Washington State Ferry accessibility guide

WA Ferry Tracker › Washington State Ferry accessibility guide

Washington State Ferries (WSF) carries wheelchair users, people with walkers and canes, riders with hidden disabilities, and parents pushing strollers every day. Most of what makes a trip easy or hard is decided before you board: which terminal you use, which boat is on your sailing, whether you drive on or walk on, and whether an elevator is out that day. This guide brings together what WSF and WSDOT publish across their riders with disabilities page, 20 terminal pages, 21 vessel pages, the medical preferential loading rules and the ADA concerns page, and turns it into a trip plan. We only state what those official pages say. Where they're silent, such as ramp grades at most terminals, we tell you that instead of guessing.

Start here: three things to check before any trip

1. Which ferry is on your sailing

Accessibility differs from boat to boat. Some have accessible restrooms on the car deck and some don't. Some have two ADA-compliant elevators and dedicated wheelchair spaces, and some have one elevator. WSF's tip is to pick your departing terminal on its riders-with-disabilities page and look at upcoming sailings to see the assigned boat. Then use the vessel table below to see what that boat has.

2. Whether anything is out of service

WSF says: "If an elevator, accessible restroom or other accessibility feature is out of service at one of our facilities, we post a notice on our travel alert bulletins page." You can also sign up for route alerts that "will let you know about elevator outages or other issues that could affect your trip." For example, on November 3, 2026 WSF posted "Ana/SJs - ADA Alert: Sealth Elevator is Temporarily Unavailable," saying the M/V Sealth's passenger elevator was out of service and technicians had been sent. That's a dated example. Check the bulletin on the day you travel.

3. Call if you're unsure

WSF says: "If you have questions about your travel, give our team a call at 206-464-6400. We can help you choose the best sailing times, terminals and vessels for your needs." Customer service lists 206-464-6400 (local) and 888-808-7977 (toll-free) from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time daily. If you'll need a WSF wheelchair on a specific sailing, call the same number, ideally at least 24 hours ahead.

Walk on (or roll on) versus drive on

Both work, and the better choice depends on the terminal.

• Walking or rolling on at a terminal with overhead loading means you cross an elevated walkway into the passenger cabin, away from vehicle traffic. WSF's first-time rider guide says walk-on passengers should be aboard at least five minutes before departure and will "walk across a ramp to board the ferry." Ramp length matters too. WSF warns that Edmonds' ramp "can be steep" (see below).
• At terminals without overhead loading, including all the San Juan island terminals, walk-on passengers load and unload across the car deck. All vessels on the Anacortes/San Juan routes have elevator access between decks.
• Driving on keeps your mobility aid, supplies and a place to sit within reach. You can ask to park near the elevator. Most routes ask vehicles to be in line at the tollbooth at least 20 minutes before the sailing. If you want a specific parking spot because of a disability, arrive 30 minutes early (see the next section). Vehicles wait first-come, first-served, so on busy routes check our best time to take the ferry guide.

Several walk-on day trips start at terminals with overhead loading: Seattle–Bainbridge, Seattle–Bremerton and Edmonds–Kingston. See our walk-on passenger guide for tickets and timing.

Accessible onboard parking (drive-on riders)

WSF's policy: "If you need your vehicle parked in a certain location on the ferry because of a disability, please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled departure and tell the ticket seller. Our staff will do their best to help, but specific parking locations are limited and cannot be guaranteed." WSF gives these examples:

• parking near an elevator,
• parking near a car-deck restroom,
• extra clearance on a specific side of your vehicle (for example, for a side-entry ramp or lift).

Terminal pages repeat this. Anacortes, Edmonds and the San Juan terminals all say riders in a vehicle who need elevator access or extra space for a lift should tell the ticket seller before boarding. Every vessel page adds a version of "Notify a ticket seller if you are traveling by car and need to park near an elevator." The tollbooth is the place to ask, not the car deck.

