Commercial washrooms: key facts
- Employers in Great Britain must provide suitable and sufficient toilets and washing facilities at readily accessible places, with soap, hot and cold (or warm) water and a suitable means of drying (Workplace Regulations 1992, regs 20 and 21).
- For new buildings and building work in England, Approved Document M Volume 2 sets out how to provide accessible toilets; Approved Document T (from 1 October 2024) covers single-sex and universal toilets in new non-domestic buildings.
- Approved Document M expects at least one wheelchair-accessible unisex toilet at each location in a building where toilets are provided for visitors or staff, plus an ambulant cubicle in separate-sex toilets.
- Where there are four or more cubicles in separate-sex toilets, Approved Document M expects one of them to be an enlarged cubicle as well.
- Since the 2020 amendment, many large new public buildings in England (for example retail premises of 2,500m² or more, and venues for 350 or more people) need a Changing Places toilet.
- An accessible unisex toilet should not be used for baby changing, according to Approved Document M.
- Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own building regulations and guidance, so details can differ outside England.
- Commercial Washroom Hub is an independent guide. We don't make, sell or install washroom products.
What does a commercial washroom need?
Every commercial washroom needs enough toilets and basins for the people using the building, a way to dry hands, accessible provision for disabled people, ventilation and lighting, and fittings that are easy to clean and hard to break. The right mix depends on who uses the building and when.
"Commercial washroom" covers anything from a single toilet at the back of a small shop to a run of washrooms in a secondary school, a stadium concourse or a hospital outpatients department. The parts are the same, but the balance between them changes a lot:
- Toilets and urinals: how many, in what kind of cubicles, and how they're flushed and maintained.
- Basins and taps: lever, push or sensor taps, the water temperature, and enough basins for the busiest few minutes of the day.
- Hand drying: hand dryers, paper towels, or a mix of the two in different parts of the building.
- Accessible provision: a wheelchair-accessible toilet, an ambulant cubicle, and in some large buildings a Changing Places toilet with a hoist and adult changing bench.
- Accessories: soap and paper dispensers, sanitary and nappy bins, baby changing, mirrors, coat hooks and shelves.
- The room itself: layout, ventilation, lighting, flooring, wall finishes and access to pipework for maintenance.
A good commercial washroom is designed around its peak, not its average. A school washroom is quiet for most of the day and then has a few hundred pupils through it at break. An office has a rush at lunchtime. A pub's busiest time is late evening; a theatre's is the interval. The number of basins and dryers, where they sit, and how robust they need to be all follow from that.
It also needs to suit the people who clean and maintain it. Wall-hung toilets, concealed cisterns behind access panels, sealed floor-to-wall junctions and fittings that can be wiped in seconds save time every day for the life of the washroom.
Which rules apply to commercial washrooms?
Two sets of rules matter most. Workplace law says what employers must provide for staff in an existing building, and the building regulations say how new buildings, extensions, conversions and some alterations must be designed. Food hygiene, licensing and planning conditions can add more for particular businesses.
Workplace law (staff toilets and washing)
In Great Britain, the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 require employers to provide suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences and washing facilities at readily accessible places. The rooms must be ventilated, lit and kept clean. Washing facilities must be next to the toilets and include clean hot and cold (or warm) running water, soap or another way of cleaning, and towels or another suitable way of drying. Men and women need separate rooms unless each toilet or washroom is a room for one person with a door that locks from the inside.
Building regulations (new buildings and building work)
In England, the Approved Documents explain how to meet the building regulations. For washrooms the key ones are:
- Approved Document M Volume 2 (buildings other than dwellings): accessible toilets, ambulant cubicles, enlarged cubicles, Changing Places toilets, baby changing, and details such as door opening forces, taps, alarms and visual contrast.
- Approved Document T (in force from 1 October 2024): toilet accommodation in new non-domestic buildings and material changes of use, including single-sex toilets and universal toilets.
Other parts of the building regulations, such as those for drainage, ventilation and electrical safety, also apply to washroom work. Whether a particular refurbishment needs building control approval depends on what you're changing: replacing fittings like for like is very different from moving walls, adding a toilet or changing how a building is used. If you're not sure, ask your building control body or designer before work starts.
What accessible toilets does a commercial building need?
Under Approved Document M, a building should have at least one wheelchair-accessible unisex toilet wherever toilets are provided for visitors or staff, an ambulant cubicle in separate-sex toilets, and, in some large public buildings, a Changing Places toilet.
Accessible provision is where most washroom projects need the most care, because the details really matter. A wheelchair-accessible toilet with the basin in the wrong place, a bin in the transfer space or a pull cord tied up out of reach can stop someone using it at all.
