ICC A117.1 Committee
ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
News
The 2nd draft for the ICC A117.1 is open for public comment through Nov. 25, 2024. While the second draft includes the full revised text, public comments are limited to the revised sections or items that the committee revised based on ballot and public comments received. A legislative draft is also available. The report of the committee action on the ballot and public comments received is posted under the Second Draft Development for the Public Input Agenda. Because of the size of the files this report is divided into three sections 1) Editorial and Chapter 1 thru 5; 2) Chapter 6; and 3) Chapter 7 thru 11. Please send in any comments on the form.
Supplement 1 the 2017 ICC A117.1 was approved by the Development Committee and ANSI. This supplement is limited to proposal 06-90-2021 for the technical provisions for adult changing stations. Adult changing stations are scoped in the 2024 International Building Code and the 2024 International Existing Building Code.
The 2023 draft for the ICC A117.1 was open for public comment through July 31, 2023. While the draft included the full text, public comments were limited to the revised sections or items in the original proposals. The committee reviewed the Comments on the 1st draft is posted under First Draft Development for the Public Input Agenda. This is divided between Chapter 1-5, Chapter 6, and Chapter 7-11.
The ICC A117.1 committee will be meeting every other Thursday, starting Feb. 24, 2022, to review the public comments submitted. Meeting times and dates are provided on the meeting notice. The ICC A117.1 roster has 50 organization memberships.
The public review period to submit public comments concluded on April 5, 2021.The public comments have been posted on Jan. 21, 2022, and revised Feb. 8, 2022 and are located in the Administrative documents. They can be accessed here.
Modifications to the proposals can be submitted on this form. Modifications should be submitted to staff at least 24 hours before the meeting where the proposal will be discussed so that the modifications can be distributed prior to the call.
The 2017* edition of ICC A117.1 entitled Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities was approved by ANSI as an American National Standard on March 28, 2017. The 2017 ICC A117.1 standard can be viewed for free here. The standard and commentary are available for in print and electronic format at the ICC store.
The Code Council adheres to openness and transparency in our Standards development process. All ICC Standards committee meetings are open to the public. Any interested party can participate in committee meetings and can be considered by the committee for membership on any work-group that the committee creates. Interested parties will be notified by email of standards activities related to ICC (ASC A117), including committee meetings, sub-group meetings and the availability of standard development documentation. If you wish to be placed on the “interested parties” list for the development of this standard, contact the ICC Secretariat for ICC (ASC A117) named below.
Committee Update
The ICC A117.1 had four work groups that developed proposals related to their scope of work. For a description of the work groups, look under Administrative. The four work groups were Scoping, Accessible Bathing, Assisted Toileting and Bathing and Adult Changing Stations.
The ICC A117.1 has four new task groups – Residential Receptacles.; Communications; Walking and Wheeling Surfaces; Terminology.
The ICC Consensus Committee on Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, ICC (ASC A117) develops the ICC A117.1 Standard. The Consensus Committee is a continuing committee.
*During the development of the 2017 edition, it was generally referred to as the 2015 edition. As the development period ran longer than expected, the ‘2015’ became the 2017 edition.
General Information
It is with great sadness that we recently learned of the passing of Kermit Robinson on March 27, 2024. Kermit was the distinguished ICC Secretariat for the committee for many years and retired in early 2020. Our deepest condolences go out to Kermit's family and we will forever be grateful for his service to this very important committee.
If you wish to be placed on the ‘interested parties’ list for the development of the standard, contact the ICC Interim Secretariat, Karl Aittaniemi, Director of Standards. Interested parties will be notified by email of standards activities related to the ICC A117.1 standard.
If you wish to complete an application for membership to the ASC A117 Committee, contact the ICC Secretariat. ICC membership is not required.
2017 Edition
New to the 2017 edition are enhanced dimensions for clear floor spaces and turning spaces. These increases were in response to technical data regarding the space needed by persons using scooters and some types of motorized wheelchairs. These enhanced provisions only apply to new buildings and facilities. Where existing buildings and facilities are remodeled, the historic dimensions will still apply.
Other changes include exterior routes, curb cuts, blended transitions, clarity for detectable warnings, passenger drop offs and parking requirements coordinated with the Public Rights of Way Guidelines, providing an accessible design standard for electrical vehicle charging stations and enhanced safety for accessible routes crossing parking lots. Also introduced are acoustic standards for classrooms, features allowing for better communication for persons using sign language, provisions addressing the recharging of wheelchairs in assembly venues and hotels, access to gaming machines and tables, and provisions for water bottle filling stations. The new standard continues to provide coordination between the accessible provisions of this standard and the Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines (FHAG) and the 2010 Standard for Accessible Design referenced by the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA).
History of ICC A117.1
The 1961 edition of ANSI Standard A117.1 presented the first criteria for accessibility to be approved as an American National Standard and was the result of research conducted by the University of Illinois under a grant from the Easter Seal Research Foundation. The National Easter Seal Society and the President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities became members of the Secretariat, and the 1961 edition was reaffirmed in 1971.
In 1974, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development joined the Secretariat and sponsored needed research, which resulted in the 1980 edition. After further revision that included a special effort to remove application criteria (scoping requirements), the 1986 edition was published. When requested in 1987, the Council of American Building Officials (CABO) assumed the Secretariat. Central to the intent of the change in the Secretariat was the development of a standard that, when adopted as part of a building code, the standard would be compatible with the building code and its enforcement. The 1998 edition largely achieved that goal. The 2017 edition of the standard is the latest example of the A117.1 committee’s effort to continue developing a standard that is compatible with the building code.
In 1998, CABO became the International Code Council (ICC). The International Code Council (ICC) became the secretariat in 1998 when CABO became ICC. The 2017 edition marks the 30th anniversary of the ICC Secretariat of the standard.
Editions of the A117.1 standard are 1961, 1971, 1980, 1986, 1992, 1998, 2003, 2009 and the 2017. Several editions of the A117.1 standard are 'safe harbor' for compliance with the FHA. Additional information is on the HUD website here.
Edition Development
- 2017 edition
- 2008 Edition (Published as the 2009 edition, copyrighted 2010)
- 2003 Edition
