Do all businesses have obligations under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
A8. If you own, operate, lease, or lease to a business that serves the public, then you are covered by the ADA and have obligations for removing barriers in existing facilities, ensuring compliance with architectural standards in newly constructed or altered facilities, and communicating effectively with people with sensory disabilities such as blindness and deafness. Places of public accommodation include a wide range of businesses, from hotels, restaurants, and theaters to grocery stores, banks, and art galleries. A wide range of types of private businesses that serve the public are included in the categories, regardless of size. “Bona fide” private membership clubs are exempt, except to the extent that they make their facilities or services available to non-members. Religious entities are broadly exempt, even if they make their facilities or services available to the general public. See below for further details: Type of Establishment Examples • Place of lodging: Hotel, Inn, Motel (
