Riders with disabilities
Learn about how we're providing equal access to our riders with disabilities. Find information about discounted fares, service animals and more.
Discount for riders with disabilities
Riders with disabilities may qualify for a 50% discount on passenger fares on any route. To get the discount, you must provide a form of ID that verifies a disability when buying a ticket.
Examples of IDs that verify a disability include, but are not limited to:
- 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.
- Washington State Ferries Disability Travel Permit (no longer issued but still accepted).
- Other regional transit ADA ID cards showing disability that identifies the holder of the card as a person with a disability.
- Note: IDs from the Veteran’s Administration and Washington State Parks are not accepted. Out-of-state IDs may still be valid even if staff don’t recognize them.
Riders with disabilities who need attendant care while travelling on the ferries can get an endorsement on their ORCA RRFP card. This allows the attendant to travel free as a passenger.
We operate a program for organizations that transport large groups of customers who need assistance. This includes senior centers, nursing homes and assisted living centers. The program allows support staff to travel without paying additional fares. To apply for a permit for your organization, contact us at 888-808-7977.
Ferry and terminal accessibility
All our facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. However, the level of accessibility varies by terminal and ferry. To find out which ferry is assigned to your sailing, click on your departing terminal in the drop down list below and scroll to the top of the page to see upcoming sailings.
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 travel alerts by route. These alerts will let you know about elevator outages or other issues that could affect your trip.
- Accessibility in terminals
View ADA information specific to each of our terminals:
- Accessibility on ferries
View ADA information specific to each of our ferries:
Customer support for riders with disabilities
Our employees have critical functions to perform during loading and unloading operations. With this in mind, we will make every attempt to assist you, depending on time, safety and if staff employee are available.
Walk-on passengers may ask terminal and vessel personnel for help. This includes, but is not limited to, getting on or off a ferry, using a WSF wheelchair if one is available and notification when boarding begins.
Our employees cannot provide physical assistance in moving a person from a seat to a wheelchair, in the restroom or with eating. If you need additional assistance, please bring an attendant.
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.
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.
Owners must keep their service animal in control, and the animal must be housebroken.
Employees are authorized to ask:
- If the animal is a service animal.
- If the service animal is required because of a disability.
- What task the animal is trained to perform.
If you have any questions about service animals please contact the WSF ADA Accessibility Coordinator at 206-515-3437 or wsdotada@wsdot.wa.gov.
If you have a pet and not a service animal, learn the rules about travelling with pets on our pets page.
Accessible onboard parking request
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.
Examples include, but are not limited to: parking near an elevator, near a car deck restroom or with additional clearance on a specific side of your vehicle.
Medical preferential loading
Medical preferential loading is a program that allows enrolled customers with medical conditions to skip the standard “first-come, first-served” vehicle line and board the soonest departing ferry when an extended wait in line at the terminal would create a serious health risk. You must enroll and follow the medical preferential loading procedures at the terminal to use the program. If you would like more information, please visit our medical preferential loading page.
Wheelchair availability
If you need assistance with wheelchair transport, luggage, etc., please bring an attendant. If you know you will need a wheelchair on a specific sailing, please call us at 206-464-6400. If possible, please make your request at least 24 hours in advance so we have time to make arrangements.
Vessel emergency information
If the captain declares an emergency, audio announcements will direct passengers to the right area. Crews will search and evacuate all passengers from 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.
A vessel may slow or stop for one of the following reasons that are not emergencies, and in these cases, you can stay in your vehicle:
- Required emergency drills.
- A memorial service on board the vessel.
- Whales in the vicinity.
- Responding to a vessel in distress or investigating an event for the U.S. Coast Guard.
- Slowing or stopping for other vessel traffic.
- Waiting for another ferry to depart the ferry terminal.
- Disability discrimination complaints
Any individual, group, or entity who believes they have been subjected to discrimination based on disability with regard to any WSF activity, facility, program or service are encouraged to consult the WSDOT External ADA Grievance Procedure (PDF 169KB).
Complaints may be filed through:
- Our ADA accessibility coordinator at 206-515-3437.
- Our ADA complaint email at wsdotada@wsdot.wa.gov.
- WSF customer service at 206-464-6400 (toll-free in Washington and British Columbia at 888-808-7977).
For more information, visit our disability access concerns page.
- ADA Notice
WSDOT will modify its policies, practices and procedures to ensure individuals with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in its programs, services, or activities unless the modification fundamentally alters the program, service, or activity, creates a safety issue, or is not otherwise required by the ADA. Requests for modification can be made to any WSDOT employee or at wsdotada@wsdot.wa.gov or by calling toll free 855-362-4ADA (4232). Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may make a request by calling the Washington state telecommunications relay service at 711.
- WSDOT ADA Transition Plan and Annual Report
WSDOT’s ADA Transition Plan and Annual Report are available at the following links:
Slow down – lives are on the line.
Drive the posted speeds, they’re there for your safety.
Phone down, eyes up.
Pay attention – both to workers directing you and to surrounding traffic.
Stay calm
Expect delays, leave early or take an alternate route if possible; no appointment is worth risking someone’s life.