To find a suitable accessible toilet, start with the accessibility filter, then check the route, entrance and equipment against your own needs. A wheelchair symbol is a useful starting point, but it cannot explain the steps on the way, space to manoeuvre or whether there is room for an assistant.
Accessibility depends on the person using the toilet
A wheelchair user, someone using crutches and someone with a walking frame may need different facilities. The way a person transfers, assistance they need and whether they can open a door independently also matter. Start with a short list of the conditions that are essential for you.
The U.S. Access Board guide to toilet rooms considers doors, manoeuvring space, fixtures and equipment. These are useful areas to ask about when checking a venue. The guide explains US requirements; it should not be treated as the law in every country.
Use the accessibility filter in Gotta Pee!
Open the app, allow it to use your location and select Wheelchair accessible. You can add other requirements, such as a free toilet. The list looks for places marked with all the selected features and orders nearby results by distance.
Read the description, look at photos and check comments. A label in a community map is not an accessibility certificate or confirmation of every measurement. If an important detail is missing, ask the venue directly. An unmarked place is not necessarily inaccessible either; its information may be incomplete.
Check the whole route from the street to the door
A well-equipped toilet can still be difficult to reach if there are steps at the building entrance. Ask where the step-free route starts and whether it is open at the time of your visit. If it involves a lift, check its location and whether it is working. Find out whether an alternative entrance requires help from a member of staff.
In the app, Navigate shows a map and direction towards the destination. It does not guarantee a step-free route. A standard walking route in another map app also cannot confirm all the conditions you need. Check the crossings and entrance to the building separately.
Questions to ask about the toilet itself
- Will the doorway and passage fit the mobility equipment I use?
- Is there space to turn and approach the toilet from the side I need?
- Can I reach the grab rails, basin and other equipment from my position?
- Is there enough room for someone assisting me?
- Is a key or code required, and where can I obtain it?
- When is the toilet accessible, and does it close with the rest of the building?
A specific dimension or need is easier to answer than a general question about whether the toilet is “adapted”. On arrival, check whether temporary objects or stored equipment obstruct the space.
Accessible toilets and Changing Places facilities are different
Some people also need a hoist, an adult-sized changing bench and space for assistants. Changing Places explains the additional equipment and space its facilities provide, beyond a standard accessible toilet. Its official information can help you identify this type of facility.
Do not assume that the app's Baby changing filter means there is an adult changing bench. Likewise, the accessibility filter does not confirm Changing Places equipment. If you need a particular device, contact the venue to confirm its presence and whether it is available for use. This is especially useful when planning a journey abroad.
Share details that help the next visitor
After visiting, describe what you actually checked: an entrance from the courtyard, a key held by security, the lift's location or an obstruction you found. Rather than deciding whether the toilet suits everyone, give others the facts they can compare with their own needs. Include the date of your visit when helpful.
A photograph of an empty entrance or the facilities can add useful information if it respects other people's privacy. Our Gotta Pee! guide explains how to add details after signing in. Download the app to look up nearby places, and see our travel guide for planning toilet stops in unfamiliar areas.
Sources and further reading
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