimum at 36 inches by 36 inches. 1/8-inch LDPE is the recommended thickness for inspector-facing applications. Industry baseline range $85 to $185 per stencil.

2. 39-inch ADA wheelchair symbol stencil

Slightly larger at 39 inches. Some Oregon municipalities reference the 39-inch size from the now-superseded 1991 ADA standards. The 39-inch is also a margin against the 36-inch minimum and reads more clearly from a moving vehicle. Industry baseline range $115 to $215 per stencil.

3. 42-inch ADA wheelchair symbol stencil

Used on hospital, university, and government campuses where the institutional standard exceeds the federal minimum. Industry baseline range $145 to $265 per stencil.

For most Oregon retail, office, and multifamily properties, the 36-inch is the right pick. Government and institutional properties typically default to 39-inch or 42-inch.

What about the blue field around the symbol?

The blue field is industry standard but not strictly required by ADA Std 703.7.2.1 -- the standard focuses on the symbol itself. However:

• Most Oregon AHJs expect the blue field for visual consistency with vertical R7-8 signage
• The blue field improves legibility from a distance and at night
• Some property managers prefer the field for branding consistency with the rest of the lot

Two stencil approaches produce the field-and-symbol composition:

Approach	How it works	Industry baseline range
Two-stencil set	One stencil for the blue field rectangle, one for the white wheelchair symbol overlay	$145 to $285
Reverse stencil	Single stencil with the wheelchair-symbol cutout in a larger blue-field background	$195 to $385
Field paint plus stencil	Paint the blue field freehand, then apply the wheelchair symbol stencil over it	$85 to $185 (stencil only)

The two-stencil set is the cleanest workflow because both passes use stencils -- no freehand work, no edge fuzz on the blue field.

How does Cojo apply the symbol on actual jobs?

For a Eugene medical office park Cojo restriped in February 2026, we applied the 36-inch ADA wheelchair stencil across 12 ADA stalls plus 2 van-accessible stalls. The application sequence per stall:

1. Pressure-wash and dry the stall (24 hours)
2. Layout the symbol position with chalk line
3. Apply the blue-field stencil first; spray Pantone PMS 294 blue traffic paint at 18-22 wet mils
4. Allow the blue paint to skin (5 to 10 minutes)
5. Position the wheelchair-symbol stencil over the blue field; spray white traffic paint at 18-22 wet mils
6. Lift both stencils and clean with mineral spirits within 5 minutes
7. For van-accessible stalls, apply the "VAN ACCESSIBLE" word stencil at 8-inch letters per ADA Std 502.6.1
8. Cure 4 hours before returning the stalls to service

Total per-stall time: 30 to 45 minutes once the prep and layout are complete.

Industry Baseline Range

Item	Industry Baseline Range
36-in 1/8-in LDPE wheelchair stencil	$85 to $185
39-in 1/8-in LDPE wheelchair stencil	$115 to $215
42-in 1/8-in LDPE wheelchair stencil	$145 to $265
Two-stencil set (field + symbol)	$145 to $285
"VAN ACCESSIBLE" word add-on stencil	$55 to $115
Blue traffic paint, Pantone PMS 294 (5-gal pail)	$95 to $165
White traffic paint (5-gal pail)	$80 to $145

These figures reflect published industry averages. Current market pricing varies significantly and actual quotes may fall well outside these ranges based on site-specific conditions, material costs, and project complexity.

Current Market Reality

LDPE resin pricing climbed 12 to 20 percent through 2025 and the wheelchair-symbol category saw 15 to 22 percent increases because of the larger blank size. Blue traffic paint pricing rose 10 to 15 percent because of pigment-supply tightening. Cojo recommends 1/8-inch LDPE for any property running multi-stall ADA applications -- the cost difference vs 1/16-inch LDPE pays back inside 30 applications.

Get an ADA-spec stencil quote for your Oregon property

Cojo handles ADA-symbol spec verification, stencil supply, blue-field plus white-symbol two-pass application, "VAN ACCESSIBLE" word marking, and post-application ADA compliance verification. Get a custom quote, or read our ADA parking lot striping guide before you order.