Stairwell Signage Requirements (14)

Stairway Identification

For new enclosed stairs serving three or more stories AND existing enclosed stairs (other than those addressed in bullet 16 below) serving five or more stories shall comply with numbers 1 through 15.

The stairs shall be provided with special signage within the enclosure at each floor landing.

  1. The signage shall indicate the floor level.
  2. The signage shall indicate the terminus of the top and bottom of the stair enclosure.
  3. The signage shall indicate the identification of the stair enclosure.
  4. The signage shall indicate the floor level of, and the direction to, exit discharge.
  5. The signage shall be located inside the stair enclosure.
  6. The bottom of the signage shall be located a minimum of 48" (1220 mm) above the floor landing, and the top of the signage shall be located a maximum of 84" (2135 mm) above the floor landing.
  7. The signage shall be in a position that is visible when the door is in the open or closed position.
  8. Illumination of signs shall be provided under emergency lighting conditions.
  9. The floor level designation shall also be tactile in accordance with ICC/ANSI A117.1, American National Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities.
  10. The signage shall be painted or stenciled on the wall or on a separate sign securely attached to the wall.
  11. The stairway identification shall be located at the top of the sign in minimum 1" (25 mm) high lettering.
  12. Stairwells that do not lead to the roof shall include the words “NO ROOF ACCESS”.  The lettering shall be a minimum of 1" high and shall be tactile in accordance with ICC/ANSI A117.1.
  13. The floor level number shall be located below the stairway identifier in minimum 5 inch high numbers and shall be tactile in accordance with ICC/ANSI A117.1.
  14. Mezzanine levels shall have the letter “M” or other appropriate identification letter preceding the floor number, while basement levels shall have the letter “B” or other appropriate identification letter preceding the floor level number.
  15. Identification of the lower and upper terminus of the stairway shall be on the sign in minimum 1 inch high letters or numbers and shall be tactile in accordance with ICC/ANSI A117.1.
  16. Previously approved, existing signage shall not be required to comply with 1 through 15.
Sample Stairway Signage with Dimensions.
Sample Stairway Identification Signage.

Re-Entry from a Stairwell

Every door assembly in a stair enclosure serving more than four stories shall meet one of the following conditions:

  1. Re-entry from the stair enclosure to the interior of the building shall be provided.
  2. Door assemblies on stair enclosures shall be permitted to be equipped with hardware that prevents re-entry into the interior of the building, provided that ALL of the following criteria are met:
    1. here shall be not less than two levels where it is possible to leave the stair enclosure to access another exit.
    2. There shall be not more than four stories intervening between stories where it is possible to leave the stair enclosure to access another exit.
    3. Re-entry shall be possible on the top story or next-to-top story served by the stair enclosure, and such story shall allow access to another exit.
    4. Door assemblies allowing re-entry shall be identified as such on the stair side of the door leaf.
    5. Door assemblies not allowing re-entry shall be provided with a sign on the stair side indicating the location of the nearest door opening, in each direction of travel, that allows re-entry or exit.

If a stair enclosure allows access to the roof of the building, the door assembly to the roof either shall be kept locked or shall allow re-entry from the roof.

Sample Stairwell Re-entry Intervals.

Stairway Tread Marking

Where new contrasting marking is applied to stairs, such marking shall comply with all of the following:

  1. The marking shall include a continuous strip as a coating on, or as a material integral with, the full width of the leading edge of each tread.
  2. The marking shall include a continuous strip as a coating on, or as a material integral with, the full width of the leading edge of each landing nosing.
  3. The marking strip width, measured horizontally from the leading vertical edge of the nosing, shall be consistent at all nosings.
  4. The marking strip width shall be 1" to 2".
Sample Stair Tread Marking.
Sample Stairwell Tread Marking.