How to photograph accessibility features

Guests want to know they’ll be able to move safely and comfortably around a home before they book. Sharing clear, detailed photos of accessibility features helps guests decide if your place meets their specific needs.

“I can tell from one picture whether a space is going to work for me,” says George, a guest who uses a wheelchair. “Or, ‘Sorry guys, could you just move that table?’ And then that’s basically fine.”

Airbnb reviews all accessibility features and photos before they appear in the Accessibility features section of a listing, which is separate from the image gallery or photo tour.

Follow these guidelines to add accessibility features to your listing. If a photo doesn’t meet certain criteria, we may ask you to upload a different one or remove the feature from your listing.

• Provide at least one photo of every accessibility feature in your home.
• Include a tape measure in photos to show dimensions, like the width of a door jamb and the height of a countertop.
• Upload several photos of each feature from different perspectives to help guests better understand the room or space.
• Write descriptive captions that help clarify the accessibility features of rooms and spaces, such as details about lighting.
• Let guests know if only certain areas are accessible. For example, “This is the only bathroom in the house with step-free access, a wide doorway, and grab bars.”

Try these tips for photographing your home’s accessibility features.

Step-free access to a home

Show there are no steps, stairs, or curbs higher than 2 inches (5 centimeters) at the home’s entrance or on the path leading to it. This includes exterior sidewalks, hallways, elevators, and other features guests must use to get inside.

• Open all the doors and gates along the path to the home’s entrance. If access is step-free with portable or threshold ramps, make sure those are in place.
• Start where guests arrive or park, taking a photo every 10 feet (3 meters) along the path to the entrance. Slightly tilt the camera toward the ground to capture the route’s surface.
• Take a separate photo of the entrance from outside. Move back at least 8 feet (2.4 meters) to photograph the open door, showing the path on both sides of the threshold.

Step-free access to a room

Show which rooms and spaces are accessible without steps, seams, or thresholds higher than 2 inches (5 centimeters). Photograph indoor and outdoor spaces, including any decks, balconies, and patios.

• Open the door completely to take a close-up photo of the threshold. Slightly tilt the camera toward the floor to capture the path on either side of the floor plate or seam.
• Move back at least 5 feet (1.5 meters) to photograph the access to the room from the outside.
• Repeat this and take a similar photo from inside the room.
• If the room has multiple entry points, photograph each one.
• Take additional photos to show the path to the main door into that room.

Wide entrances

Show which doorways in your home are at least 32 inches (81 centimeters) wide. Knowing the exact width of the front door and other entry points helps guests determine whether a space can accommodate their wheelchair or mobility device.

• Open the door as wide as possible. Extend a measuring tape across the entire frame. Make sure both ends of the measuring tape and its numbers are clearly shown.
• Take at least two photos: one of the doorway with the measuring tape across the frame, and one that’s a close-up of the final measurement, so it’s easier to read.

“If we know the measurements for the doorway, I know if my chair is going to fit through it okay,” George notes.

Bathroom adaptations

Show the features that can help guests move around the bathroom, including a step-free shower, toilet and shower grab bars, and a shower or bath chair. Provide photos that show the entire bathroom and shower, along with closer views of the specific features you have.

• Step-free shower: Open the curtain or doors. Slightly tilt the camera toward the floor to show that there aren’t any thresholds or water guards higher than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters).
• Grab bars: Clearly show the location of grab bars in the shower and near the toilet. Take separate photos of each, even if you also show them together in wider shots of the bathroom.
• Shower or bath chair: Show the entire seat inside the shower or bath, whether it’s fixed to a wall or freestanding.

Disabled parking spot

Show your private parking space for one vehicle that’s at least 11 feet (3.35 meters) wide, or a public parking spot that’s designated for a person with disabilities.

• Private parking: Take the photo from a distance, with a car parked next to the guest’s space for reference. Or use a measuring tape to confirm the spot’s width.
• Public parking: Capture signs and other street markings that indicate the spot is reserved for people with disabilities.

Lit path to the guest entrance

Show that the path or sidewalk leading to the guest entrance is well lit when it’s dark.

• Turn on all the outdoor light sources illuminating the route.
• Turn off any indoor lights that interfere with the outdoor lighting.
• Make sure your photos show where the outdoor lights are in relation to the path.

Hoists

Show any motorized or manual devices in your home that are specifically designed to help guests get in and out of a wheelchair, swimming pool, or hot tub.

• Photograph the hoist in as much detail as possible, including whether it’s fixed to the ceiling or freestanding.
• Take a wider shot that clearly shows its location next to the bed, toilet, pool, or hot tub.
• Capture the surrounding area to demonstrate its size and position when it’s in use.

Learn more about requirements for adding accessibility features to a listing.

Information contained in this article may have changed since publication.