Improve the ADA accessibility of your business

Make your business accessible to people with disabilities. It's good for business, a civil right for all people, and an ongoing responsibility.

Office of Small Business

Key advice for small businesses

Read and negotiate your lease carefully

Some property owners require tenants to pay for construction for physical accessibility compliance. This can be expensive. Contact the Office of Small Business for leasing review and help.

Get an inspection and report from a CASp (Certified Access Specialist)

They will report about whether your business is complies with ADA regulations. They will also help you understand and plan for fixing issues they find. See a list of CASp inspectors.

Be reimbursed for the CASp inspection

Apply for an Accessible Barrier Removal Grant to be reimbursed for CASp inspections and physical accessibility improvements. It offers up to $10,000 to eligible small businesses to improve access to their business.

Ensure your website is accessible

Learn more at accessibility.com

Reach out to the Office of Small Business for help with accessibility.

Understand the basics of the law

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a 1990 federal civil rights law. It prohibits excluding people with disabilities from everyday activities, like being a customer at your business.

ADA regulations require that businesses make entrances, aisles, bathrooms, service counters, and other features accessible for people with disabilities.

This may require:

Correcting existing architectural barriers. Examples include: installing a power door opener, leveling the entryway, renovating restrooms, or making sure you have enough compliant tables and service counters.
Complying with building code when doing any construction work.

Learn about building accessibility rules for tenant improvements.

There is an exception for accessibility improvements that aren’t “readily achievable.” Readily achievable means something that is easily accomplishable, without much difficulty or expense.

If the improvements your business need are too expensive, you need a plan for how to make them over time.

How to improve your business’s accessibility

You must always be improving the accessibility of your business.

Even if you aren’t planning any tenant improvements or renovations, your business still needs to be accessible.

If the improvements your business needs aren’t “readily achievable,” create a plan for improving the accessibility over time.

Equivalent access

If your business can’t be completely accessible – like if it is on a steep hill or has several steps at the entrance – think about other ways to serve people with disabilities.

In the ADA, this is called “equivalent access to goods and services.”

Examples may be:

Ask the business next door if a customer can use their accessible restroom
Provide a doorbell and sign in front of your door for service

Beyond physical access

Good customer service is essential to welcoming customers with disabilities.

Ask them what help (if any) they’d like.

Consider the many types of disabilities and how someone may experience your business. Like offering a large-font or braille menu or using a voice-to-text app for a customer who is Deaf or hard-of-hearing.

In case of a lawsuit

Your business can be sued for not complying with ADA regulations.

If you are sued, contact a lawyer.

Here are some legal resources for small businesses.

You may qualify for a 90-day stay (the lawsuit can’t move forward for 90 days) if:

You have a CASp inspection report
You have 25 or fewer employees and gross receipts of less than $3.5 million
You have a completed job card from a CASp-certified building inspector

Settling or paying the demand money without addressing accessibility needs in your business will not prevent future complaints or suits.

If you have been sued, or face significant legal issues, get the advice of an attorney who is an expert on disability access laws.

Get financial help

Accessible Barrier Removal Grant

Get reimbursed up to $10,000 for an accessibility inspection of your small business, or for the purchase and installation of fixtures or equipment to make your business more accessible to the public.

Apply for a grant to make your business accessible

Federal tax deduction

The IRS has a tax deduction for all businesses. You can take a deduction up to $15,000 per year for any construction costs for improving accessibility.

CalCAP/ADA Financing Program

The California Capital Access Americans with Disabilities Act Financing Program (CalCAP/ADA Financing Program) encourages banks and other financial institutions to make loans to small businesses.

To qualify for a loan, your small business must:

Be located in California
Have 15 or less full-time equivalent employees
Be under 10,000 square feet
Have a total annual gross income of less than $1 million
Not provide overnight accommodations

Featured resources

Certified Access Specialists

This is a list of local Certified Access Specialists (CASp), a person that has been tested and certified by the state as an expert in disability access laws.

A CASp report provides a defense against lawsuits, but only if the business obtained a CASp report BEFORE being sued.