Pictogram ADA Signs & Text Descriptors

Common ADA pictogram symbols include restroom gender symbols (male, female, gender-neutral), wheelchair accessibility icons, telephone, stairway, elevator, first aid, and no smoking symbols. Each symbol follows standardized proportions defined by ADA and ISO guidelines to ensure universal recognition across commercial and public facilities.

Examples include the International Symbol of Accessibility (wheelchair), male and female restroom icons, elevator arrows, fire exit running figures, and no-entry symbols. In ADA-compliant signage, these pictograms appear within a defined field size and are always paired with text descriptors positioned below the symbol field.

A text descriptor is the written label placed below or near a pictogram on an ADA sign — for example, 'Restroom' under a gender symbol. ADA regulations require text descriptors to be in sans-serif font with high contrast, and they must also appear as raised tactile characters with accompanying Grade 2 Braille.

Yes. Under ADA Title III, any sign that uses a pictogram to identify a permanent room or space must include a text descriptor in raised tactile characters and Grade 2 contracted Braille. The pictogram itself does not need to be tactile, but the accompanying descriptor must meet all ADA tactile and Braille standards.

Caribee Sign manufactures pictogram ADA signs in brushed stainless steel, frosted and clear acrylic, wood, and multi-material composites. Each substrate is available in custom colors and finishes — including two-tone combinations — to align with facility branding while maintaining full ADA compliance.

Absolutely. Caribee Sign offers fully custom pictogram signs tailored to specific room types, brand color palettes, material preferences, and mounting configurations. Custom options include unique icon combinations, font styles, background colors, and size variations, all engineered to meet ADA accessibility requirements without compromising aesthetic design.