Calculate wheelchair ramp length, slope, gradient and landings using the ramp rules for your emirate. Enter one measurement and get the result, every formula with your numbers, and a layout you can download as a PDF.
Quick answer: at the 1:12 maximum used in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, every 1 mm of rise needs 12 mm of horizontal run. A 600 mm rise needs a 7.20 m ramp, plus a level landing at the top and bottom.
Reviewed by Nouh Aqra, Accessibility ConsultantRules checked
Standard formula first, then your numbers in it. All maths runs in millimetres.
Compare a straight, L-shaped and switchback ramp for the same rise.
No verified limit for this emirate. Leave empty for a single run, or enter the limit your consultant gave you.
Send us your numbers and a Flex Access specialist will check them against your site and the rules for your emirate.
Download or share your results. The PDF report includes your inputs, results, formulas, diagrams and checklist.
This calculator provides preliminary calculations for planning and educational purposes. Accessibility and building requirements may vary by emirate, building type, project status and applicable authority. Final ramp design, construction and approval should be verified against the applicable regulations and, where required, reviewed by a qualified architect or engineer.
Most ramp calculators give you one number. This one is built around how ramps are actually planned and approved in the UAE, so it gives you the full picture from a single measurement.
Enter the rise and get the horizontal run, the sloping surface length and the number of runs your emirate requires.
Enter the rise and the ramp length to get the slope ratio, the gradient in percent and the angle in degrees.
See whether a ramp you already have is steeper than the maximum, and how much extra run it would need.
Know your available length? Find the highest step or level change a ramp can climb in it.
Compare the space you have with the space a compliant ramp needs, and see the shortfall in metres.
Switch between a ratio such as 1:12, a gradient such as 8.33% and an angle such as 4.76 degrees.
Every result also includes a live side-view diagram, the formulas with your numbers in them, a layout planner for straight, L-shaped and switchback ramps, a comparison of common gradients and an accessibility checklist for your emirate. You can download all of it as a PDF report or share the link.
Planning a ramp at a villa entrance, a majlis step, a garden level or a pool deck for a parent, a child or a family member who uses a wheelchair. Count the steps if you do not have a tape measure for the full height.
Checking whether a ramp fits before quoting, and showing the client why a 5 m space will not take a 600 mm rise at 1:12.
Testing slope, runs and landings against the Dubai Universal Design Code or the Abu Dhabi International Building Code at concept stage, before drawings go for approval.
Auditing entrances at clinics, schools, hotels, offices, malls and residential towers, and recording the result as a PDF for the file.
A ramp slope is written as a ratio, 1:N. The 1 is the rise and N is the horizontal run needed for that rise. A 1:12 slope rises 1 unit for every 12 units of horizontal length. The same slope can also be written as a gradient in percent or as an angle in degrees. These are the formulas the calculator uses, with all measurements converted to millimetres first.
N = Horizontal run ÷ RiseGradient = Rise ÷ Horizontal run × 100 = 100 ÷ NAngle = arctan(Rise ÷ Horizontal run)Run = Rise × NSurface = √(Rise² + Run²)Runs = Run ÷ maximum run between landings, rounded upWorked example: 600 mm rise at 1:12
Run = 600 × 12 = 7,200 mm (7.20 m)
Surface = √(600² + 7,200²) = 7,224.96 mm (7.22 m)
Gradient = 100 ÷ 12 = 8.33%. Angle = arctan(600 ÷ 7,200) = 4.76°
Slope, gradient and angle are not the same number. A 1:12 slope is 8.33%, not 8%, and 4.76 degrees, not 8 degrees. The Dubai Universal Design Code writes its maximum as "8% or 1:12", so a ramp between 8.00% and 8.33% meets the ratio but not the percentage. Designing to 8% or gentler removes that doubt.
The surface length, measured along the slope, is always slightly longer than the horizontal run. Use the horizontal run for space planning and the surface length when ordering ramp sections or materials. The calculator gives you both, and the layout planner adds the landings for you.
