Luminance Contrast Calculator

Minimum Luminance Contrast Requirements for Compliance

For buildings and premises that are subject to the National Construction Code / Building Code of Australia (NCC / BCA), the Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards (often referred to as the Premises Standards), and the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (DSAPT), there are mandatory requirements to provide minimum levels of luminance contrast to certain elements within accessible areas as outlined in the lists below.

Minimum 30%

• Integrated Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSIs) or ‘tile’ type TGSIs which have indicators with the same luminance as the base surface

• Doorways

• Stair nosing strips

• Visual indicator strips / glazing decals

• Toilet seats in accessible sanitary facilities and accessible adult change facilities

• Statutory signage for sanitary facilities, areas with hearing augmentation, exits and some directional and wayfinding signage

• Lift control buttons

• Handrails (for public transport projects)

• Potential obstacles that abut accessways such as columns, posts, poles, seating and other furniture (for public transport projects)

Please note the above lists do not include other potential requirements such as local government and approval authority requirements, NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Design Guideline requirements, Changing Places Design Specification requirements, or best-practice to meet the intent of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA).

Local governments and approval authorities often have minimum luminance contrast requirements for elements that are not subject to the NCC / BCA, the Premises Standards and DSAPT, such as to streetscapes and road infrastructure.

The NDIS Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) Design Standard outlines minimum luminance contrast requirements for some elements that must be met for certification of SDA dwellings:

• Improved Liveability category dwellings must be provided with doorways and toilet seats with a minimum 30% luminance contrast

• Robust and Improved Liveability category dwellings must be provided with visual indicator strips / decals to any glazing capable of being mistaken for an opening (the minimum contrast is not specified by the design standard but it notes the contrast is to be determined by the assessor based on their professional judgement) 

The Changing Places Design Specification 2020 requires a minimum 30% luminance contrast to be provided to the facility doorway and toilet seat. It also recommends increasing the luminance contrast of all fixtures and fittings to adjacent wall surfaces.

For further information about best-practice and Universal Design recommendations, we have posted an in-depth article discussing easy and practical ways luminance contrast can be used to improve the accessibility of the built environment for everyone here.