Ohio Laws on Designated Parking for the Handicapped

A wheelchair requires more maneuvering space than a body. It can be difficult to get wheelchairs down the side of cars when they are parked next to each other. Ohio laws follow the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) guidelines on accessible parking spaces, which require public areas to have accessible parking spaces for wheelchair users and lists the requirements in Chapter 4511.69 of the Ohio Revised Code, with regulations specifically for the handicapped found in Sections E through I and Section K.

Minimum Dimensions

• Car parking spaces must be at least 96 inches wide, and van parking spaces must be at least 132 inches wide. The spaces should be marked to define the width and should have an adjacent access aisle. Van parking spaces are permitted to be 96 inches wide if the access aisle is also at least 96 inches wide.

Access Aisles

• Access aisles may be shared by adjoining parking spaces and run adjacent to them. They must be at least 60 inches wide and extend the full length of the space that they serve. The access aisles should be marked to discourage parking in them. The aisles should not overlap the vehicular way and may be located on either side of the parking space, except for van spaces, where they should be located on the passenger side. The access aisle must be the same level as the parking space they serve.

Vertical Clearance

• The parking spaces for vans and the access aisles and vehicular routes to them must have a minimum vertical clearance of 98 inches.

Identification

• Parking space identification signs should include the International Symbol of Accessibility (a wheelchair user). If the parking space is for a van then the sign should designate "Van accessible." Signs should be located 60 inches above the floor.

Relationship to Accessible Routes

• The parking spaces and access aisle design should mean that accessible routes are not obstructed when a vehicle is parked in them.

Definition of Handicapped

• The definition of a handicapped person in Ohio is "any person who has lost the use of one or both legs or one or both arms, who is blind, deaf, or so severely handicapped as to be unable to move without the aid of crutches or a wheelchair, or whose mobility is restricted by a permanent cardiovascular, pulmonary, or other handicapping condition."

Penalties and Regulations

• Not properly marking your handicapped parking spaces can result in fines of up to $25. Vehicles using the spaces should have windshield placards or special license plates, and may park for two extra hours in addition to legal parking limits, except when the vehicle is deemed a traffic hazard.