Once aboard, WSF's general rules apply. You may leave your vehicle, turn off the car alarm, set the emergency brake, listen to the loudspeakers and return to your car when asked. If requested, crews can help you navigate aboard, but WSF notes the driver remains responsible for moving the vehicle.

Priority loading: medical preferential loading

WSF has no general priority lane for drivers with disabilities or disabled parking placards. Vehicle lines are first-come, first-served. The exception is the Medical Preferential Load Program, an exemption "when a customer has a medical condition that an extended wait on the dock would cause detrimental risks to their health." Key rules from WSF:

• Enrollment is done by your provider. A licensed health care provider (MDs, RNs, PAs, midwives and affiliated positions) or their clinic administrator submits the application online at wsfmedpref.wsdot.wa.gov. Physical therapists and chiropractors can't certify.
• It's not for running late. WSF says the program "is not for use to get to appointments on time when waiting at a terminal would not cause any health risks."
• What you get: on overloaded sailings you sail on the next available scheduled sailing. You aren't entitled to first-on, first-off positioning. It covers one standard-sized vehicle under 22 feet. Longer vehicles, including RVs and vehicles with tows, aren't exempt from first-come, first-served.
• Bring: a printed confirmation email showing your provider enrolled you, plus ID matching the name on it.
• Arrive: 30 minutes early for Anacortes/San Juan Islands (after the gate closes you can't board, even if the boat hasn't left), and at least 20 minutes early on all other routes. WSF can't hold boats for late arrivals.
• Help: 206-464-6400, 888-808-7977, or wsfmedpref@wsdot.wa.gov. For application website problems, WSF lists 206-515-3464.

Terminal-by-terminal accessibility

This table combines the "Terminal Features" and "ADA Information" sections of each WSF terminal page. "Overhead passenger loading" means an elevated walkway from the terminal to the boat's passenger deck. "Terminal elevator" means WSF lists an elevator in the terminal building. Where WSF lists none, ask the ticket seller or crew how to reach the boat.

Source: WSDOT terminal pages (Terminal Features / ADA Information), retrieved November 2026. Sidney, B.C. is omitted.

Seattle (Colman Dock)

Colman Dock at Pier 52 (801 Alaskan Way) serves Bainbridge Island and Bremerton. WSF lists overhead passenger loading and two elevators: "One is at the entry building along Alaskan Way" and "The second is adjacent to the Passenger Only Ferry," where the King County Water Taxi and Kitsap Fast Ferry dock. Stairs and the Marion Street Bridge also lead to the elevated pedestrian connector, ticketing and the terminal building. Passenger pick-up and drop-off is in front of the terminal on Alaskan Way. When you get off, you can take the connector to stairs or elevators down to Alaskan Way, or cross the pedestrian bridge to the passenger-only ferry, where "Both stairs and elevators are available to reach ground level." WSF says the terminal building has over 350 seats and suggests arriving about 15 minutes before your sailing. Reduced-fare tickets have to be bought in person, and there's a staffed booth in the enclosed walkway. More: our Colman Dock guide.

Bainbridge Island

Overhead loading: yes. Terminal elevator: no. There are 11 ADA spaces in the terminal lot. When all signed ADA spaces are full, disabled customers may park free with their placard in any empty space except reserved ones (such as carpool and ferry employee spaces). WSF says this applies only in the WSF/U-Park lot directly outside the main terminal doors. See the Bainbridge terminal page.

Bremerton

Overhead loading and an elevator are both listed. For drop-off and pick-up of passengers with disabilities at the Bremerton Transit Center, WSF links a Kitsap Transit "Disabled Pick-Up/Drop-off Map." See the Bremerton terminal page and our Bremerton day trip.

Edmonds

Edmonds is the terminal WSF warns about most clearly: "The Edmonds terminal does have overhead passenger loading, but the ramp can be steep for passengers with disabilities. There are two stages to the ramp and each stage is approximately 200 feet in length with a gradual uphill slope." Staff can help passengers with disabilities on and off the ferries. WSF asks you to "arrive at least 20 minutes in advance of the sailing for assistance with boarding." The off-site U-Park lot at Sunset Ave. S. and James St. has 64 spaces, including 2 ADA spaces, and is free with a valid placard or plate. More: Edmonds terminal.

