For covered parking facilities, at least one of every six required accessible parking spaces, or fraction of six, must be van accessible. If a facility requires only one accessible space, that space must be van accessible. The van spaces count toward the accessible total. They are not extra spaces added after the calculation.
For Houston property owners, the number is the first decision. The next is whether a van can reach the space, deploy a lift or ramp into a usable access aisle, and connect with the accessible route. A van designation on a sign cannot make a narrow aisle or low garage entrance work.
This guide explains the van-specific requirements in the 2010 ADA Standards and the 2012 Texas Accessibility Standards, or TAS. It is a planning guide for covered facilities, not a determination that every property has the same obligations. Confirm the applicable requirements and approved layout for your site before changing the parking area.
Calculate the van minimum from the accessible total
First establish the required accessible-space count for each parking facility. Then divide that number by six and round up to the next whole space. The words “or fraction of six” matter. Seven required accessible spaces need at least two van-accessible spaces, even though only one complete group of six is present.
- 1 to 6 required accessible spaces: at least 1 van-accessible space.
- 7 to 12 required accessible spaces: at least 2 van-accessible spaces.
- 13 to 18 required accessible spaces: at least 3 van-accessible spaces.
- 19 to 24 required accessible spaces: at least 4 van-accessible spaces.
These are accessible-space totals, not the total number of parking stalls in the lot. For example, a covered general-use facility with 200 total spaces requires six accessible spaces under Table 208.2, including at least one van space. At 201 total spaces, the table requires seven accessible spaces, including at least two van spaces. That single additional stall changes both minimums.
The counts come from ADA Section 208.2 and TAS Section 208.2. Hospital outpatient parking, certain rehabilitation and physical therapy facilities, and residential parking have separate scoping provisions. Establish that starting count before applying the van ratio.
Use our Texas accessible parking count chart for the full general table. Keep the calculation for each parking facility separate. Do not combine a surface lot and a separate garage simply because they serve the same business.
Choose one complete van space configuration
ADA and TAS Section 502.2 provide two width arrangements for van parking:
- A parking space at least 132 inches wide, with an adjacent access aisle at least 60 inches wide. That is an 11-foot space with a 5-foot aisle.
- A parking space at least 96 inches wide, with an adjacent access aisle at least 96 inches wide. That is an 8-foot space with an 8-foot aisle.
The narrower parking space works only with the wider aisle. An 8-foot parking space paired with a 5-foot aisle does not satisfy either van arrangement. Both complete options add up to 192 inches, or 16 feet, for one space plus its adjacent aisle. Shared-aisle layouts still need to be designed and measured correctly.
The access aisle is the marked area beside the space where a person can enter or leave a vehicle using a mobility device. It is not a spare parking stall, a delivery area or a convenient place to store shopping carts. Before ordering new signs, check that the proposed painted layout provides the full arrangement.
Measurements generally run from the centerlines of the painted markings. Section 502.1 permits the full boundary-line width to be included where a space or aisle is not adjacent to another space or aisle. Record the measurement method so an estimate, approved plan and finished work are being compared on the same basis. See ADA Section 502 and TAS Section 502.
Keep the entire access aisle usable
Under Section 502.3, the aisle must extend the full length of the parking space, adjoin an accessible route and be marked to discourage parking. It cannot overlap the vehicle travel lane. Two spaces may share an aisle when the arrangement meets the applicable requirements. For angled van parking, the aisle must be on the passenger side.
That last detail matters when a property changes traffic direction or converts straight parking to angled parking. Reusing the old hatch area without reviewing the new orientation can place the usable area on the wrong side. Include the direction vehicles approach and park on the layout sent for review.
Look at the aisle after normal operations resume, too. A delivery vehicle, a temporary advertising sign or a dumpster can consume space that was clear when the striping crew left. A photograph of new paint is useful documentation, but it does not show how the aisle will be used throughout the day.
Check 98 inches of clearance along the vehicle route
Van parking spaces, the access aisles serving them and the vehicle routes serving them need at least 98 inches of vertical clearance under ADA and TAS Section 502.5. That is 8 feet 2 inches. Measuring above the parked van alone is not enough.
Follow the actual route into and out of the space. In a garage or covered parking area, review beams, pipes, hanging signs and entrance equipment. At an outdoor property, consider canopies and other overhead obstructions along that route. Ask for measured confirmation wherever clearance is uncertain rather than judging it from a photograph.
The standards permit van spaces to be grouped on one level of a multistory parking facility. Section 208.3.1 also has a limited exception allowing accessible spaces in a different parking facility where substantially equivalent or greater accessibility is provided in distance, parking fee and user convenience. Neither provision is a general permission to move van spaces wherever striping is easiest. Have an appropriate reviewer confirm any proposed exception and the route it depends on.
