Accessibility for Small Businesses
The purpose of this Accessibility Guidelines for Small Businesses is to provide an overview and explanation of some basic accessibility requirements of the State of California for small businesses that provide goods and services to the public in general.
It is important to note that, in addition to the accessibility requirements of the State of California, compliance with accessibility regulations set forth in the current governing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is also required.
Also, it is important to understand that the ADA is enforced by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and through private lawsuits. The State of California has clarified that the ADA shall not be enforced by local building departments.
Local building departments enforce all the applicable provisions of Chapter 11B of the CBC.
This document is intended to provide explanation and technical guidance to owners of small businesses of the accessibility regulations of the State of California as applied to places of businesses.
Under the current governing regulations, places of businesses are considered public accommodations and commercial buildings.
It is not the intent of this guideline to provide any advice on the application of the building code regulations to any specific conditions or project by text or illustrations. The pictures provided in this guideline are shown to illustrate and explain a specific code requirement. It is highly recommended the actual governing code and regulations be consulted for accessibility requirements applicable to any specific conditions or projects.
The user of this guideline is hereby advised to consult with a California licensed architect or a California Certified Access Specialist (CASp) for evaluation and application of accessibility regulations to any project under consideration.
Click on the following link for more information regarding building owner's responsibilities, Certified Access Specialists Inspection services, and other resources:
Contact Information
We are here to serve you!
If you have any questions regarding the permitting and inspection request processes, please check the following link to the Most Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ
If you need building permit or inspection requests status updates, please contact us during normal business hours at:
Front Counter Main Line: 1 (559) 661-5440
Inspection Request Line: 1 (559) 661-5445
Isabel Escobar:
1 (559) 661-5441, iescobar@madera.gov
Stephanie Escobedo:
1 (559) 661-5085, sescobedo@madera.gov
Located at
205 W 4th Street, Madera, CA 93637
Lobby Hours:
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Lunch Hour:
Monday - Friday, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Counter and Transaction Hours:
Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Front Counter Closed for Weekly Department Meeting
Every Tuesday 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
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