The main kinds of accessible provision in Approved Document M are:
- Wheelchair-accessible unisex toilet: a self-contained room, usually called a "Doc M toilet" or "disabled toilet", with space to turn and transfer from a wheelchair, grab rails, a basin reachable from the toilet and an emergency assistance alarm. Approved Document M says one should be as close as possible to the entrance or waiting area, and a wheelchair user shouldn't normally have to travel more than 40m on the same floor to reach one.
- Ambulant cubicle: a cubicle in the men's or women's toilets with grab rails and extra space, for people who can walk but need support.
- Enlarged cubicle: where there are four or more cubicles in separate-sex toilets, one of them should be larger, which also helps parents with children and people with luggage.
- Changing Places toilet: a larger room with a hoist, an adult-sized changing bench and space for up to two carers, for people who can't use a standard accessible toilet.
Most of the fittings in a wheelchair-accessible toilet are usually bought as a Doc M pack: the toilet, basin, grab rails and other fittings in one set, made to the layout in Approved Document M. The pack doesn't make a room compliant on its own, though: the room size, door, layout and alarm matter just as much.
Read more: disabled toilet regulations, what's in a Doc M pack and Changing Places toilets.
Should a commercial washroom use hand dryers or paper towels?
Both can meet the legal requirement for a suitable means of drying. Hand dryers have no towels to buy, refill or throw away but need an electrical supply; paper towels are quiet and need no electrical work but have ongoing costs and waste. What suits you depends on footfall, noise, the type of building and, in healthcare, infection-control guidance.
This is one of the most common washroom decisions, and the honest answer is that it depends on the building. The things to weigh up are:
- Running costs: a dryer uses electricity each time it runs; paper towels mean buying towels, bin liners and waste collections, and someone's time to refill and empty. Our hand dryers vs paper towels guide works through the sums, and the running cost calculator does them with your own figures.
- Peak use: if lots of people need to dry their hands at once, you need enough dryers or towel dispensers, in the right place, to stop queues and drips across the floor.
- Noise: some dryers are loud. That matters next to offices, meeting rooms, restaurants and in schools, especially for children and adults with sensory needs.
- Mess and blockages: towels can end up on the floor or down toilets, particularly in schools, pubs and public toilets.
- Healthcare: clinical areas follow infection prevention and control guidance, which you should check before choosing hand drying for a hospital, clinic or surgery.
If you choose dryers, the main types are high-speed "blade" or "jet" dryers you put your hands into, high-speed warm-air dryers with a nozzle, and traditional warm-air dryers. They differ in drying time, power, noise, size and price. For schools in particular, see hand dryers for schools.
How do washroom needs differ between types of building?
The legal basics are the same, but each type of building has its own pressure points: queues at break times in schools, noise in offices and restaurants, vandalism in pubs and public toilets, wet areas in gyms and pools, and infection control in healthcare.
| Type of building | What usually matters most |
|---|---|
| Schools and nurseries | Break-time peaks, privacy and supervision, robust and tamper-resistant fittings, heights for younger children, noise, accessible and hygiene rooms for pupils with special needs, work done in the holidays |
| Colleges and universities | High footfall in teaching blocks, summer works windows, universal and single-sex provision in new buildings, sustainability targets |
| Offices | Lunchtime peaks, noise near desks and meeting rooms, an accessible toilet on each floor, the impression on visitors, landlord and tenant responsibilities |
| Restaurants, pubs and bars | Customer image, late-night use, vandalism, staff handwashing for food hygiene, keeping trading during works |
| Hotels | Public toilets by the lobby, bar and function rooms, finishes that match the rest of the building, works planned around occupancy |
| Gyms, pools and leisure centres | Wet changing areas, showers, ventilation, family and accessible changing, Changing Places in larger centres |
| Factories and warehouses | Shift changes, dirty work that needs proper washing (and sometimes showers), distance from work areas to toilets, durable fittings |
| Shops and shopping centres | Customer toilets where provided, staff facilities, Changing Places in large retail premises and centres |
| Public toilets, stadiums and venues | Huge short peaks, vandal resistance, opening hours and cleaning, enough provision for women, Changing Places |
| Healthcare and care homes | Infection prevention and control, assisted and accessible bathrooms, safe hot water temperatures, easy-clean surfaces |
We're writing a separate guide for each of these, starting with schools.
How do you plan a washroom refurbishment?
Start with a survey of what's there and who uses it, write a short brief, check what needs building control approval, get comparable quotes on the same specification, and plan how the building will keep running while the work is done.
- Survey what you have. Count toilets, urinals, basins and dryers; measure the rooms and doors; note the drainage, water and electrical supplies, and anything that keeps breaking or causing complaints.
- Work out who uses it and when. Numbers of staff, visitors or pupils, and the busiest times. This decides how many fittings you need and where.
- Check the accessible provision. Is there a wheelchair-accessible toilet where it's needed, and does it actually work for a wheelchair user? A refurbishment is often the best time to put it right.
