ADA Shower Grab Bar Placement Guide (Commercial)

Which shower grab bars do I need and where should I place them to be ADA compliant? (Quantity, Shape, Length, Wall Location, and Placement Height).

⚠️This is a guide for commercial shower grab bar placement (such as in a public facility), where grab bar placement must abide by ADA handicap placement guidelines.

For residential shower grab bar placement (such as in a private home), where placement is at the discretion of the user and not subject to ADA, read our Shower Grab Bar Placement Guide.

Grab bars are required by ADA law in accessible shower stalls. Understanding ADA grab bar installation guidelines is critical for being issued a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A new building cannot be legally occupied until a CO has been issued, and incorrect installation of grab bars can result in inspection failures and delayed openings. Don’t let this happen to you!

ADA law requires shower grab bars to be placed in specific shower locations dependent upon the three following types of showers:

1. Transfer Showers (36″ x 36″) 
2. Standard Roll-In Showers (30″ x 60″) 
3. Standard Roll-In Showers (30″ x 60″) without shower seat 
4. Alternate Roll-In Showers (36″ x 60″) 

Control Wall Horizontal Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• Yes!

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Generally, a 24 inch straight grab bar is utilized for walls that measure 36 inches.

What are the ADA grab bar placement requirements?

• The grab bar shall span the full depth of the control wall. The center of the flange to the adjacent wall must measure less than 6 inches. 
• The grab bar shall be placed at the same height as the back wall grab bar, ranging between  33 to 36 inches above the shower floor.

Control Wall Vertical Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• This is not required by ADA but it is required by ANSI, which depends on local building code! Read more below.

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Standard grab bar lengths utilized are 18″, 24″, or 30″. These can be purchased on our shower grab bars page.

What are the grab bar placement requirements?

• The grab bar mounted vertically on the control wall shall be a minimum 18 inches (455 mm) in length.
• The horizontal centerline of the grab bar bottom flange shall be 36 to 39 inches (915 mm to 1065 mm) above the shower floor.
• The horizontal centerline of the grab bar bottom flange shall be 3 to 6 inches (75 mm to 150 mm) above the horizontal centerline of the horizontal grab bar beneath it.
• The vertical centerline of the grab bar shall be 4 inches (102 mm) maximum from the outside edge of the shower.

When is this grab bar placement required?

• The ADA requires a horizontal grab bar on the control wall, but it DOES NOT specify a vertical grab bar. However, oftentimes, you will also see a vertical grab bar on the control wall in the accessible shower stall. The vertical grab bar is only specified in the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, which is another accessibility code standard.
• Some architects/designers will specify the vertical grab bar on their drawings just to ensure that they do not receive a comment from the city or because they are unsure of local building code and include it just to cover their butt. Also, this vertical bar is very helpful for people with disabilities and it is not an expensive addition to the overall budget of the project.
• If you are unclear if your local building code requires the side wall vertical grab bar, go ahead and install it just to be safe!

Back Wall Horizontal Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• Yes!

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Generally, a 18 inch straight grab bar is utilized for walls that measure 36 inches with an adjacent shower seat.

What are the ADA grab bar placement requirements?

• The bar must extend to within 6 inches from the adjacent walls. With the shower seat present the grab bar length should be a length as to not over hang the seat.
• The grab bar shall be placed at the same height as the control wall grab bar, ranging between  33 to 36 inches above the shower floor.

Seat Wall Horizontal Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• No, if this wall has an ADA folding shower seat it does not require a grab bar placement.

https://www.access-board.gov/files/ada/guides/bathrooms.pdf

Control Wall Horizontal Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• Yes!

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Generally, we see people utilize a 36 inch straight grab bar for walls that measure 60 inches.

What are the ADA grab bar placement requirements?

• The grab bar shall span the full depth of the control wall. The bar must extend to within 6 inches from the adjacent walls. With the shower seat present the grab bar length should be a length as to not over hang the seat.
• The grab bar shall be placed at the same height as the back wall grab bar, ranging between  33 to 36 inches above the shower floor.

