ADA-Accessible Porta Potty Rental

Our accessible units are true ADA-compliant models, not oversized standard units.

What makes a portable toilet ADA-accessible?

A portable toilet is ADA-accessible when it meets the toilet room requirements in §603 of the 2010 ADA Standards. The U.S. Access Board, which writes the standards, says portable units "must meet all requirements for toilet rooms that apply," including fixture clearances, turning space and door maneuvering clearances (Access Board, Guide to Chapter 6: Toilet Rooms).

In practice that means:

Figures are from the Access Board guide and the ADA Standards, §603 and §604. The entry must also connect to an accessible route, so a compliant unit has a floor at ground level or a short ramp in place of a step.

California applies its own version of the same requirements through Building Code §11B-603.

Is "wheelchair accessible" or "handicap" the same as ADA?

Not always, and the difference matters on a permit application.

Rental companies use several names for larger units: "handicap," "wheelchair accessible," "oversized," "family" and "ADA." Only a unit that meets the §603 requirements above is an ADA-accessible unit. A larger unit can have a wide door, a flat entry and handrails and still have an interior too small for a wheelchair to turn around in, so a person can roll in but has to back out. A unit like that is useful, but it does not meet the standard and should not be counted as your accessible unit at a public event.

Three questions to ask any supplier, including us:

1. Does the unit have a 60-inch turning circle or T-shaped turning space inside?
2. Are the grab bars at the side and rear of the toilet, at the lengths and heights in §604?
3. Does it carry the International Symbol of Accessibility?

When is an accessible portable toilet required?

Public events and public sites in California

The California Building Code requires that where single-user portable toilets are clustered at one location, 5 percent of the units, and never fewer than one, be accessible and be marked with the International Symbol of Accessibility (CBC §11B-213.2, Exception 3, in the Division of the State Architect's advisory manual, PDF).

The federal rule reads slightly differently. It says no more than 5 percent of the units in each cluster are required to comply (ADA Standards §213.2, Exception 3). California's "never fewer than one" is the wording to plan around here.

The rule applies per cluster, not per event. If you place toilets in three separate groups, each group needs its own accessible unit.

Counts are rounded up from the percentage of the cluster total. Confirm the number with the permit office, since each city decides how it applies the percentage. Our porta potty calculator includes accessible units in its count.

Cities that ask for 10 percent

Two cities in our area print a higher figure on their event forms:

• Murrieta asks for accessible units equal to 10% of the total, never fewer than one at each location, and says that if a single unit is placed it must be accessible (Murrieta Special Event Permit Application).
• Lake Elsinore asks on its accessibility checklist whether at least 10% of portable restrooms will be accessible (Lake Elsinore Special Event Application).

Lead times and links for every city we serve are in the porta potty permit guide.

Construction sites

The federal ADA Standards exempt portable toilets "provided for use exclusively by construction personnel on a construction site" from the accessibility requirements and from the accessible route requirement (ADA Standards §203.2). The California Building Code carries the same exemption in §11B-203.2.

The exemption is narrow. It covers units used only by the construction crew. A sales office, a model home complex open to buyers or a site where the public walks through is a different situation. For crew toilet counts, see the Cal/OSHA guide.

Where does an accessible unit have to go?

An accessible unit only works if a person using a wheelchair can reach it and get through the door.

• On an accessible route. The Access Board guide says an accessible route and entrance must serve accessible units. In practice this means a firm, stable surface from the parking or event area to the door: pavement, concrete or well-compacted ground. Loose gravel, sand, deep mulch and wet grass do not qualify.
• On level ground. Murrieta's event packet calls for a level area with no more than a 2% cross-slope in any direction (Murrieta application). That is a sound target anywhere.
• With clear space at the door. Leave room in front of the door for a wheelchair to approach and for the door to swing fully open. Do not box the unit in between two others with the door facing a fence.
• At the front of each group. Place the accessible unit at the end of the row nearest the path, not at the far end.
• Next to hand washing. Put a hand-wash station on the same firm surface. Our units do not have hand sanitizer dispensers, so the station is where people wash their hands.

What else are accessible units used for?

The extra floor space makes the larger unit a practical choice even when no rule requires it:

• Parents with small children. There is room for an adult and a child, or a stroller, inside with the door closed.
• Changing clothes. Race participants, performers and wedding parties use the space to change.
• Guests who use a walker or cane, or who need a caregiver's help.
• Job sites. Some contractors order one for the extra room, though it is not required for crew-only use.

What does an ADA-accessible unit cost?

ADA-accessible unit pricing is quoted when you call. Job site rentals bill in 28-day periods, and shorter rentals are available for special events.

Accessible units cost more than standard units because they are larger and fewer fit on a delivery truck. A delivery and pickup fee applies, with no fuel or environmental surcharges. Weekly service is included on job site rentals. See pricing.

ADA portable toilet FAQ

If I only rent one porta potty for a public event, does it have to be accessible? Under California's rule, a cluster needs at least one accessible unit, so a single unit serving the public should be an accessible one. Murrieta says so directly on its form.

Do I need an ADA unit for a private backyard party? The building code requirements are aimed at public accommodations and public events. A private party at a home is your decision. If any guest uses a wheelchair or walker, order one.

Can the accessible unit be placed on grass? Only if the grass is firm, level and dry, and a wheelchair can cross it. A paved or compacted surface is the safer choice.

Do you provide accessible restroom trailers? Our partner supplies a two-station restroom trailer, priced by quote. Most trailers are entered by steps, so plan an ADA-accessible portable unit beside it. See restroom trailer rental.

Where do you deliver? From our Murrieta yard to the Temecula Valley and western and central Riverside County. See the city list under porta potty rental and the event types we cover under event porta potty rental.

Get an accessible unit delivered

Call (951) 517-3600 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. any day, or send the form below. Tell us the event or site address, the dates, the total number of toilets planned and the surface the accessible unit will sit on.