Public accommodation

Generally speaking, a public accommodation is a business or nonprofit organization open to the public where commerce takes place. Commerce happens when things are bought or sold, or when services are bought or sold. Examples are restaurants, stadiums, and hospitals. Additional examples include daycare centers, private schools, golf courses, and zoos. Private transportation—such as a touring bus company, taxi service, or cruise line—also falls into this category.

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers public accommodations, and it sets out twelve broad categories for what is a public accommodation. If you’re curious about the details, see the Definitions section of Title III.

[ Read: Public Places Overview ]


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  • Introduction to the Service Animal Toolkit
    07/27/2022- Do customers bring dogs into your business claiming they are service animals, emotional support animals, comfort dogs, or therapy dogs? Join Chris Sweet, technical assistant for the Northeast ADA Cent...
  • Northeast ADA Center Year in Review 2020
    01/28/2021- While COVID-19 was certainly one of the largest stories of 2020, other ADA items of note happened as well. Join the technical assistance team of the Northeast ADA Center as they review the year 2020....
  • ADA 101.2 Overview of Title I and Employment
    04/26/2021- This webinar is the third in the Northeast ADA's ADA 101 series. Intended for those new to the Americans with Disabilities Act or for those wanting a refresher, this webinar will focus on the employme...
  • ADA 101.1 Defining Disability
    03/26/2021- This presentation builds on the introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) given in the webinar ADA 101. Intended for those new to the ADA or for those wanting a refresher, this webinar...

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2024 - Putting questions on the map
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2024 in review
Putting questions on the map 
Top five locations of people who contacted us…
New York 43%
New Jersey 23%
Puerto Rico 16%
Unknown 3%
Virgin Islands 2%
2024 - What were common referrals?
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2024 in review
What were common referrals?
Top five agencies we suggested for additional assistance…
US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development 9
US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission 7%
US Department of Justice 6%
Other regional ADA Centers 6%
Independent Living Centers 5%
2024 - What were popular questions?
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2024 in review
What were popular questions?
Top five topics were…
Reasonable accommodation 17%
General ADA information 14%
Facility access 13%
Enforcement 10%
Service animals 8%
2024 in review - Who asked questions?
Social media banner with a faded background of puzzle pieces. The text says:
2024 in review
Who asked questions? 
Top five roles of the people we assisted were…
Individual with a disability 44%
Family member of a person with a disability 10%
Unknown 8%
Business 8%
State/local government agency 7%
Help America Vote Act
Social media banner from the Northeast ADA Center with an image of a sandwich board sign. The sign says Vote Here, and it shows an American flag and a universal accessibility symbol. “If I have a disability, what does the Help America Vote Act of 2002 provide for me? A polling site must have a voting machine that provides an equal chance for me to vote privately and independently.”  Voter