Use these charts for a quick check. For your exact rise, layout and emirate, use the calculator above.
| Slope | Gradient | Angle | Run per 100 mm of rise | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:8 | 12.50% | 7.13° | 800 mm | Too steep for most users. Abu Dhabi allows it only in existing buildings for a rise of 76 mm or less where space is limited. |
| 1:10 | 10.00% | 5.71° | 1,000 mm | Abu Dhabi existing buildings only, for a rise of 152 mm or less where space is limited. |
| 1:12 | 8.33% | 4.76° | 1,200 mm | Maximum slope in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. |
| 1:14 | 7.14% | 4.09° | 1,400 mm | Gentler. Close to the Dubai code's recommended 7% for rises up to 1,000 mm. |
| 1:16 | 6.25% | 3.58° | 1,600 mm | Easier for older users and attendant-pushed wheelchairs. |
| 1:20 | 5.00% | 2.86° | 2,000 mm | Very gentle. In Dubai, anything steeper than 5% counts as a ramp. |
| Rise | Run at 1:12 | Surface | Runs (Dubai) | Runs (Abu Dhabi) | Run at 1:16 | Run at 1:20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 mm | 0.60 m | 0.60 m | 1 | 1 | 0.80 m | 1.00 m |
| 100 mm | 1.20 m | 1.20 m | 1 | 1 | 1.60 m | 2.00 m |
| 150 mm | 1.80 m | 1.81 m | 1 | 1 | 2.40 m | 3.00 m |
| 200 mm | 2.40 m | 2.41 m | 1 | 1 | 3.20 m | 4.00 m |
| 300 mm | 3.60 m | 3.61 m | 1 | 1 | 4.80 m | 6.00 m |
| 450 mm | 5.40 m | 5.42 m | 1 | 1 | 7.20 m | 9.00 m |
| 600 mm | 7.20 m | 7.22 m | 1 | 1 | 9.60 m | 12.00 m |
| 750 mm | 9.00 m | 9.03 m | 1 | 1 | 12.00 m | 15.00 m |
| 900 mm | 10.80 m | 10.84 m | 2 | 2 | 14.40 m | 18.00 m |
| 1,000 mm | 12.00 m | 12.04 m | 2 | 2 | 16.00 m | 20.00 m |
| 1,200 mm | 14.40 m | 14.45 m | 2 | 2 | 19.20 m | 24.00 m |
| 1,500 mm | 18.00 m | 18.06 m | 2 | 2 | 24.00 m | 30.00 m |
Runs at 1:12. Dubai: maximum 10 m between landings (Dubai Universal Design Code 5.7.1). Abu Dhabi: maximum 762 mm of rise per run (ADIBC 2013, 1010.4). Lengths exclude landings. At 1:16 and 1:20 the longer runs need more landings.
There is no single UAE ramp rule. Each emirate sets its own building requirements, and they differ on landings, widths, handrails and what applies to existing buildings. Federal Law No. 29 of 2006 sets the right of People of Determination to an accessible environment, and the emirate codes set the numbers. The calculator only compares your result against values we have checked against the source document.
| Emirate | Max slope | Runs and landings | Width | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | 1:12 (8%) | Max 10 m between landings. Landings 1,500 × 1,500 mm at the start and end of every run | 1,000 mm between handrails | Dubai Universal Design Code, 5.7 | Verified |
| Abu Dhabi | 1:12 | Max 762 mm rise per run. Landings at least 1,525 mm long; 1,524 × 1,524 mm at turns | 914 mm minimum between handrails | Abu Dhabi International Building Code 2013, 1010 | Verified |
| Sharjah | 1:12 | Fall protection on both sides at entrances | Not verified | Sharjah Municipality building conditions (WHO summary) | Secondary source |
| Ras Al Khaimah | 1:12 | Not yet included | Not yet included | RAK Municipality Resolution No. (7) of 2026 | Verified |
| Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Confirm with the municipality | Not yet verified |
Dubai's code limits a run to 10 m between landings and sets 1,500 × 1,500 mm landings and 1,000 mm usable width. Abu Dhabi's limits a run to 762 mm of rise, sets 1,525 mm landings and 914 mm clear width, and allows steeper slopes for very small rises in existing buildings. The calculator applies all of these automatically for the emirate you select.
For the full clause-by-clause requirements, including handrails, edge protection, tactile warnings, slip resistance and the rules for private villas, read our guide to wheelchair ramp slope requirements in the UAE.
