Portable and threshold ramps: what size you need
A raised door sill, a sliding-door track or one or two steps can stop a wheelchair, walker or scooter. A small threshold ramp or a folding portable ramp can fix that in an afternoon, but only if it's long enough. A ramp that's too short is steep, and steep ramps tip chairs and cause falls. This guide covers free options first, how to measure, the slope math, what to look for, and a few products. Last checked Oct 2026
Before you buy: you may get a ramp free.
- Medi-Cal: DHCS tells Medi-Cal plans to use regular Medi-Cal medical equipment benefits first when they meet the need, and it names portable ramps as an example. Plans that offer the home modifications benefit can also pay for ramps to get in and out of the home. Read how to get Medi-Cal to help pay for a ramp or other home changes.
- Local ramp programs: some programs build ramps for free. For example, the Community Access Center in Riverside County installs free modular ramps for people with disabilities (see the Riverside County page). Rebuilding Together affiliates and city repair programs often build ramps too. Check your county page and the statewide page.
- Veterans: VA HISA can pay for permanent ramps but not portable ramps. See programs for veterans.
- Borrow first: Ability Tools and some Independent Living Centers lend or pass on reused assistive equipment. Ask whether they have a portable ramp you can try before you buy.
For more than a few steps, a permanent or modular ramp built by a program or a licensed contractor is usually safer than a long portable one. See ramps: the numbers to know.
Step 1: Measure the rise
The rise is the total height from the lower ground to the top surface you're rolling onto. To measure it:
- Lay a straight board or level on the top surface (the door sill or top step), sticking out over the lower ground.
- Measure straight down from the bottom of the board to the ground where the ramp will start.
- For steps, measure all of them together, not one step. Three 6-inch steps are an 18-inch rise.
- Measure on both sides of a door sill. Indoor and outdoor floors are often at different heights.
Step 2: Work out the length
The ADA Standards for Accessible Design say a ramp should be no steeper than 1:12: 1 inch of rise for every 12 inches of ramp (ADA 405.2). That makes the math easy: 1 foot of ramp for every inch of rise. Homes don't have to follow the ADA, but 1:12 is the published safe slope for people moving themselves.
| Rise | Ramp length at 1:12 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2 inches | 2 feet | A raised door sill or sliding-door track. A threshold ramp may do. |
| 4 inches | 4 feet | |
| 6 inches | 6 feet | About one step. |
| 8 inches | 8 feet | The ADA calls for handrails on ramps that rise more than 6 inches (405.8). |
| 12 inches | 12 feet | About two steps. Handrails and edge protection. |
| 24 inches | 24 feet | Too long for most portable ramps. Think modular or permanent. |
- Very small changes: the ADA allows up to ¼ inch with no bevel, a bevel (no steeper than 1:2) between ¼ and ½ inch, and a ramp for anything over ½ inch (303.2 to 303.4). That's where threshold ramps come in.
- Steeper maker charts: some portable-ramp makers rate ramps for steeper slopes when a helper pushes the chair or the chair is powered. For example, Discount Ramps lists its 4-foot Silver Spring ramp for up to an 8-inch rise, which is a 1:6 slope, twice as steep as 1:12. That isn't safe for someone wheeling themselves. Never go shorter than the maker's chart, and choose 1:12 when you can.
- Long runs: the ADA limits each ramp run to a 30-inch rise (405.6), with a level landing at least 60 inches long at the top and bottom of each run (405.7). Leave level space at the top so the door can open while the chair is on flat ground.
Types of ramps
- Threshold ramps: short rubber or aluminum wedges for door sills and sliding-door tracks, usually from about ½ inch to a few inches high. Match the height closely; a gap or lip at either end is a trip edge.
- Suitcase (single-fold) ramps: fold in half and carry by a handle. Good for one step or a car, in lengths from 2 to 8 feet.
- Multi-fold ramps: fold lengthwise and across to store small. Often lighter for their length.
- Modular ramps: bolt-together aluminum sections with handrails and landings, installed for longer rises. Programs and contractors usually install these. Read how to hire and verify a contractor.
What to look for
- Weight capacity: add the person, the wheelchair or scooter, and any helper standing on the ramp. Power chairs and scooters are much heavier than manual chairs; check the chair's own spec.
- Width: the ADA calls for at least 36 inches clear on permanent ramps (405.5). Many portable ramps are narrower (about 30 inches), so measure the chair's wheel track and leave room on both sides.
- Edges: raised side rails keep wheels from rolling off (ADA 405.9).
- Grip in wet weather: look for a textured or slip-resistant surface, and don't let water pool on it (ADA 405.10).
- A secure top lip: the top must sit flat and not slide. Check it every time you set it up.
- Storage and weight: if a caregiver has to carry it, check the ramp's weight.
Products to look at
These match the advice above and were sold on the maker's or a large store's site when we checked. We haven't been paid to list them, and these are ordinary links, not affiliate links. Prices change often. Check the maker's chart and weight limit before you buy.
- EZ-ACCESS TRANSITIONS Angled Entry Mat: a recycled-rubber threshold ramp in heights from ½ inch to 2½ inches, in quarter-inch steps. EZ-ACCESS says it can be trimmed or notched to fit, and works indoors or out. About $50–$167 on EZ-ACCESS's site at the time of writing (Oct 2026), depending on height.
- EZ-ACCESS SUITCASE Singlefold Ramp: aluminum ramp that folds in half, with carry handles, a full-length hinge and a slip-resistant surface, in lengths from 2 to 8 feet. At 1:12, the 2-foot size suits a 2-inch rise and the 8-foot size an 8-inch rise. EZ-ACCESS has an incline calculator on the page. About $170–$503 on EZ-ACCESS's site at the time of writing (Oct 2026), depending on length.
- Silver Spring 4-foot Multi-Fold Wheelchair Ramp (WCMF-4): aluminum ramp about 29½ inches wide with a 600-pound capacity; it folds to about 29 inches long. At 1:12 a 4-foot ramp suits a 4-inch rise; the seller's 8-inch figure is a steep, assisted-use slope (see above). About $210 at Discount Ramps at the time of writing (Oct 2026).
Product details are from each maker's own page or the linked store page, checked Oct 2026. Listing a product isn't an endorsement.
Sources
- U.S. Access Board: 2010 ADA Standards, chapter 4 (405 ramps)
- U.S. Access Board: 2010 ADA Standards, chapter 3 (303 changes in level)
- Program rules: our statewide page, Riverside County page and Medi-Cal guide, which link to each official source.
Last checked Oct 2026