California remains the #1 state for ADA lawsuits in the United States — and the gap is widening in 2026.
Under the ADA 2010 Standards combined with California Building Code Title 24, even small deviations in your parking lot or path of travel can result in immediate litigation, often without any prior warning.

The reality is simple:
Most California ADA lawsuits start with small, preventable red flags that property managers overlook.

Here are the seven ADA issues that almost always lead to lawsuits in California, and how to identify them before a plaintiff does.

Table of Contents

1. Slopes Over 2.0% — California’s Most Litigated Violation

In California, slope violations are the fastest path to a lawsuit.

What California Requires:

Accessible parking stalls: ≤ 2.0% slope in any direction
Access aisles: ≤ 2.0%
Curb ramps: Max slope 8.33%
Landings must be flat (≤ 2.0%)

Why California sees so many lawsuits:

Plaintiffs use digital inclinometers and only need one measurement to file.
Deviations as small as 0.1%–0.3% are considered non-compliant under CA Title 24.
Sealcoat and overlays frequently push slopes past the limit.

This is the #1 ADA red flag in CA — and the #1 reason properties get sued.

2. Faded or Missing Striping (Especially Wheelchair Symbols)

California plaintiffs frequently claim “inadequate visibility” of ADA markings.

Common California violations:

Faded wheelchair symbol (treated as no symbol)
Missing blue borders
Worn-out 6-inch cross-hatching
Incorrect colors (California requires specific reflective paints)

Why this leads to lawsuits:

A single photo of faded paint is enough for plaintiffs to justify a claim.

3. Incorrect Sign Height (California Requires 80 Inches for Many Signs)

Most states require 60 inches.
California requires up to 80 inches bottom height for accessible parking signs in some locations — one of the strictest rules in the nation.

Frequent violations:

Bottom of sign between 54–60 inches instead of 80 inches
Missing “Minimum Fine $250” CA-specific sign
Van spaces missing “Van Accessible” signage
Temporary or movable signposts (not allowed)

Why this is a red flag:

CA plaintiffs check sign heights with a tape measure within seconds.

4. Incorrect Van-Accessible Stall Dimensions (Heavily Enforced in CA)

California requires stricter dimensions than federal ADA.

Common CA violations:

Access aisle not painted correctly
Stall width < 108 inches or aisle < 96 inches (depending on configuration)
Aisle placed incorrectly
Inconsistent striped border width

Any deviation triggers immediate exposure in California due to Title 24’s strict language.

5. Broken, Raised, or Uplifted Concrete (¼ Inch Rule)

California enforces the ADA “trip hazard rule” aggressively.

Violations:

Anything over ¼ inch vertical rise is a violation.
Between ¼ and ½ inch must be beveled.
Over ½ inch requires full repair.

Why plaintiffs love this:

Photos with a coin or credit card to show height difference are accepted as evidence.

6. Non-Compliant Path of Travel (California’s Most Documented Violation)

California requires a continuous, unobstructed, compliant route from:
Parking → Sidewalk → Entrance.

Violations in CA properties:

Missing truncated domes
Curb ramps too steep or misaligned
Blocked walkways (signs, furniture, landscaping)
Surface changes not compliant with Title 24

This is one of the easiest violations for plaintiffs to document.

7. Sealcoat or Overlay Done Without Post-Work ADA Verification

This is the fastest-growing ADA lawsuit trigger in California.

Why:

Sealcoating increases height → height changes slope → slope becomes non-compliant.

Real trend in CA:

We’ve seen lawsuits filed 7–21 days after a sealcoat job because:

Slopes changed from 1.8% → 2.3%
Access aisles no longer met requirements
Ramps lost compliant landing areas

California is the state where pavement maintenance work is most likely to create ADA violations overnight.

Why These Red Flags Are So Dangerous in California

Because California adds:

Unruh Act penalties ($4,000 minimum per violation)
Attorney fees
Mandatory corrective work

The average California ADA claim now costs:

$18,000–$38,000

and can exceed $60,000 if pavement reconstruction is required.

Protect Your California Property Before a Complaint Is Filed

Stop ADA Lawsuits specializes in California ADA & Title 24 compliance, including:

ADA slope testing
Post-sealcoat verification
Signage + striping inspections
Full ADA parking lot mapping
Path of travel assessments

A 20-minute pre-inspection today can eliminate California-level liability tomorrow.

The 7 ADA Red Flags That Almost Always Lead to Lawsuits in California