Ramps in Texas: why your city, not TDLR, sets home rules

Search for Texas ramp rules and you will land on the Texas Accessibility Standards, with their slopes, rises and widths. They are real rules, but for a ramp at your own house they are probably not the ones that apply. The more useful questions are who your local building authority is, and, if you rent, what your landlord must allow.

Here is how the state's own sources sort that out.

TAS covers public buildings, not private homes

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation is direct about this: "The EAB law and TAS are relevant to public and commercial buildings and facilities, but do not apply to private residences" (TDLR Architectural Barriers at a Glance).

That does not make the standards useless as a reference. For public ramps, TAS Chapter 4 sets a slope no steeper than 1:12, a rise of no more than 30 inches for any single run, and a clear width of at least 36 inches. Those figures are not a legal requirement for your home, though they can serve as a yardstick when you compare designs.

At home, it is a city question

Texas Local Government Code §214.212 adopts the International Residential Code, as it stood on May 1, 2012, as the municipal residential building code, and gives cities the job of administering and enforcing it. In practice that puts permits for a home ramp with your city. The statute speaks to municipalities; if you live in an unincorporated area, ask your county what applies. Either way, your building office is the one to ask before work starts, and we will not tell you whether your ramp needs a permit.

Renters and the Texas Fair Housing Act

Chapter 301 of the Property Code, the Texas Fair Housing Act, addresses physical changes for a tenant with a disability. Under §301.025(c)(1), discrimination includes "a refusal to permit, at the expense of the person having a disability, a reasonable modification of existing premises occupied or to be occupied by the person if the modification may be necessary to afford the person full enjoyment of the premises." The person making the change pays for it, and the landlord's permission is the point. Ask in writing, describe the ramp, and keep a copy. If you hit a dispute, a fair housing organization or an attorney can help. None of this is legal advice.

Products for a doorway or a door

Not every entry needs a built ramp. Match the product to the obstacle:

• A raised threshold or a single small step. The Harmar Rubber Threshold Ramp covers thresholds up to 4 inches high, offers 36 inches of usable width and carries up to 850 lb (Harmar). It assembles from rubber sections with no tools, so a renter can take it along.
• A door that is hard to open from a chair. The Open Sesame Residential Automatic Door Opener unlatches a locked door through an electric strike, then opens, pauses and closes it, according to its product page.
• Hands-free entry. The Open Sesame Proximity Sensor Tag Set lets the door respond to a tag, with reader distance settings of 3, 6 and 9 feet.
• One switch for seated and standing users. The Open Sesame 36 in Vertical Push Pad (FW) is a wireless wall switch meant for spots that would otherwise need an upper and a lower switch.

For several steps or a porch, our ramp quote asks for the rise, the shape (straight, L or switchback) and whether flat landings already exist at the top and bottom.

From desert to Gulf: weather and a ramp surface

NOAA's Texas climate summary describes normal precipitation ranging "from less than 10 inches in the far west to more than 60 inches in the extreme southeast." Days with 3 inches or more of rain ran well above average from 2015 through 2020, and the wettest month on record was May 2015, with 9.1 inches statewide. Heat runs through it all, with an average of 20 days a year at or above 100°F from 1900 to 2020.

A ramp on the Gulf side of the state needs to drain hard rain and keep its grip when wet. In the west, sun exposure on a south-facing ramp is the bigger concern. In both, think about where water goes at the bottom of the slope and whether a canopy or shade would make the ramp more usable.

Lower-cost options through TTAP

The Texas Technology Access Program at UT Austin offers refurbished durable medical equipment at lower cost, 35-day device loans, demonstration centers and financing (AT3 Center).

Installation and shipping in Texas

We work with a team of credentialed local specialists to guarantee timely, safe, and optimal delivery and installation. Faith Mobility ships to the lower 48 states and DC. Shipping is free on orders over $500 ($15 under $500), we cover the sales tax on every order, and most products are processed in 2-5 business days, though some brands differ. Price a ramp with the ramp quote and see our Texas shipping page.

Questions about ramps in Texas

Do the Texas Accessibility Standards apply to a ramp at my house?

TDLR says "The EAB law and TAS are relevant to public and commercial buildings and facilities, but do not apply to private residences." Its 1:12 slope, 30-inch rise per run and 36-inch width figures can still be a useful yardstick, but your city's residential code is what governs a home ramp.

Who issues permits for a home ramp in Texas?

Local Government Code §214.212 adopts the International Residential Code, as of May 1, 2012, as the municipal residential code and gives cities the job of administering and enforcing it. Ask your city building office whether your ramp needs a permit. In an unincorporated area, ask your county what applies.

Can a Texas landlord refuse to let me build a ramp?

Property Code §301.025(c)(1) says discrimination includes refusing to permit, "at the expense of the person having a disability, a reasonable modification of existing premises" when it may be necessary for full enjoyment of the home. Make the request in writing and keep a copy. If the landlord says no, a fair housing group or a lawyer can explain your options.

Is there a ramp that needs no construction?

For a raised threshold up to 4 inches, the Harmar Rubber Threshold Ramp assembles from rubber sections with no tools or hardware, with 36 inches of usable width and an 850 lb capacity. It does not cover several steps or a porch; for those, the ramp quote is the place to start.

Where can I find lower-cost equipment in Texas?

The Texas Technology Access Program at UT Austin offers refurbished durable medical equipment at lower cost, along with 35-day device loans, demonstration centers and financing, according to the AT3 Center. It can be a good first stop when you are weighing a ramp against other changes at the entry.

See our ramps and door openers, start the ramp quote, or take the full assessment if a ramp is one of several changes you are weighing. Questions? Email us at info@faithmobility.com.

Sources

• TDLR Architectural Barriers at a Glance
• 2012 Texas Accessibility Standards, Chapter 4
• Texas Local Government Code §214.212
• Texas Property Code §301.025, Texas Fair Housing Act
• NOAA NCEI State Climate Summaries: Texas (2022)
• Harmar rubber threshold ramps
• Faith Mobility: Open Sesame Residential Automatic Door Opener product page
• Faith Mobility: Open Sesame Proximity Sensor Tag Set product page
• Faith Mobility: Open Sesame 36 in Vertical Push Pad (FW) product page
• Texas Technology Access Program
• AT3 Center: Texas