Kingston

Overhead loading: yes. Terminal elevator: no. If you have a disability and are dropping someone off or picking them up, WSF says to "cut into the line down by the toll booths and let the ticket seller know." The off-site public lot (operated by Diamond Parking) has three ADA spaces and is free with a placard or plate. During peak times at Kingston, vehicles need a Washington State Patrol boarding pass at Lindvog Road or they're sent to the end of the line. More: Kingston terminal.

Mukilteo and Clinton

Mukilteo's page is the most detailed. "All walk-on and roll-on passengers go through the passenger building second floor, accessible by two sets of stairs and three elevators," then through the turnstiles to the north balcony and the overhead walkway. When you get off, the east end leads to the transit center and the west end to the sidewalk toward downtown Mukilteo. For the two ADA parking spots, drive east on First Street past the holding-lane entrance (don't turn in). The spots are inside the transit-area/WSF staff lot, nearest the terminal entry gate and the east elevators. At Clinton, WSF lists no overhead loading or terminal elevator and says disabled customers should speak to ticket sellers or crew for help. Plan with our Mukilteo terminal page and Whidbey weekend guide.

Anacortes and the San Juan Islands

Walk-on passengers with disabilities "will load and offload at the Anacortes terminal using the overhead passenger ramp, however, at all of the island terminals, walk-on passengers will load and off load via the car deck." The Lopez page adds: "All of the vessels on these routes do have elevator access between decks." Lopez lists no terminal restroom. At Anacortes, parking is free in the WSF lot with a valid placard or plate. When the signed ADA spaces are full, you can use any empty unreserved space there. Vehicle reservations are available on these routes. More: San Juan terminals, Anacortes parking, San Juan routes.

Fauntleroy, Vashon, Southworth, Point Defiance, Tahlequah, Port Townsend and Coupeville

None of these terminal pages lists overhead passenger loading or a terminal elevator. Most don't add terminal-specific ADA notes, so call 206-464-6400 or ask the ticket seller how boarding works. Southworth has 10 ADA spaces, free with a placard. Tahlequah has no restrooms or waiting room, so plan restroom stops on the boat (every WSF vessel lists a main-cabin restroom). See Fauntleroy, Vashon/Southworth, Point Defiance/Tahlequah and Port Townsend/Coupeville.

Vessel elevators, restrooms and wheelchair spaces

All 21 WSF vessel pages list an elevator and a main-cabin restroom, and the ADA notes describe accessible restrooms on the passenger decks. What varies is how far the elevator goes, whether there's an accessible restroom or shelter on the car deck, and features like visual paging. Here's the fleet as WSDOT describes it:

Source: the 21 WSDOT vessel pages linked from the riders-with-disabilities page, retrieved November 2026. Routes and boat assignments change, so check which boat is on your sailing.

• Accessible restroom on the car deck: Cathlamet, Chelan, Chimacum, Issaquah, Kaleetan, Kitsap, Kittitas, Samish, Suquamish, Yakima. On Spokane and Walla Walla, the auto-deck restroom "is not ADA compliant."
• Accessible shelter on the car deck: Chimacum, Kaleetan, Samish, Suquamish, Tokitae, Yakima.
• Most wheelchair-friendly cabins: the Olympic class (Tokitae, Samish, Chimacum, Suquamish) has "two ADA compliant elevators and wide staircases" from both car decks to the passenger and sun decks, plus "12 wheelchair spaces available in the main passenger cabin."
• Kwa-di Tabil class (Chetzemoka, Kennewick, Salish): "In the event of an elevator closure, a crew member can assist passengers with mobility disabilities to the passenger deck by way of a small freight elevator, though it is not ADA accessible."
• Visual paging system (WSF doesn't explain how it works; ask the crew): Cathlamet, Chimacum, Kaleetan, Kitsap, Kittitas, Puyallup, Samish, Spokane, Suquamish, Tacoma, Tokitae, Walla Walla, Wenatchee.

