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Short answer
Under the 2010 ADA Standards, a door opening on an accessible route must give a clear width of at least 32 inches (815 mm). Clear width is measured between the face of the door and the stop with the door open 90 degrees, so it is smaller than the door leaf itself. Openings more than 24 inches deep need 36 inches (915 mm). Source: Section 404.2.3, checked 30 October 2026.
This page explains the measurement and the door rules that travel with it, for lab, clinic and facility staff. It is general information about a published standard, not legal or architectural advice for a specific building.
Definition and scope
“ADA door width” usually means the minimum clear opening for doors, doorways and gates that are part of an accessible route. The rule sits in Chapter 4 of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, Section 404, which covers manual doors (404.2) and automatic and power-assisted doors (404.3). Doors designed to be operated only by security personnel are excused from some hardware, opening-force and automatic-door control provisions in 404.1, but not from the clear width rule.
The Department of Justice published the revised Title II and Title III regulations adopting the 2010 Standards on 15 September 2010. For new construction and alterations whose permit or construction start falls on or after 15 March 2012, the 2010 Standards apply. The Standards address fixed and built-in elements of buildings; they are not a rule about the size of a wheelchair, cart or instrument.
How the clear width is measured
Section 404.2.3 gives the measurement in four parts:
- Door openings provide a clear width of 32 inches (815 mm) minimum.
- For swinging doors, the clear opening is measured between the face of the door and the stop, with the door open 90 degrees.
- Openings more than 24 inches (610 mm) deep provide a clear opening of 36 inches (915 mm) minimum.
- Nothing projects into the required width lower than 34 inches (865 mm) above the finish floor. Between 34 and 80 inches (2030 mm), projections may not exceed 4 inches (100 mm).
Figure 404.2.3 in the standard shows the same 32-inch minimum clear opening for open sliding and folding doors.
Nominal size versus clear opening
A door is often described by the size of its leaf, but the standard regulates the opening that remains once the door is open. Because the measurement runs from the open door’s face to the stop, the number that must reach 32 inches is the measured gap, not the catalogue size of the leaf. This is an editorial reading of the measurement rule in 404.2.3; confirm the real opening on site with a tape measure at the 90-degree position.
Double-leaf and automatic doors
For a doorway with two leaves, at least one active leaf must meet the clear width and maneuvering clearance requirements (404.2.2). For automatic doors, the doorway must provide a clear opening of 32 inches minimum in power-on and power-off mode, and the width for an automatic door system is based on the clear opening provided by all leaves in the open position (404.3.1).
Door rules that travel with the width
Width is only one line of Section 404. The table lists related manual-door requirements, each taken from the section text.
| Item | Requirement | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Clear width | 32 in (815 mm) minimum; 36 in (915 mm) if the opening is more than 24 in deep | 404.2.3 |
| Projections into the opening | None below 34 in; no more than 4 in between 34 and 80 in | 404.2.3 |
| Thresholds | 1/2 in (13 mm) high maximum; existing or altered thresholds up to 3/4 in with beveled edges are excepted | 404.2.5 |
| Doors in series | Two hinged or pivoted doors: 48 in (1220 mm) minimum between them, plus the width of any door swinging into the space | 404.2.6 |
| Hardware height | Operable parts 34 in (865 mm) minimum to 48 in (1220 mm) maximum above the floor | 404.2.7 |
| Opening force | 5 pounds (22.2 N) maximum for interior hinged, sliding and folding doors; fire doors follow the administrative authority | 404.2.9 |
| Maneuvering clearance | Depends on approach direction and whether you push or pull; set by Table 404.2.4.1 | 404.2.4 |
Where it matters for labs, clinics and supply decisions
Three details of Section 404 matter in laboratory and clinical buildings. First, the 36-inch rule for openings more than 24 inches deep applies to deep doorways such as thick walls or vestibule-style openings, so check depth as well as width. Second, the projection limits apply to anything fixed in the opening zone, which makes hardware and closers worth checking, though the section permits door closers and stops to sit 78 inches (1980 mm) or higher above the floor. Third, the 2010 Standards cover the building element: whether a particular wheelchair, cart or instrument fits through a given opening is a separate question that the standard does not answer.
For related guidance, see the ADA ramp requirements, the guide to threshold ramps, the overview of what a wheelchair is, the hospital signage guide and the exam room furnishing checklist.
Common misunderstandings
“A 32-inch door meets the rule”
The standard sets 32 inches as the clear opening, not the size of the leaf. The measurement is taken between the open door’s face and the stop.
“There is a 48-inch maximum”
The text of Section 404.2.3 sets a minimum clear width and does not state a maximum width for a single door. The 48-inch figure in the standard concerns something else, such as the 48-inch maximum height for operable hardware.
“Width is the only requirement”
Thresholds, hardware height, opening force and maneuvering clearance sit in the same section and apply to the same door.
“The rule applies to every existing door”
The compliance dates published by the Department of Justice tie the 2010 Standards to new construction and alterations from 15 March 2012. Obligations for existing facilities fall under separate provisions of the ADA regulations that this page does not cover.
FAQ
What is the minimum ADA door width?
32 inches (815 mm) of clear width for door openings on an accessible route, measured between the face of the door and the stop with the door open 90 degrees (2010 ADA Standards, 404.2.3).
Do double doors both have to be 32 inches?
No. At least one active leaf of a two-leaf doorway must meet the clear width and maneuvering clearance requirements (404.2.2).
What width do automatic doors need?
A clear opening of 32 inches minimum in power-on and power-off mode (404.3.1).
What if the doorway is deep?
Openings more than 24 inches (610 mm) deep need a 36-inch (915 mm) minimum clear opening (404.2.3).
Sources
- U.S. Access Board, 2010 ADA Standards, Chapter 4, Section 404 Doors, Doorways and Gates: access-board.gov/ada/chapter/ch04. Checked 30 October 2026.
- U.S. Department of Justice, 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design (publication and compliance dates): ada.gov/law-and-regs/design-standards/2010-stds. Checked 30 October 2026.
