How to measure outlet height and offset
Section 604.7 measures height to the outlet, where the paper comes out of the dispenser. It does not measure to the top of the cover or to the mounting screws. On a large unit that feeds from the bottom, the outlet can sit well below the cover's top edge.
Take that reading from the finish floor and keep it between 15 and 48 in. For the horizontal offset, measure forward from the front of the water closet to the centerline of the dispenser. That distance must fall between 7 and 9 in., however wide the cabinet is.
Working around the side wall grab bar
Section 604.7 does not allow the dispenser behind a grab bar, so the usual choices are below the bar or above it. Below the bar, 609.3 requires 1½ in. minimum between the bar and the dispenser. Above the bar, the required gap grows to 12 in. minimum.
Advisory 604.7 gives guidance for the above-the-bar layout. It restates the 48 in. maximum for the outlet and the 33 to 36 in. range for the bar top from 609.4. Stack those limits with the 12 in. gap, and little room is left for the dispenser body. Compare the unit's drawing with the wall before you order.
Section 604.3.2 lets dispensers overlap the clearance required around the water closet, so the dispenser may sit within that space. State or local codes may set tighter rules, and the authority having jurisdiction decides.
Mistakes that fail inspection
Mounting the dispenser behind the side wall bar breaks 604.7 outright. Pushing it back toward the rear wall to save room also fails. The centerline has to land 7 to 9 in. in front of the water closet.
Another error shows up once the grab bar is installed. A dispenser tucked under the bar with less than 1½ in. of space fails 609.3. So does one mounted less than 12 in. above the bar.
The last is buying the wrong mechanism. Section 604.7 rules out dispensers that control delivery or do not allow continuous flow. Under 309.4, the dispenser's operable parts must work with one hand, without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting, at 5 pounds of force or less.
Choosing a toilet paper dispenser
Read the spec sheet for the outlet location, not just the overall height. Where the outlet sits on the unit decides how you mount it and still land between 15 and 48 in.
If the dispenser will share a wall with a grab bar, check its body height against the 609.3 gaps. Then confirm continuous paper flow and operable parts that need 5 pounds of force or less.