A ramp is the simplest answer for a small level change. Once the calculator shows two or three runs, or a ramp that will not fit, a platform lift is usually the more practical and space-saving choice. Here is how the Flex Access range maps to your result.
Modular ramp sections, platforms and corner pieces sized to a threshold, a single step or a pool deck edge, for indoor or outdoor use.
Folding ramps from 600 mm to 3,600 mm long for vehicles, visits and temporary access. At 1:12, a 1.2 m ramp suits a rise of about 100 mm and a 3.6 m ramp about 300 mm.
A vertical platform lift replaces a ramp that would need several runs or more space than you have. The ALPIN outdoor lift travels up to 4 m, and the mobile LIFTBOY 4 up to 1,400 mm indoors.
Where there is no room for a ramp beside the stairs, a platform stairlift runs along the staircase, and FLEX STEP works as both a staircase and a wheelchair lift.
Not sure which one fits? Send your calculation from the tool above and we will recommend the right solution after a free site assessment.
Accessibility Consultant and Managing Director, Flex Access
Nouh has more than 10 years of experience in accessibility and mobility solutions in the UAE. He advises government and public sector entities, healthcare facilities, hotels and private homeowners on making buildings work for People of Determination, and reviews projects against the Dubai Universal Design Code, the Abu Dhabi International Building Code and Federal Law No. 29 of 2006.
Nouh reviewed the rule values, formulas and recommendations in this calculator on .
Multiply the rise by the second number of the slope ratio. At 1:12, horizontal run = rise × 12, so a 300 mm rise needs 3.60 m of run. Then add the landings your emirate requires. The sloping surface is slightly longer: √(rise² + run²).
At 1:12, a 600 mm rise needs 7.20 m of horizontal run and a 7.22 m sloping surface, in a single run in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. With level landings of 1,500 mm at the top and bottom, a straight ramp takes about 10.20 m.
A 1:12 slope rises 1 unit for every 12 units of horizontal run. It equals a gradient of 8.33% and an angle of 4.76 degrees, and it is the maximum slope in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
Slope ratio N = horizontal run ÷ rise, written as 1:N. Gradient = rise ÷ run × 100. Angle = arctan(rise ÷ run). For a 600 mm rise over 8 m, N = 13.33, so the slope is 1:13.33, the gradient 7.50% and the angle 4.29 degrees.
They describe the same incline in different ways. Slope is usually a ratio such as 1:12. Gradient is the same thing as a percentage, 100 ÷ 12 = 8.33%. The angle in degrees is a third way, 4.76 degrees for 1:12.
The verified maximum is 1:12 in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah, but the rules around it differ. Dubai limits a run to 10 m, Abu Dhabi limits a run to 762 mm of rise, and Abu Dhabi allows steeper slopes for very small rises in existing buildings. We have not verified published limits for Ajman, Fujairah or Umm Al Quwain.
In Abu Dhabi, yes. Where space makes 1:12 impossible in an existing building, ADIBC allows up to 1:10 for a rise of 152 mm or less and up to 1:8 for 76 mm or less. The ramp section of the Dubai Universal Design Code does not set a separate slope for existing buildings. If you are not sure, the calculator applies the new construction rule.
In Dubai, divide the horizontal run by 10 m and round up. In Abu Dhabi, divide the rise by 762 mm and round up. Each run needs a level landing at both ends. A 1,000 mm rise at 1:12 needs 12 m of run, so 2 runs and 3 landings in both emirates.
The Dubai Universal Design Code does not apply to individual dwellings, but its 1:12 maximum is still a sensible design reference for a family member who uses a wheelchair. Sharjah's building conditions apply to any building or house. For a single step, a custom ramp kit is often enough.
When the calculator shows several runs, or the ramp will not fit the space you have. A 1,500 mm rise at 1:12 needs 18 m of run plus landings, while a vertical platform lift needs a footprint of a few square metres.
Yes. Enter the rise in millimetres, centimetres, metres, inches or feet, and choose metric or imperial results. The calculator converts everything to millimetres before it calculates, so mixing units does not affect accuracy.
Our team measures the rise, run and surface, checks the code for your emirate and recommends a ramp, a ramp kit or a platform lift.