A practical planning guide from Briony Portable Toilets.
ADA-compliant portable toilets are wider, wheelchair-accessible units that meet the Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines for public accommodations. Every public event and construction site should include at least one, and in many cases you are legally required to. Here is what the rules say and how to plan a compliant rental.
ADA-compliant portable toilets have a wider entryway (typically 32 inches or more), a larger interior footprint that accommodates a wheelchair turning radius, interior grab bars on both sides of the toilet, a ground-level entry threshold, and a lower interior mounting height for handles and dispensers. Standard portable units do not meet any of these criteria.
Any event open to the public in the United States is required to provide accessible restroom facilities in proportion to overall restroom availability. The ADA does not specify a strict ratio, but industry best practice is at least one ADA unit for every 20 standard units, with a minimum of one at any event regardless of size. Ticketed events and events at public venues attract more compliance scrutiny.
Construction sites open to accessible-employee use are subject to the same ADA standards. If your workforce includes anyone with a mobility limitation — or if the site hosts public inspections, tours, or client visits — plan for at least one ADA unit. Federal contracts almost always require ADA-compliant facilities regardless of workforce composition.
ADA units must be placed on level ground with an accessible path of travel at least 36 inches wide, free of stairs, curbs, or gravel deeper than a wheelchair caster can cross. Whenever possible, place the unit near a paved surface, sidewalk, or compacted gravel path. Signage indicating accessible restroom location is helpful and often required at ticketed events.
Beyond the wider footprint, quality ADA units include: dual side grab bars, a lower urinal or none at all (to preserve interior floor space), a mirror at seated height, higher-visibility interior lighting, non-slip flooring, and an emergency-call sticker with vendor contact info. Verify these features before booking.
Baseline: one ADA unit for every 20 standard units, minimum one per event. For events with an older demographic, disability-services outreach, or medical support (marathons, health fairs), increase to one ADA per 10 standard units. Split ADA placement across multiple restroom banks rather than concentrating them in one location.
Signs at the accessible restroom itself and at every other restroom bank should indicate the direction and distance to the nearest ADA unit. Include the accessible-restroom pictogram (universal wheelchair symbol) on all signage. If your event uses an app or program, include the location on the venue map.
Once you have the fundamentals from this guide, the next step is a written quote tailored to your project. Call our Fargo office at 701-987-0097 or use our online quote form. Quote requests during business hours are typically returned the same business day.
Call 701-987-0097 or request a quote online. Our team will walk you through your options.
We serve the entire Fargo-Moorhead metro and Cass County. See our Areas Served page for the full list.
One to two weeks is ideal, though same-week and same-day service is often available.
Yes — every unit is pressure-washed, sanitized, and inspected between rentals.
Just call the office. We can add units, increase service frequency, or extend rentals at any time.
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