- Write a brief. What must change, what can stay, finishes, budget and dates. A one-page brief means every supplier quotes for the same thing.
- Ask about building control. Moving walls, adding toilets, changing drainage or ventilation, or a change of use may need approval. Like-for-like replacement usually doesn't, but check.
- Get comparable quotes. Ask each supplier or installer to price the same specification and say what's included: removal of old fittings, making good, electrical work, waste, and any warranties or servicing.
- Plan the works. Schools often use the holidays; offices and venues may phase works so some toilets stay open, or hire temporary units.
- Hand over properly. Get the product manuals, warranty details, cleaning instructions, and any certificates for electrical work and building control sign-off.
What should you ask a washroom supplier or installer?
Ask what's included in the price, who does the electrical and plumbing work, whether their accessible layouts follow Approved Document M, what the warranty and servicing cover, and how they'll keep disruption to a minimum.
- What exactly is included? Supply only, or supply and fit? Removal and disposal of old fittings? Making good walls and floors?
- Who does the electrical work? Hand dryers, sensor taps and alarms need a competent electrician. Ask whether it's included and who certifies it.
- Will the accessible toilet layout follow Approved Document M? Ask them to show the layout, the transfer side and the fitting heights before work starts.
- How many fittings do they recommend, and why? A good supplier will ask about your users and peak times, not just count what's already there.
- What are the running costs? For dryers, ask for the power rating and drying time so you can work out the electricity cost yourself.
- What's the warranty, and what does servicing cost? Ask about filters, parts and how quickly they respond to a fault.
- Can they work around your building? Out-of-hours or holiday working, phasing, temporary toilets, and site rules.
- Can you rent rather than buy? Some suppliers rent hand dryers or offer service contracts. Compare the total cost over the same period.
Where should I start?
Start with the guide closest to your project, then read the planning and running-cost guides before you ask for quotes.
Accessible toilets
Sectors
Running costs and evidence
We're adding new guides every week, including Doc M toilet dimensions, grab rail heights, school toilet regulations, office and restaurant washrooms, quiet hand dryers, washroom refurbishment costs and how many hand dryers you need.
Related guides
Commercial washrooms: frequently asked questions
What is a commercial washroom?
It's any toilet or washroom in a building other than a home: offices, schools, shops, restaurants, factories, leisure centres, hospitals and public toilets. Commercial washrooms have to cope with heavier use than a home bathroom and must meet workplace law and the building regulations.
Do I have to provide a disabled toilet?
For new buildings and most building work in England, Approved Document M expects at least one wheelchair-accessible unisex toilet wherever toilets are provided for visitors or staff. For existing buildings, the Equality Act 2010 can also require reasonable adjustments. Our disabled toilet regulations guide explains when each applies.
What is a Doc M pack?
It's a set of fittings for a wheelchair-accessible toilet, usually the toilet, seat, flush, basin, taps and grab rails, designed to the layout in Approved Document M. The pack alone doesn't make a toilet compliant: the room size, door and layout matter too.
What is a Changing Places toilet?
It's a larger accessible toilet with a ceiling hoist, an adult-sized changing bench and room for up to two carers, for people who can't use a standard accessible toilet. Since 2020, many large new public buildings in England must include one.
Are hand dryers cheaper than paper towels?
It depends on how many people use the washroom, the dryer's power and drying time, your electricity price, and what you pay for towels, bin liners and waste collection. Our hand dryers vs paper towels guide works through the sums so you can use your own figures.
Are hand dryers allowed in hospitals?
In clinical areas, hospitals follow national infection prevention and control guidance, which you should check before choosing any hand drying method. Public areas such as visitor toilets may be treated differently. Ask the organisation's infection prevention team.
Do I need building control approval to refurbish a washroom?
Not always. Replacing fittings like for like usually doesn't need approval, but changes such as moving walls, adding toilets, altering drainage or ventilation, or a change of use may. Check with your building control body before work starts.
Do the same rules apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
The principles are similar, but each nation has its own building regulations and guidance. Approved Documents M and T apply in England. Workplace welfare rules are similar across Great Britain, and Northern Ireland has its own regulations.
Is Commercial Washroom Hub a supplier?
No. We're an independent website with guides to commercial washrooms. We don't make, sell or install products. If you send us an enquiry, we pass it to one commercial washroom supplier or installer from our partners, who will contact you.
What happens when I send an enquiry?
We pass your details to one commercial washroom supplier or installer from our partners, who'll contact you to talk through your project and prices. It's free and there's no obligation. Our privacy policy explains how we use your details.
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources on 11 November 2026:
- Access to and use of buildings: Approved Document M (GOV.UK)
- Approved Document M Volume 2, 2015 edition incorporating 2020 and 2024 amendments (PDF, GOV.UK)
- Toilet accommodation: Approved Document T (GOV.UK)
- Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, regulation 20 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, regulation 21 (legislation.gov.uk)