What crew can and can't help with

WSF says its employees "have critical functions to perform during loading and unloading operations," so they'll help "depending on time, safety and if staff employee are available." Walk-on passengers may ask terminal and vessel staff for help, including:

• getting on or off a ferry,
• using a WSF wheelchair, if one is available,
• being told when boarding begins.

Staff can't physically move you from a seat to a wheelchair, or help in the restroom or with eating. WSF says: "If you need additional assistance, please bring an attendant." The same applies to wheelchair transport and luggage. If you need a WSF wheelchair on a particular sailing, call 206-464-6400, ideally 24+ hours ahead.

Fares: the 50% disability discount and free attendants

Riders with disabilities "may qualify for a 50% discount on passenger fares on any route," with ID that verifies a disability when buying a ticket. WSF lists these examples (the list isn't exhaustive):

• ORCA Regional Reduced Fare Permit (RRFP),
• Department of Licensing "Individual with Disabilities Parking Privilege" ID card (not the parking placard),
• Medicare card,
• Seattle Flash card,
• the old WSF Disability Travel Permit (no longer issued, still accepted),
• other regional transit ADA ID cards.

IDs from the Veteran's Administration and Washington State Parks aren't accepted. Out-of-state IDs "may still be valid even if staff don't recognize them." Reduced fares have to be bought in person with proof of eligibility, so you can't buy them online. If you need an attendant, get an endorsement on your ORCA RRFP card and the attendant travels free as a passenger. Organizations like senior centers, nursing homes and assisted living centers can apply for a group permit that lets support staff ride without extra fares (888-808-7977). Since March 1, 2026, card payments carry a 3% surcharge. You can avoid it by paying cash or with an ORCA card that wasn't loaded at a WSF facility. Kids under 19 ride free unless they're driving, which matters if you're traveling as a family (ferry with kids).

Service animals

"Service animals are allowed to accompany people with disabilities in all public areas of our terminals and vessels as required by state and federal law." The animal must be under control and housebroken. Staff may ask whether it's a service animal, whether it's needed because of a disability, and what task it's trained to perform. Questions go to the WSF ADA Accessibility Coordinator at 206-515-3437 or wsdotada@wsdot.wa.gov. Pets that aren't service animals follow different rules (leashes, no galley, seats or galley-end half-cabin). See our ferry with a dog or pet guide.

Hidden disabilities: the Sunflower lanyard

As of October 2026, WSF partners with Sunflower, which connects people with hidden disabilities with extra support. WSF says it's the first ferry system in America to partner with Sunflower. "You can pick up a Sunflower lanyard at our Seattle terminal information booth and you'll see WSF staff wearing lanyards to support the program." WSF also announced a public tabling fair to launch the partnership on Thursday, Dec. 3, from 3–6 p.m. at 801 Alaskan Way, Seattle (Colman Dock).

Deaf and hard-of-hearing riders, and emergencies

If the captain declares an emergency, announcements direct passengers, and crews evacuate the car deck and public spaces to the main passenger cabin assembly stations. "If you are deaf or hard of hearing, a crew member will come by your vehicle and give you a safety emergency action card instructing you to leave your vehicle and go to a passenger assembly station." Boats also slow or stop for non-emergencies, when you can stay in your vehicle: required drills, a memorial service, whales nearby, helping a vessel in distress or investigating for the Coast Guard, other vessel traffic, or waiting for another ferry to leave the terminal. To request accommodations from WSDOT, Deaf and hard-of-hearing riders can call the Washington Relay at 711.

