Department of Justice Seeks Public Comment on Movie Theater Accessibility Notice Requirements
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The Department of Justice (DOJ), Civil Rights Division, is asking for public comments on the rules that require movie theaters to tell people if closed movie captioning and audio description are available for digital movies. This request is part of a review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
Why This is Happening
Under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), movie theaters must not discriminate against people with disabilities. Federal law at 42 U.S.C. 12182 says that public places like movie theaters must provide aids and services for people with disabilities.
Movie theaters that show digital movies and offer captioning or audio description must make sure all their notices—including signs at the box office, on websites, mobile apps, in newspapers, or over the phone—tell people which movies have these services. This is required by the rule at 28 CFR 36.303(g)(8).
Who Must Follow These Rules
These rules apply to any business or not-for-profit group that owns, operates, or leases a movie theater (but not drive-in theaters) that shows digital movies to the public for a fee. All theater firms that show digital movies with these features must let the public know in their movie listings if closed captioning or audio description is available.
It is mandatory for these firms to follow this rule.
Details About the Requirement
The DOJ says that almost all U.S. movie theaters now show digital movies that can have closed captions and audio descriptions. Whenever these theaters tell the public about movie showings—such as by updating weekly movie listings—they must include information about the availability of these accessibility features.
Estimated Effort to Meet the Requirement
There are about 1,813 firms in the U.S. owning one or more movie theaters, according to 2022 U.S. Census Bureau data. Each firm is expected to spend about 10 minutes per week updating movie listings for closed captions and audio description information.
Over a year, this is about 8.7 hours per firm for complying with the requirement.
Summary Table of Burden
| Activity | Number of Respondents | Times per Year | Total Responses | Time per Response (minutes) | Total Annual Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly update of movie listings | 1,813 | 52 | 94,276 | 10 | 15,713 |
Total Annual Estimated Hours
All firms together are expected to spend about 15,713 hours yearly to meet this requirement.
Estimated Cost
There is no new cost for theaters to meet this rule. Updating movie listings is already a normal part of movie theater business. The extra work to add symbols or notes about accessibility features is considered small.
How to Give Comments
Anyone can send comments until September 23, 2025. Comments should focus on:
- If the information is needed,
- If the burden estimates are correct,
- Ways to improve the quality and clarity,
- Ideas to make responding easier.
Comments can be sent by mail to the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, by email, or to the Office of Management and Budget. Make sure to include the title: “Requirement that Movie Theaters Provide Notice as to the Availability of Closed Movie Captioning and Audio Description for Digital Movies.”
Who to Contact for More Information
For more information about this plan or to get materials in another format, contact Roberta Kirkendall, Special Litigation Counsel, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice, by mail or call the ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 (voice) or (800) 514-0383 (TTY).
Conclusion
This required information helps people with hearing or vision disabilities learn which digital movies have closed captions or audio description. The DOJ is seeking public comments before the rules become final.
Published: July 25, 2025
Federal Register, Volume 90, Issue 141
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