Control Wall Vertical Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• This is not required by ADA but it is required by ANSI, which depends on local building code! Read more below.

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Standard grab bar lengths utilized are 18″, 24″, or 30″. These can be purchased on our shower grab bars page.

What are the grab bar placement requirements?

• The grab bar mounted vertically on the control wall shall be a minimum 18 inches in length.
• The horizontal centerline of the grab bar bottom flange shall be 36 to 39 inches above the shower floor.
• The horizontal centerline of the grab bar bottom flange shall be 3 to 6 inches above the horizontal centerline of the horizontal grab bar beneath it.
• The vertical centerline of the grab bar shall be 4 inches maximum from the outside edge of the shower.

When is this grab bar placement required?

• The ADA requires a horizontal grab bar on the control wall, but it DOES NOT specify a vertical grab bar. However, oftentimes, you will also see a vertical grab bar on the control wall in the accessible shower stall. The vertical grab bar is only specified in the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, which is another accessibility code standard.
• Some architects/designers will specify the vertical grab bar on their drawings just to ensure that they do not receive a comment from the city or because they are unsure of local building code and include it just to cover their butt. Also, this vertical bar is very helpful for people with disabilities and it is not an expensive addition to the overall budget of the project.
• If you are unclear if your local building code requires the side wall vertical grab bar, go ahead and install it just to be safe!

Back Wall Horizontal Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• Yes!

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Generally, we see people utilize a 24 inch straight grab bar for walls that measure 30 inches.

What are the ADA grab bar placement requirements?

• The grab bar shall span the full depth of the back wall. The center of the flange to the adjacent wall must measure less than 6 inches. 
• The grab bar shall be placed at the same height as the control wall grab bar, ranging between  33 to 36 inches above the shower floor.

Seat Wall Horizontal Grab Bar:

• No, if this wall has an ADA folding shower seat it does not require a grab bar placement.

https://www.access-board.gov/files/ada/guides/bathrooms.pdf

Control Wall Horizontal Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• Yes!

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Generally, we see people utilize a 24 inch straight grab bar for walls that measure 30 inches.

What are the ADA grab bar placement requirements?

• The grab bar shall span the full depth of the control wall. The center of the flange to the adjacent wall must measure less than 6 inches. 
• The grab bar shall be placed at the same height as the back wall and seat wall grab bars ranging between  33 to 36 inches above the shower floor.

Control Wall Vertical Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• This is not required by ADA but it is required by ANSI, which depends on local building code! Read more below.

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Standard grab bar lengths utilized are 18″, 24″, or 30″. These can be purchased on our shower grab bars page.

What are the grab bar placement requirements?

• The grab bar mounted vertically on the control wall shall be a minimum 18 inches in length.
• The horizontal centerline of the grab bar bottom flange shall be 36 to 39 inches above the shower floor.
• The horizontal centerline of the grab bar bottom flange shall be 3 to 6 inches above the horizontal centerline of the horizontal grab bar beneath it.
• The vertical centerline of the grab bar shall be 4 inches maximum from the outside edge of the shower.

When is this grab bar placement required?

• The ADA requires a horizontal grab bar on the control wall, but it DOES NOT specify a vertical grab bar. However, oftentimes, you will also see a vertical grab bar on the control wall in the accessible shower stall. The vertical grab bar is only specified in the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, which is another accessibility code standard.
• Some architects/designers will specify the vertical grab bar on their drawings just to ensure that they do not receive a comment from the city or because they are unsure of local building code and include it just to cover their butt. Also, this vertical bar is very helpful for people with disabilities and it is not an expensive addition to the overall budget of the project.
• If you are unclear if your local building code requires the side wall vertical grab bar, go ahead and install it just to be safe!

Back Wall Horizontal Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• Yes!

