National Ramp strives to meet ADA (Americans with Disability Act) compliance standards on each ramp installed.

ADA guidelines require one foot of ramping for every inch of elevation. For example, if your ramp is starting 10 inches off the ground, 10 feet of ramping would be required. This ensures that the ramp is not too steep for safe use.

ADA guidelines also require a solid 5'x5' level platform at the door (which could be a porch or deck). This allows for safety when opening/closing the door on a level surface, instead of on a decline. The ramp must also end on a solid 5'x5' surface. This can be a paved driveway or sidewalk, or an aluminum landing pad. Dirt and grass are never solid landing surfaces for your ramp and can cause wheelchairs or other mobility devices to become stuck in muddy conditions.

If you have a ramp run longer than 30 feet, ADA guidelines require a resting platform, so you have a safe place to rest if you become weary while rolling up the ramp.

There may be scenarios where a proposed ramp layout does not meet ADA guidelines, as long as our trained evaluator feels that it is safe for your use and that it can be approved by your local VA. The ADA guidelines were written primarily for public buildings, where accessibility for the entire public must be taken into consideration. When a ramp is being configured for a personal residence, your specific needs should be considered. For example, the ADA guidelines must account for wheelchair users in a manual wheelchair who are self-ambulating or actually rolling themselves up the ramp without assistance. You may be in a power wheelchair or power scooter, and therefore do not require such a gradual slope.

The ability to obtain a layout that is not ADA compliant will depend on several factors; including, your VA hospital, specific reasons why the layout is non-ADA compliant or reasons why an ADA-compliant ramp would not work for you, and how far from full ADA compliance the layout is. Please understand that our first obligation is to provide a fully ADA compliant layout and there is no guarantee that a non-ADA compliant layout will be approved by the VA.