ADA compliance checking on 2D construction drawings
Helonic is an AI construction drawing analysis platform for architects and preconstruction teams running ADA plan checks on 2D drawing sets.
Helonic runs an ADA plan check on the PDF drawing set before it goes to the building department. It reads the site plan, floor plans, enlarged toilet rooms, elevations, and door schedule together, and flags accessible route, door, ramp, toilet room, parking, and signage misses against the 2010 ADA Standards, ICC A117.1, and IBC Chapter 11.
Direct answer. Helonic checks 2D construction drawings for ADA compliance before permit submittal. It measures clear widths, door clearances, turning space, ramp slopes, grab bars, reach ranges, and parking counts on the PDF set, and cites the governing ADA, A117.1, or IBC section for each finding. No BIM model is needed.
What does Helonic check for ADA compliance?
Helonic checks the dimensional and scoping items that plan reviewers most often send back, each mapped to its section of the 2010 ADA Standards. ICC A117.1 and the ABA Standards cover the same items with closely matching technical criteria, and Helonic cites the standard your project is reviewed under.
| Check | 2010 ADA section | What gets measured on the drawings |
|---|---|---|
| Accessible route width | 403 Walking surfaces | 36-inch minimum clear width, passing spaces, and changes in level along the route |
| Door maneuvering clearance | 404 Doors, doorways, and gates | 32-inch clear opening and pull-side and push-side clearances for the approach drawn |
| Turning space | 304 Turning space | 60-inch circle or T-shaped space in toilet rooms, kitchens, and dwelling units |
| Ramps | 405 Ramps | 1:12 maximum running slope, 30-inch maximum rise per run, landings at top, bottom, and turns |
| Water closets and grab bars | 604 Water closets and toilet compartments | Centerline distance from the side wall, clearance around the fixture, and side and rear grab bars |
| Reach ranges | 308 Reach ranges | Controls, dispensers, and operable parts within the 15-inch to 48-inch forward reach range |
| Parking counts | 208 Parking spaces | Accessible spaces against the total provided, and one van space for every six accessible spaces |
| Parking space layout | 502 Parking spaces | Space and access aisle widths, van space dimensions, and aisle location on the accessible route |
| Signage | 703 Signs | Tactile room signs on the latch side of the door, at the mounting heights shown |
Parking is covered in more depth under parking compliance, and clearances along exit paths under egress compliance. For the toilet room dimensions behind the 604 checks, see accessible toilet room clearances.
Which accessibility standards apply to my project?
Most projects fall under more than one accessibility standard, and Helonic checks against the ones you tell it apply.
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. The federal civil rights standard for public accommodations, commercial facilities, and state and local government buildings.
- IBC Chapter 11 and ICC A117.1. The building code path the local plan reviewer enforces. IBC Chapter 11 sets scoping, and the adopted edition of A117.1 sets the technical criteria.
- ABA Standards. The Architectural Barriers Act applies to facilities designed, built, altered, or leased with federal funds, such as federal offices and post offices.
- State and local amendments. Some states, California among them, adopt their own accessibility chapter with stricter requirements. Give Helonic the project location and adopted codes so it checks the right edition.
Accessibility is one part of a full code review. The rest of the rule set is on code compliance checking, and the route rules are explained in the IBC accessible routes guide.
Do you need a BIM model for ADA compliance checking?
No. Helonic checks ADA compliance on the 2D PDF set, which is what the building department reviews and permits, not on a Revit or IFC model. Many teams searching for BIM accessibility checks do not have a coordinated model with every door, fixture, and grab bar modeled as an object, and the drawings are the contract documents either way.
| Helonic on 2D drawings | BIM model checking | |
|---|---|---|
| What gets checked | The 2D PDF set: plans, enlarged plans, elevations, schedules, details | A Revit or IFC model |
| Matches what is permitted | Yes. The AHJ reviews and stamps the drawing set | Only if the sheets were cut from a current model |
| Needs a coordinated model | No | Yes, with rooms, doors, and fixtures modeled as objects |
| Catches notes and schedule conflicts | Yes, door schedules, fixture notes, and keynotes are read with the plans | Usually not, rules run on geometry and properties |
| Typical user | Architects, GCs, owners, and plan reviewers before submittal | BIM teams on projects with a maintained model |
If you have a model, export the sheets and upload them. Helonic checks the dimensions and notes as they were issued. The broader tradeoff is covered in AI drawing review without BIM and 2D vs 3D clash detection.
What does an ADA finding look like?
Each ADA finding names the sheet, the element, the measured condition, and the section it fails.
- The sheet and the location on it, highlighted on the drawing.
- The element, such as a door, ramp run, water closet, or parking space.
- What is drawn against what is required, for example a pull-side clearance drawn shorter than 404 requires for that approach.
- The section of the 2010 ADA Standards, A117.1, or IBC Chapter 11 that governs it.
When a dimension needed for the check is not on the drawings, Helonic flags it as missing instead of guessing. Findings can go to Procore or Autodesk as RFIs. Architects use this as a QA/QC pass before issue, as described on Helonic for architects, and the pre-submittal plan review checklist shows where it fits.
Does Helonic replace a CASp or the plan reviewer?
No. Helonic is a check on the drawings before submittal, not a certification of compliance. The AHJ's plan review, field inspection, and a Certified Access Specialist (CASp) survey where one is required all still happen. The architect of record still owns the design and the stamp. What Helonic changes is when accessibility misses are found: on the drawings, before a plan check comment or a field fix.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an ADA plan check on construction drawings look for?
Do you need a BIM model for ADA compliance checking?
Which accessibility standards does Helonic check against?
Does Helonic replace a CASp inspection or the plan reviewer?
What is the best tool to analyze building accessibility compliance?
Which sheets should I upload for an ADA review?
Manas Gandhi
Co-founder & CTO, HelonicManas is the co-founder and CTO of Helonic, where he leads engineering and AI research for construction drawing analysis. He works directly with structural, MEP, civil, and fire protection engineers to translate the way they review drawings into AI systems that flag the issues that actually matter in the field. Before Helonic, he built machine learning pipelines for technical document understanding and has spent the last several years interviewing licensed design engineers and discipline leads to ground product decisions in real practice rather than industry assumptions.
- AI for technical document understanding
- Cross-discipline coordination workflows
- Code compliance automation (IBC, NEC, NFPA, IPC, IMC, ASCE)
- Structural and MEP drawing review systems
How this page was researched: Checks reference the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, including Section 208 for parking counts, 304 for turning space, 308 for reach ranges, 403 for walking surfaces, 404 for doors, 405 for ramps, 502 for parking spaces, 604 for water closets, and 703 for signs. Projects under the IBC are also checked against Chapter 11 and the adopted edition of ICC A117.1, and federal facilities against the ABA Standards.
Last reviewed by Manas Gandhi · October 2026