Federal law requires that all businesses provide specific accommodations to handicapped patrons, including requiring that a certain percentage of all parking spaces be designated as handicapped parking. The Americans with Disabilities Act sets out guidelines for the signs that must be displayed at all parking stalls for handicapped people.
Symbol
International symbol
Handicapped parking signs must display the international handicapped symbol, which is a figure sitting in a wheelchair.
Colors
The international handicapped symbol must be white against a blue background.
Visibility
The handicapped parking sign must be placed in an easily visible position; as a rule of thumb, you must be able to see the sign even if a car is parked in that space.
Orientation
All handicapped parking signs must be mounted vertically.
Verbiage
The first handicapped parking space in any lot, and every eighth handicapped spot thereafter, must be designated as van-accessible (which means it needs a wider adjacent aisle than a normal handicapped space). Signs mounted at van-accessible spots must specifically state that they are van-accessible.