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Generally, we see people utilize a 48 inch straight grab bar for walls that measure 60 inches.

What are the ADA grab bar placement requirements?

• The grab bar shall span the full depth of the back wall. The center of the flange to the adjacent wall must measure less than 6 inches. 
• The grab bar shall be placed at the same height as the control wall and seat wall grab bars ranging between  33 to 36 inches above the shower floor.

Seat Wall Horizontal Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• Yes, when no shower seat is present a grab bar is required.

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Generally, we see people utilize a 24 inch straight grab bar for walls that measure 30 inches.

What are the ADA grab bar placement requirements?

• The grab bar shall span the full depth of the seat wall. The center of the flange to the adjacent wall must measure less than 6 inches. 
• The grab bar shall be placed at the same height as the control wall and back wall grab bars ranging between  33 to 36 inches above the shower floor.

https://www.access-board.gov/files/ada/guides/bathrooms.pdf

Control Wall Horizontal Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• Yes!

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Generally, we see people utilize a 24 inch straight grab bar for walls that measure 36 inches.

What are the ADA grab bar placement requirements?

• The grab bar shall span the full depth of the control wall. The center of the flange to the adjacent wall must measure less than 6 inches. With the shower seat present the grab bar length should be a length as to not over hang the seat. 
• The grab bar shall be placed at the same height as the back wall grab bar,  ranging between  33 to 36 inches above the shower floor.

Control Wall Vertical Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• This is not required by ADA but it is required by ANSI, which depends on local building code! Read more below.

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Standard grab bar lengths utilized are 18″, 24″, or 30″. These can be purchased on our shower grab bars page.

What are the grab bar placement requirements?

• The grab bar mounted vertically on the control wall shall be a minimum 18 inches in length.
• The horizontal centerline of the grab bar bottom flange shall be 36 to 39 inches above the shower floor.
• The horizontal centerline of the grab bar bottom flange shall be 3 to 6 inches above the horizontal centerline of the horizontal grab bar beneath it.
• The vertical centerline of the grab bar shall be 4 inches maximum from the outside edge of the shower.

When is this grab bar placement required?

• The ADA requires a horizontal grab bar on the control wall, but it DOES NOT specify a vertical grab bar. However, oftentimes, you will also see a vertical grab bar on the control wall in the accessible shower stall. The vertical grab bar is only specified in the ICC/ANSI A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, which is another accessibility code standard.
• Some architects/designers will specify the vertical grab bar on their drawings just to ensure that they do not receive a comment from the city or because they are unsure of local building code and include it just to cover their butt. Also, this vertical bar is very helpful for people with disabilities and it is not an expensive addition to the overall budget of the project.
• If you are unclear if your local building code requires the side wall vertical grab bar, go ahead and install it just to be safe!

Back Wall Horizontal Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• Yes!

How many do I need?

• Quantity of 1.

What is the standard grab bar length?

• Generally, we see people utilize a 48 inch straight grab bar for walls that measure 60 inches.

What are the ADA grab bar placement requirements?

• The grab bar shall span the full depth of the back wall. The center of the flange to the adjacent wall must measure less than 6 inches. 
• The grab bar shall be placed at the same height as the control wall  , ranging between  33 to 36 inches above the shower floor.

Seat Wall Horizontal Grab Bar:

Is this grab bar placement mandatory?

• No, if this wall has an ADA folding shower seat it does not require a grab bar placement.

https://www.access-board.gov/files/ada/guides/bathrooms.pdf

View Additional Placement Guides:

Showers:

• Shower Grab Bar Placement Guide (Residential)
• ADA Shower Grab Bar Placement Guide (Commercial) ♿

Bathtubs:

• Bathtub Grab Bar Placement Guide (Residential)
• ADA Bathtub Grab Bar Placement Guide (Commercial) ♿

Toilets:

• Toilet Grab Bar Placement Guide (Residential)
• ADA Toilet Grab Bar Placement Guide (Commercial) ♿