The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is a federal civil rights law enacted to prohibit
discrimination against persons with disabilities by places of public accommodation, state and local
government entities, telecommunications providers and employers. The ADA requires businesses,
nonprofit organizations and state and local governments to engage in barrier removal under certain
circumstances and to provide access to publicly available programs and services. The ADA also requires
compliance with standards for accessible design when covered entities construct new buildings or
facilities or make major, planned alterations to existing facilities. For more information about the ADA,
please see below:
Title I: Prohibits employment discrimination for covered employers (those with 15 or more employees).
Title I is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC also has
promulgated regulations that apply to Title I: 29 CFR Part 1630 (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-
2011-title29-vol4/xml/CFR-2011-title29-vol4-part1630.xml), 29 CFR Part 1640 http://www.gpo.gov/
fdsys/pkg/CFR-2011-title29-vol4/xml/CFR-2011-title29-vol4-part1640.xml), and 29 CFR Part 1641 (http:/
/www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2011-title29-vol4/xml/CFR-2011-title29-vol4-part1641.xml).
For more information on Title I and disability discrimination in employment, visit the EEOC at: http://
www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/disability.cfm
Title II: Prohibits discrimination by state and local government entities, and requires them to make their
activities, programs and services accessible to persons with disabilities unless it would fundamentally
alter the nature of those activities, programs or services, or create an undue financial or administrative
burden for the covered entity. Title II is enforced by the Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ
implemented new Title II regulations effective March 11, 2011. 28 CFR 35 (http://www.ada.gov/
regs2010/titleII_2010/titleII_2010_regulations.htm)
For more information on Title II and disability discrimination as it relates to state and local government
entities, visit the DOJ’s ADA Information page at: www.ada.gov, and check out these links:
ADA Title II Technical Assistance Manual (http://www.ada.gov/taman2.html).
Model Policy for Law Enforcement on Communicating with People who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(http://www.ada.gov/lawenfmodpolicy.pdf)
Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: ADA Guide for Law Enforcement Officers
(http://www.ada.gov/lawenfcomm.pdf)
Title III: Prohibits discrimination by places of public accommodation, including businesses and non-
profit organizations, and requires covered entities to engage in barrier removal activities when
it is readily achievable to do so. Title III is enforced by the DOJ. The DOJ implemented new Title
III regulations effective March 11, 2011. 28 CFR 36 (http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/titleIII_2010/
titleIII_2010_regulations.htm)
For more information on Title III and disability discrimination as it relates to places of public
accommodation, visit the DOJ’s ADA Information page at: www.ada.gov, and check out these links:
ADA Title III Technical Assistance Manual (http://www.ada.gov/taman3.html).
Assistance at Self-Service Gas Stations (http://www.ada.gov/gasserve.pdf)
Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings (http://www.ada.gov/
hospcombrscr.pdf)
Revised ADA Standards for Accessible Design: These standards apply to Title II and Title III entities
when they construction new buildings or facilities or make major planned structural alterations to
existing faciltiies. The U.S. Access Board is responsible for drafting the standards. New standards
went into effect on March 15, 2012, available at: http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/
2010ADAStandards.pdf
More information is available on the Access Board website: http://www.access-board.gov/
Title IV: Prohibits discrimination in telecommunications services. Title IV is enforced by the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC). More information on Title IV is available at: http://
transition.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/trs.html
Title V contains miscellaneous provisions prohibiting retaliation and coercion against any person who
exercises his or her rights under the ADA. It also contains instructions to the various federal agencies
responsible for ADA enforcement.
discrimination against persons with disabilities by places of public accommodation, state and local
government entities, telecommunications providers and employers. The ADA requires businesses,
nonprofit organizations and state and local governments to engage in barrier removal under certain
circumstances and to provide access to publicly available programs and services. The ADA also requires
compliance with standards for accessible design when covered entities construct new buildings or
facilities or make major, planned alterations to existing facilities. For more information about the ADA,
please see below:
Title I: Prohibits employment discrimination for covered employers (those with 15 or more employees).
Title I is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC also has
promulgated regulations that apply to Title I: 29 CFR Part 1630 (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-
2011-title29-vol4/xml/CFR-2011-title29-vol4-part1630.xml), 29 CFR Part 1640 http://www.gpo.gov/
fdsys/pkg/CFR-2011-title29-vol4/xml/CFR-2011-title29-vol4-part1640.xml), and 29 CFR Part 1641 (http:/
/www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2011-title29-vol4/xml/CFR-2011-title29-vol4-part1641.xml).
For more information on Title I and disability discrimination in employment, visit the EEOC at: http://
www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/disability.cfm
Title II: Prohibits discrimination by state and local government entities, and requires them to make their
activities, programs and services accessible to persons with disabilities unless it would fundamentally
alter the nature of those activities, programs or services, or create an undue financial or administrative
burden for the covered entity. Title II is enforced by the Department of Justice (DOJ). The DOJ
implemented new Title II regulations effective March 11, 2011. 28 CFR 35 (http://www.ada.gov/
regs2010/titleII_2010/titleII_2010_regulations.htm)
For more information on Title II and disability discrimination as it relates to state and local government
entities, visit the DOJ’s ADA Information page at: www.ada.gov, and check out these links:
ADA Title II Technical Assistance Manual (http://www.ada.gov/taman2.html).
Model Policy for Law Enforcement on Communicating with People who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(http://www.ada.gov/lawenfmodpolicy.pdf)
Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: ADA Guide for Law Enforcement Officers
(http://www.ada.gov/lawenfcomm.pdf)
Title III: Prohibits discrimination by places of public accommodation, including businesses and non-
profit organizations, and requires covered entities to engage in barrier removal activities when
it is readily achievable to do so. Title III is enforced by the DOJ. The DOJ implemented new Title
III regulations effective March 11, 2011. 28 CFR 36 (http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/titleIII_2010/
titleIII_2010_regulations.htm)
For more information on Title III and disability discrimination as it relates to places of public
accommodation, visit the DOJ’s ADA Information page at: www.ada.gov, and check out these links:
ADA Title III Technical Assistance Manual (http://www.ada.gov/taman3.html).
Assistance at Self-Service Gas Stations (http://www.ada.gov/gasserve.pdf)
Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings (http://www.ada.gov/
hospcombrscr.pdf)
Revised ADA Standards for Accessible Design: These standards apply to Title II and Title III entities
when they construction new buildings or facilities or make major planned structural alterations to
existing faciltiies. The U.S. Access Board is responsible for drafting the standards. New standards
went into effect on March 15, 2012, available at: http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/
2010ADAStandards.pdf
More information is available on the Access Board website: http://www.access-board.gov/
Title IV: Prohibits discrimination in telecommunications services. Title IV is enforced by the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC). More information on Title IV is available at: http://
transition.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/trs.html
Title V contains miscellaneous provisions prohibiting retaliation and coercion against any person who
exercises his or her rights under the ADA. It also contains instructions to the various federal agencies
responsible for ADA enforcement.
