--- title: How Familiar Are You with ADA Guidelines? description: Make sure that your business provides easy access for individuals with disabilities. Avoid fines and lawsuits by following the ADA guidelines. image: https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/hubfs/Blog_Images/ADA-Guidelines-e1438707309414.jpg --- - [Pay Rent](https://sdnyrealty.com/pay-rent/) - [Forms](https://sdnyrealty.com/forms/) -   [![S&D Commercial Real Estate Agency](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/hs-fs/hubfs/S__D_Real_Estate_January2019/images/sd-original-logo_300px.png?width=300&height=194&name=sd-original-logo_300px.png "S&D Commercial Real Estate Agency")](https://sdnyrealty.com/) - [About](https://sdnyrealty.com/long-island-commercial-real-estate-firm/) - [Agents](https://sdnyrealty.com/long-island-real-estate-agents/) - [Listings](https://sdnyrealty.com/property-listings/) - [Property Management](https://sdnyrealty.com/property-management-company/) - [Resources](https://sdnyrealty.com/real-estate-resources/) - [Neighborhood Guide](https://sdnyrealty.com/neighborhood-guide/) - [Long Island](https://sdnyrealty.com/long-island-commercial-real-estate/) - [Nassau County](https://sdnyrealty.com/nassau-county-commercial-real-estate/) - [Bethpage](https://sdnyrealty.com/bethpage-commercial-real-estate/) - [Farmingdale](https://sdnyrealty.com/farmingdale-commercial-real-estate/) - [Franklin Square](https://sdnyrealty.com/franklin-square-commercial-real-estate/) - [Garden City](https://sdnyrealty.com/garden-city-commercial-real-estate/) - [Glen Cove](https://sdnyrealty.com/glen-cove-commercial-real-estate/) - [Hempstead](https://sdnyrealty.com/hempstead-commercial-real-estate/) - [Hicksville](https://sdnyrealty.com/hicksville-commercial-real-estate/) - [Long Beach](https://sdnyrealty.com/long-beach-commercial-real-estate/) - [Mineola](https://sdnyrealty.com/mineola-commercial-real-estate/) - [Rockville Centre](https://sdnyrealty.com/rockville-centre-commercial-real-estate/) - [Suffolk County](https://sdnyrealty.com/suffolk-county-commercial-real-estate/) - [Babylon](https://sdnyrealty.com/suffolk-county-commercial-real-estate/babylon-commercial-real-estate/) - [Brookhaven](https://sdnyrealty.com/brookhaven-commercial-real-estate/) - [Hauppauge](https://sdnyrealty.com/hauppauge-commercial-real-estate/) - [Huntington](https://sdnyrealty.com/huntington-commercial-real-estate/) - [Islip](https://sdnyrealty.com/islip-commercial-real-estate/) - [Melville](https://sdnyrealty.com/melville-commercial-real-estate/) - [Riverhead](https://sdnyrealty.com/riverhead-commercial-real-estate/) - [Smithtown](https://sdnyrealty.com/smithtown-commercial-real-estate/) - [Southampton](https://sdnyrealty.com/southampton-commercial-real-estate/) - [Consulting Services](https://sdnyrealty.com/consulting-services/) - [Property Appraisal Services](https://sdnyrealty.com/property-appraisal/) - [Zoning Regulations](https://sdnyrealty.com/zoning-regulations/) - [Forms](https://sdnyrealty.com/forms/) - [Veterans & Military Housing](https://sdnyrealty.com/veterans-military-housing/) - [Join our Program](https://sdnyrealty.com/veterans-military-housing/#apply-now) - [Forms & Applications](https://sdnyrealty.com/forms/) - [Pay Rent](https://sdnyrealty.com/pay-rent/) - [Blog](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/blog) - [Contact](https://sdnyrealty.com/contact/) # How Familiar Are You with ADA Guidelines? - August 04, 2015 - [Guidelines](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/blog/topic/guidelines), [commercial real estate](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/blog/topic/commercial-real-estate) - 0 ![How Familiar Are You with ADA Guidelines?](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/hubfs/Blog_Images/ADA-Guidelines-e1438707309414.jpg) The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has recently celebrated its [twenty-fifth anniversary](http://www.globest.com/blogs/buildingsciences/engineering/Reviewing-Accessibility-Requirements-on-ADA-Anniversary-360166-1.html) since the law was first established. Although residential properties are exempt from ADA requirements, any business that provides goods or services to the public must take note of this important law. Make sure that your business establishment or commercial building is following the ADA guidelines. ## What is ADA? [The ADA is a Federal civil rights law](http://www.ada.gov/2010_regs.htm) that prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity for persons with disabilities in employment, State and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities and transportation. It forbids the exclusion of people with disabilities from daily activities, such as purchasing an item in a store, enjoying a movie at a theater or dining at a restaurant. [More than 50 million Americans have disabilities](http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/smallbusiness/smallbusprimer2010.htm) and each is a potential customer. ## Who is Covered by the ADA? Private businesses of all sizes that provide goods or services to the public are identified as “public accommodations. The ADA makes both you and your landlord responsible to make sure that the premises are handicap-accessible. Businesses located in all areas, including [Nassau County](http://sdnyrealty.com/nassau-county-commercial-real-estate/) and [Suffolk County](http://sdnyrealty.com/suffolk-county-commercial-real-estate/), need to follow proper procedures and make necessary modifications in order to serve customers with disabilities as well as communicate effectively with them.   [![ADA guidelines ](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/hs-fs/file-3498624632-jpg/blog-files/ada-guidelines-wheelchair-1024x674.jpg?width=640&height=421&name=ada-guidelines-wheelchair-1024x674.jpg)](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/hs-fs/file-3498624632-jpg/blog-files/ada-guidelines-wheelchair-1024x674.jpg) wheelchair ramp ### **Public Accommodations** The ADA has established twelve categories for these public accommodations, regardless of size, including: 1. Stores 2. Restaurants 3. Bars 4. Services establishments 5. Theaters 6. Hotels 7. Recreational facilities 8. Private museums 9. Schools 10. Doctors’ offices 11. Dentists’ offices 12. Shopping malls ## ADA Guidelines for Commercial Buildings Commercial buildings can include factories, warehouses, manufacturing plants and office buildings, whose [operations affect commerce](http://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/buildings-and-sites/about-the-ada-standards/guide-to-the-ada-standards/chapter-1-using-the-ada-standards). If you own or operate a business that serves the public, you must remove any “architectural barriers”. Architectural barriers are structural elements that can prevent or limit disabled individuals from entering or obtaining the goods and services offered at a business establishment. These barriers can include narrow parking spaces, steps at an entrance or restaurant seats that cannot move, which prevents a wheelchair from fitting under the table. For proper removal of barriers, commercial buildings should follow the [ADA Standards for Accessible Design](http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAstandards.htm). Commercial buildings should also know that an alteration is a change that requires a building permit, such as remodeling, renovating or rearranging structural elements. Any type of normal maintenance that doesn’t affect the building’s structure, such as painting, is not considered to be an alteration. ## Policies and Procedures ADA violations happen every day just because a business does not comply with the [ADA guidelines](http://www.ada.gov/). Every business that serves the public needs to make sure that they review their current policies and procedures to make sure that they are compliant with the ADA. For example, if a retail store locks a special accessible entrance during store hours, it must adjust that procedure to keep the door unlocked while the store is open.   [![ADA Guidelines](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/hs-fs/file-3498624642-jpg/blog-files/ada-guidelines-parking-1024x682.jpg?width=640&height=426&name=ada-guidelines-parking-1024x682.jpg)](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/hs-fs/file-3498624642-jpg/blog-files/ada-guidelines-parking-1024x682.jpg) handicap-accessible parking ### **Common ADA Violations** - Lack of marked parking or narrow parking spaces - Ramps that are too steep or no ramps at all - Bathrooms that are not accessible - Refusing to permit service dogs - Cluttered or narrow store aisles The bottom line is to make sure that your business or commercial building is compliant with the ADA guidelines to prevent possible fines or lawsuits. If you are considering leasing or buying commercial property, please call S&D Real Estate at 516-248-6905 or 631-761-9220.   [![How to Guide on choosing Between Buying and Leasing Commerical Real Estate](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/432922/e3f80929-7b70-4fa2-850e-f3775db115f5.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/432922/e3f80929-7b70-4fa2-850e-f3775db115f5) ### Tags: - [Guidelines](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/blog/topic/guidelines) - [commercial real estate](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/blog/topic/commercial-real-estate) ### [Previous post](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/blog/renting-long-island-commercial-real-estate/) #### [Your Guide to Renting Long Island Commercial Real Estate](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/blog/renting-long-island-commercial-real-estate/) ### [Next post](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/blog/real-estate-checklist/) #### [Commercial Real Estate Checklist for Leasing on Long Island](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/blog/real-estate-checklist/) ### Related posts [![Why a Commercial Real Estate Agent is Always Necessary](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog_Images/commercial%20real%20estate%20agent.jpg?width=768&name=commercial%20real%20estate%20agent.jpg)](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/blog/commercial-real-estate-agent) - June 06, 2018 - [commercial real estate](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/blog/topic/commercial-real-estate), [real estate agent](https://blog.sdnyrealty.com/blog/topic/real-estate-agent) ### Why a Commercial Real Estate Agent is Always Necessary As a business owner, navigating the world of commercial real estate is hard to manage if you don’t have any experience in the field. 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