If an elevator is out

1. Check the travel alert bulletins the day you travel, and sign up for route alerts. WSF posts elevator, accessible restroom and other outages there.
2. Call 206-464-6400. WSF offers to help you choose sailings, terminals and vessels that fit your needs, so you can ask whether a different boat or sailing avoids the problem.
3. On Kwa-di Tabil-class boats (Chetzemoka, Kennewick, Salish), WSF says crew can help mobility-impaired riders reach the passenger deck by a small freight elevator during an elevator closure. That elevator isn't ADA accessible.
4. If you're driving, tell the ticket seller. WSF's parking-request process is how you ask to stay near an elevator or car-deck restroom. Our take: on boats with a car-deck ADA restroom or shelter (see the vessel table), staying on the car deck may be an option. Ask the crew.
5. Report it to wsdotada@wsdot.wa.gov or 855-362-4ADA (4232) if it affected your trip (see below).

Requests, reasonable modifications and complaints

WSDOT "will modify its policies, practices and procedures to ensure individuals with disabilities have an equal opportunity" unless the change would fundamentally alter the service, create a safety issue, or isn't otherwise required by the ADA. You can make requests (including for materials in alternative formats) to any WSDOT employee, at wsdotada@wsdot.wa.gov, or at 855-362-4ADA (4232). Relay: 711. To report an ADA issue, use the same email or number. Formal discrimination complaints go to WSDOT's Office of Equity and Civil Rights by email, phone or mail. WSDOT asks that they be filed no later than 60 calendar days after the incident. WSDOT will acknowledge within 10 working days, and investigations should conclude within 60 days. For ferry-specific issues, WSF also lists its ADA accessibility coordinator (206-515-3437) and customer service (206-464-6400, toll-free 888-808-7977). Details: WSDOT disability access concerns.

What WSF doesn't publish

• Ramp slopes or lengths, except at Edmonds (two ~200-foot stages).
• Elevator door widths, cab sizes or weight limits for power chairs and scooters.
• Whether terminals without a listed elevator have step-free routes, and what those routes are.
• Accessible seating counts on boats other than the Olympic class.
• Policies specific to strollers, rollators or mobility scooters. Riders using them follow the general walk-on and vehicle rules.
• A dedicated accessible check-in lane at tollbooths. You use the normal booth and tell the ticket seller.

If any of these matter for your trip, call WSF before you travel.

Accessible ferry trip checklist

• Check which boat is on your sailing, then check the vessel table.
• Check the alert bulletins the morning you travel.
• Bring disability ID for the 50% passenger discount and buy at a staffed booth or kiosk. Bring an RRFP with attendant endorsement if an attendant is coming.
• Driving: arrive 30 minutes early and ask the ticket seller for elevator-side, restroom-side or extra-clearance parking.
• Edmonds walk-on: arrive 20+ minutes early if you want help on the long ramp.
• Need a WSF wheelchair? Call 206-464-6400, ideally 24 hours ahead.
• Bring an attendant if you need help transferring, in the restroom or with eating.
• Pick up a Sunflower lanyard at Colman Dock's information booth if it would help.
• Get real-time ferry status and WhatsApp alerts on our WA Ferry Tracker.

FAQ

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Sources

• WSDOT – Riders with disabilities
• WSDOT – Medical preferential loading
• WSDOT – Disability access concerns (ADA)
• WSDOT – Ticket information
• WSDOT – First-time riders
• WSDOT – Pets
• WSDOT – Travel alert bulletins
• WSDOT – Seattle terminal page
• WSDOT – Edmonds terminal page
• WSDOT – Mukilteo terminal page
• WSDOT – Kingston terminal page
• WSDOT – Anacortes terminal page
• WSDOT – Lopez Island terminal page
• WSDOT – Bainbridge Island terminal page
• WSDOT – Southworth terminal page
• WSDOT – M/V Tokitae vessel page (Olympic class example)
• WSDOT – M/V Salish vessel page (Kwa-di Tabil class example)

Independent guide, not affiliated with Washington State Ferries or WSDOT. Elevator status, vessel assignments, fares and rules change, so confirm on wsdot.wa.gov or call WSF at 206-464-6400 before you travel. Last updated November 8, 2026.