A courtesy card, not a legal document
This card is a polite way to ask when you can’t stop to explain. It doesn’t give you a legal right to use a restroom, and a business can still say no. A short card shown at a counter can save you explaining out loud.
- Print at 100%. In the print dialog, choose “Actual size” or 100%, not “Fit to page”, and each card comes out about the size of a bank card (85.6 × 54 mm).
- Make it last. Some people laminate their card or cover it with clear packing tape.
- Keep a spare. One in your wallet or phone case, one in your bag, car or work locker.
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s “I Can’t Wait” card
The Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation has its own “I Can’t Wait” card. On its restroom access state laws page, the Foundation says the card is free for anyone with IBD who needs one, and that you can request one by calling 888-MY-GUT-PAIN (888-694-8872). Its membership page says members get “I Can’t Wait” wording on the back of their membership card. Our card is not the Foundation’s card and isn’t connected with it.
The Foundation also makes a free app, We Can’t Wait, for finding restrooms nearby.
Restroom access laws
Some US states have restroom access laws, sometimes called Ally’s Law. The Foundation explains that these laws generally cover employee-only restrooms when a public one isn’t available, apply only in certain situations, and often ask you to show a document signed by a medical professional. It says states often accept the Foundation’s “I Can’t Wait” card. It also says that in states where these laws have passed, awareness and compliance have been disappointing.
To see whether your state has a law, check the Foundation’s state-by-state page or its restroom access page. Rules vary by place and change over time, and this isn’t legal advice.
Planning a trip? Our travel checklist has a section on restroom planning.