ADA Standards for Self Storage Facilities

[This article was updated in 2024]

Talking about the ADA makes small business owners nervous.

And it’s not because they don’t want to help their disabled customers. It’s because they’re not sure exactly what the law requires!

We’ve all heard horror stories about “drive-by lawsuits” and disingenuous plaintiffs, and those can be a real danger to a small business.

The ADA, or Americans With Disabilities Act, is the primary law that deals with accessibility for small businesses. People also use “ADA” as shorthand for any similar legislation.

The original ADA passed in 1990, though updates in 2010 made it much more relevant to self storage facility owners.

The good news is that the typical self storage facility is very accessible from the start. You probably won’t need to rip out your bathrooms or build new hallways.

In this blog, we’ll cover the important pieces of the ADA so you can get back to running your business without fear!

Specific ADA Requirements for Self Storage Businesses

Per Janus International, the ADA requires self storage businesses to comply with several specific regulations. Here's a look at those regulations:

• 5% of the first 200 units of any self storage business must be wheelchair accessible.
• 2% of all units beyond 200 must also be wheelchair accessible.
• Wheelchair-accessible units must be dispersed among classes of spaces.
• Example: a 180-unit facility must maintain 9 accessible units. A 320 unit facility must maintain 13 accessible units. These must be a mixture of sizes.

The ADA also outlines larger restroom turning spaces to accommodate wheelchairs, new workspace requirements for disabled employees, as well as new reach ranges for pull ropes, light swiches, etc.

At first glance, this may seem like a lot to comply with.

But the self storage industry is by nature in a good position to quickly meet ADA regulations.

Storage facilities typically already have wide hallways and spacious rooms, given that they are used to move large and heavy storage loads.

Joining your local storage association can help you ensure your facility is ADA-compliant. 

Each state has its own specific legal code, and you need expert advice before you try to dive in by yourself. 

What You Risk by Non-Compliance

If your facility is non-compliant, you’re not going to get a ticket from the highway patrol. The ADA is mostly enforced by disabled customers or employees choosing to bring a private lawsuit against a business.

In fact, some people are taking advantage of the ADA to file what are called "drive-by lawsuits."

In a drive-by lawsuit, someone simply drives by a business (or uses Google Maps to examine a business) in search of ADA violations.

Then, without being an actual customer or employee, that individual files a lawsuit under Title 3 of the Act. Often, the plaintiff's goal is to get you to settle out of court for the amount you would have to pay to fight the charge anyway.

The best way to avoid these hazards is to ensure your facility is ADA-compliant; but if you’re not able to check every box, here’s where you should start.

What Drive-By Lawsuits Target

Drive-by lawsuits are low-effort attempts to squeeze some money out of businesses.

If you can update the public-facing parts of your business, you can dissuade disingenuous litigators from bothering you.

Of course, ideally your whole facility would be ADA-compliant, but that can be difficult and expensive. It’s also possible to have an accessible facility that doesn’t meet every ADA requirement.

So, if you’re worried about drive-by-lawsuits, here are some suggestions:

• Start with the parking lot - be certain you have the correct number of handicapped parking spots that are of the right size and shape.
  
  
• Have an accessible route from the parking lot to the office. There can’t be any hazards in the way and you need a wheelchair-accessible ramp.

• Curb ramps must be of a specific width and slope so that people in wheelchairs can actually use them.

• Doors must be suitably easy to open for people who have trouble with grip, and they’ve got to be wide enough that a wheelchair can go through.

• The ADA also requires signage indicating accessible entrances in certain circumstances. This is another area where you’ll need a state-level expert to guide you.

• Counter height must be low enough to accommodate people who use mobility devices (such as wheelchairs). 

• Bathrooms are another common pain point. Bathrooms must be large enough to accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

Your alarm system must also have both visual and audio components to protect guests who are impaired with one or two other.

Website Compliance

While the ADA is focused on the offline portions of your business, your website can be customized to meet the needs of the disabled as well!

Instead of the ADA, web accessibility is governed by WCAG - Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

StoragePug websites all meet the recommended requirements for the WCAG, so that’s one less thing to worry about.

Focus on What Matters Most

At StoragePug, we understand how competitive the self storage industry can be and how complicated an owner's job can be.

That's why we offer a series of products and services to help you create an online presence that is constantly funneling customers your way.

Let us focus on your self storage website, online rentals, and SEO while you focus on ADA compliance and the many other tasks competing for your attention.

Get in touch to learn more about our web development, rental software, and SEO solutions designed specifically for self storage facility owners.

Take a look at some of my other favorite posts:

• Self Storage Marketing Playbook [Free eBook]
• Offering Commercial Storage: The Complete Guide for Self Storage
• How to Make 24/7 Access Safe

StoragePug is a modern marketing company for self storage. We create intelligent marketing websites that allow you to rent units & take payments through your facility's website.