Review slopes and the connection to the entrance
Parking spaces and their access aisles must meet the surface requirements in Section 502.4. The aisle must be at the same level as the parking space, with slopes no steeper than 1:48 permitted. That is approximately 2.08 percent in any direction. The underlying surface must also meet the applicable firm, stable and slip-resistant requirements.
Paint cannot flatten a sloping surface. A built-up curb ramp projecting into the aisle can also create a problem where a person needs room to transfer between the vehicle and a mobility device. Resolve those conditions as part of the layout review rather than tracing the old lines around them.
The route beyond the parking area needs its own review. Walking surfaces on an accessible route generally have a maximum running slope of 1:20 and maximum cross slope of 1:48 under Section 403.3. Ramps follow separate provisions. Do not apply a ramp slope to the parking space or assume every part of the accessible route follows the same slope limit. See ADA Chapter 4.
Accessible parking generally belongs on the shortest accessible route to the accessible entrance it serves, with dispersal where parking serves multiple accessible entrances. Confirm the entrance and route before deciding which existing spaces to repaint.
Include the van designation and Texas marking review
Where identification is required, Section 502.6 calls for the International Symbol of Accessibility and the designation “van accessible” on the signs identifying van spaces. The bottom of the identification sign must be at least 60 inches above the finished ground or floor surface. A pavement symbol alone does not replace a required upright sign.
There are identification exceptions in ADA and TAS Section 216.5. One applies where the entire site has four or fewer parking spaces, including accessible spaces. Another concerns residential spaces assigned to specific dwelling units. These exceptions concern identification, not permission to omit a required van space. A Texas project also needs a separate check of applicable state marking and warning-sign rules before an exception is used to omit signage.
TDLR's published Rule 68.104 text adds requirements for paved accessible spaces, including a contrasting pavement symbol, “NO PARKING” aisle wording and a fine-and-towing warning. Its applicability bulletin explains the projects covered by the change effective August 1, 2020. Review the current rule and the property's project history rather than assuming every existing lot has the same retrofit scope. Our Texas accessible parking overview provides further background.
Prepare a useful marking and sign scope
For a Greater Houston property, start with the current site plan and photos of the van spaces, access aisles, signs and route to the entrance. Identify each lot or garage separately. Write down the required accessible count, the van minimum and the width arrangement proposed for each van space.
Keep observed conditions separate from confirmed measurements. A missing sign is visible in a photograph. Slope, clearance and exact aisle width need suitable measurements. If the layout involves a disputed facility boundary, a covered garage or a surface repair, resolve that question with the appropriate design professional, Registered Accessibility Specialist or authority before finalizing the marking work.
H-Town Line & Shine provides ADA parking lot striping in Houston, including marking and sign work across Harris County and Fort Bend County. We can review visible conditions, flag questions and quote the agreed work. Our contractor review is not a formal accessibility inspection or a certification of the entire property.
Frequently asked questions
Does a small covered lot still need a van space
Yes, when the general count table applies, a facility with 1 to 25 total spaces requires one accessible space, and that space must be van accessible. Confirm coverage and any special provisions first. A limited identification exception does not remove the required space or its usable layout.
Is one van space enough for seven required accessible spaces
No. Seven divided by six includes a fraction of another group, so Section 208.2.4 requires at least two van spaces. They are included in the seven accessible spaces. The same rounding approach applies when the accessible total moves beyond another multiple of six.
Can I convert a car space by changing only the sign
Only if the entire resulting arrangement satisfies the applicable van requirements. Verify the parking-space and aisle widths, overhead clearance, surface, route and required identification. A standard 96-inch space with a 60-inch aisle does not become a compliant van arrangement by adding a van sign.
Can two van spaces share one access aisle
Section 502.3 permits two spaces to share an aisle. Each van space must still have a compliant width arrangement and meet the other requirements. Angled van parking requires a passenger-side aisle, so do not copy a shared arrangement without checking the orientation and route.
Should we check van parking before a restripe
Yes. The Department of Justice restriping guidance says that when a business or state or local government restripes a parking facility, it must provide accessible spaces as required by the 2010 Standards. Review the count and layout before scheduling work, with project-specific questions resolved by the appropriate reviewer.
Request a written quote for your Houston property
Send your property address, current parking photos and any approved plan or inspection notes. Tell us whether you want to refresh existing markings or change the layout. Request a parking-marking review and quote so the proposed van spaces, aisle markings and signs can be clearly described before work begins.
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