File a Complaint
The Americans with Disabilities Act provides an important tool to fight discrimination: filing a complaint with an appropriate federal agency. This page outlines the steps to get you started.
Who You Can File a Complaint Against
If you believe that you or someone else was discriminated against based on a disability, you can file an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complaint against:
- a state government or local government, such as a:
- public hospital
- public school
- other state or local government program
- a private business that serves the public, such as a:
- restaurant
- doctor’s office
- shop
- hotel
Where and How to File Your Complaint
The nature of your complaint determines where you should file it. The table below tells you where and how to file your complaint.
| Type of Complaint | Agency to File With | How to File |
|---|---|---|
| Employment (e.g., issues at work or in applying for a job) | Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) | Follow instructions on the EEOC site |
| Air travel (involving a specific airline) | Department of Transportation (DOT) | Follow instructions on the DOT site |
| Housing (e.g., denied housing or denied an accessible living space based on disability) | Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) | Follow the instructions on the HUD site |
| Complaints involving anything else | Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division | See below |
Filing an ADA Complaint with the
Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
1. Online
File a complaint by submitting a report on the Department of Justice's=civilrights justice.gov Civil Rights Division website.
2. Mail
Fill out and send the paper ADA Complaint Form (Regular Format | Large Format) or a letter
containing the same information, to:
U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530
After You File a Complaint
We might refer your complaint to:
- The ADA Mediation Program
- A federal agency that handles the types of issues your complaint raises
We could also:
- Contact you for more information
- Investigate your complaint, which could lead to a settlement or a lawsuit
Unfortunately, we cannot investigate every complaint. We will let you know if we are unable to mediate, refer, or investigate your complaint.
When You Will Hear From Us
We receive many ADA complaints from people around the United States. So, our review can take up to three months.
If you have not heard from us after three months, you can call the ADA Information Line to check your complaint’s status. You can reach the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-833-610-1264 (TTY).
Even if we do not take any formal action, your complaint provides us with valuable information, helping us find issues affecting multiple people or communities, and helping us understand emerging trends and topics.
ADA Mediation Program
The ADA Mediation Program is an important part of ADA compliance and does not involve the courts. Mediation typically involves one or more meetings between you, the organization you complained about, and an impartial mediator, and it is designed to help you reach a mutual agreement. It can be a fair and quick way to resolve ADA complaints. It is confidential and voluntary.
If we think that your complaint might be a good fit for mediation, we will contact you and the organization you complained about. We will ask if you are both willing to participate in mediation.
If we investigate your complaint:
An investigator or attorney will contact you to get more information.
The Department will not give your name or other personal information to anyone unless it is necessary for enforcement activities or is required by law.
