Blindness and visual impairment are protected characteristics under multiple federal and Missouri laws. Whether you are applying for a job, renting an apartment, boarding a plane, casting your ballot, or simply walking into a business — you have enforceable legal rights.
This guide explains those rights, the laws that protect them, and what to do when they are violated. MCB is here to help every blind Missourian understand and exercise their rights with confidence.
Last reviewed: March 2026 | ADA & Accessibility deep-dive →
Your Rights at a Glance
Key federal laws protecting blind and visually impaired people across six areas of daily life.
Employment
ADA Title I requires employers with 15+ employees to provide reasonable accommodations and prohibits disability discrimination in all aspects of employment.
Learn moreHousing
The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on disability and requires landlords to allow reasonable modifications and accommodations — including guide dogs.
Learn moreAir Travel
The Air Carrier Access Act guarantees pre-boarding, cabin storage of your white cane, guide dog travel at no charge, and assistance throughout your journey.
Learn moreEducation
IDEA and Section 504 guarantee Braille instruction, assistive technology, accessible materials, and transition planning for blind students in K-12 and higher education.
Learn moreService Animals
Businesses, landlords, and transit providers must admit your guide dog. Only two questions are permitted by law — no documentation may be demanded.
Learn moreVoting
The Help America Vote Act and the ADA guarantee that blind voters can cast ballots privately and independently using accessible audio ballot machines at every polling place.
Learn moreFederal Laws That Protect You
Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)
The ADA is the broadest civil rights law for people with disabilities, covering employment, government services, public businesses, and telecommunications. Its five titles address every major area of public life.
Full ADA Guide →Rehabilitation Act — Section 504 (1973)
Any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance cannot discriminate on the basis of disability. Section 504 is especially important for public schools, universities, hospitals, and state agencies.
- K-12 students: IEP or 504 Plan accommodations
- Higher education: accessible materials and testing
- Healthcare: accessible patient communication
Fair Housing Act (1968, amended 1988)
Prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on disability. Landlords must permit reasonable modifications at your expense and provide reasonable accommodations, including allowing guide dogs in no-pet buildings.
Air Carrier Access Act (1986)
Prohibits airlines from discriminating against passengers with disabilities on domestic and foreign airline flights to or from the United States.
- Pre-boarding at your request, no questions asked
- White cane stored in the cabin
- Guide dog in cabin at no additional charge
Employment Rights
Under ADA Title I, employers with 15 or more employees cannot discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in hiring, promotion, pay, training, or any other term of employment. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations unless doing so would create an undue hardship.
Common Reasonable Accommodations for Blind Employees
- Screen reading software — JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, or equivalent
- Refreshable Braille displays for accessing digital content
- Accessible document formats — Braille, large print, accessible PDF
- Modified workstation — lighting adjustments, glare reduction, monitor positioning
- Assigned parking close to building entrance
- Restructuring non-essential duties that cannot be made accessible
What Employers Cannot Do
- Ask about the existence or severity of your disability before a conditional job offer
- Conduct a medical examination before making an offer
- Withdraw a job offer solely because of blindness if you can perform essential functions with accommodation
- Retaliate against you for requesting an accommodation or filing a complaint
The Accommodation Process
- Notify. Tell your employer you need an accommodation due to a disability. You do not need to use the words "ADA" or "reasonable accommodation."
- Engage. Participate in good-faith discussion. The employer may request documentation from a healthcare provider.
- Implement. A reasonable, effective accommodation must be provided unless it causes undue hardship.
- Escalate if denied. File with the EEOC within 300 days in Missouri.
EEOC St. Louis: (314) 439-1099
Housing Rights
The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of disability. Whether you are renting an apartment, buying a home, or applying for a mortgage, you are protected against discrimination by landlords, real estate agents, HOAs, and lenders.
Reasonable Modifications
You have the right to make modifications to your dwelling to accommodate your disability, at your own expense. The landlord cannot refuse. Examples include installing a grab bar, rerouting a doorbell, or adding accessible marking at thresholds.
Reasonable Accommodations
Landlords must change rules, policies, or services to accommodate a disability. The classic example: waiving a no-pets policy so you may live with your guide dog. The landlord may request verification of the disability-related need.
Accessible Communication
Landlords must communicate with tenants in accessible formats when requested — including leases, notices, and other written documents in large print, audio, or accessible electronic format.
What Is Prohibited
Refusing to rent or sell, offering less favorable terms, advertising "no blind applicants," or refusing to make accommodations — all are violations of the Fair Housing Act.
File a Housing Complaint
- HUD — file within 1 year
- HUD Online Complaint Form
- HUD: (800) 569-4287
- Missouri Commission on Human Rights: (573) 751-3325
Air Travel Rights
The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) prohibits airlines from discriminating against passengers with disabilities on domestic flights and on foreign airline flights to or from the United States. Every airline operating in the U.S. must comply.
Your Rights When Flying
Pre-Boarding
You may request to board before general boarding at any time. Airlines cannot require you to arrive earlier than other passengers or justify your request.
White Cane Storage
Your white cane must be stored in the cabin — in an overhead bin or other accessible location — not checked or placed in the cargo hold.
Guide Dog Travel
Your guide dog must be permitted to travel in the cabin at no additional charge. Airlines may ask about the dog's training and require advance notice (48 hours for international flights).
Navigation Assistance
Airlines must provide assistance moving through the terminal, boarding, deplaning, and making connections. This is not optional and cannot be refused.
Accessible Safety Briefings
Airlines must provide accessible safety briefings. Ask a flight attendant for an individual safety briefing if needed.
If Your Rights Are Violated
Request to speak with the airline's Complaint Resolution Official (CRO) — every U.S. airline is required to have one available at the airport during operating hours. The CRO has the authority to resolve ACAA complaints on the spot.
If that fails, file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation:
Education Rights
IDEA & Section 504
Blind students in K-12 public schools are entitled to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Schools must provide:
- IEP or 504 Plan tailored to individual needs
- Braille instruction — schools must provide qualified teachers of the visually impaired (TVI)
- Assistive technology — screen readers, audio textbooks, refreshable Braille displays
- Orientation & mobility (O&M) training
- Transition planning beginning at age 16 for adult life, employment, and post-secondary education
ADA Title II / Section 504
Post-secondary schools must provide equal access to blind students. Unlike K-12, colleges are not required to provide special education — but must provide reasonable accommodations:
- Alternative format textbooks and course materials
- Extended test time and accessible testing environments
- Accessible campus websites and learning management systems (Canvas, Blackboard)
- Note-taking assistance or audio recordings of lectures
- Accessible library databases and electronic resources
Register with your institution's Disability Services Office (DSO) to establish and activate accommodations each semester.
MCB Youth Scholarships
MCB provides scholarships of $2,000 and $1,000 for blind Missouri students pursuing post-secondary education, plus a Youth Services stipend of $225/year for K-12 members. Learn about MCB's Youth Scholarship Program →
Service Animal Rights
Under the ADA, a service animal is defined as a dog (or miniature horse) individually trained to perform a specific task for a person with a disability. Guide dogs used by blind and visually impaired people are the original and most recognized service animal — and they are protected by some of the strongest access rights in the law.
The Two-Question Rule
Businesses, landlords, transit providers, and other entities covered by the ADA may only ask:
- "Is this a service animal required because of a disability?"
- "What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?"
They may not ask about the nature of your disability, demand documentation, require an ID card or vest, or ask for a demonstration of the dog's trained task.
Where Your Guide Dog Must Be Admitted
What a Business Cannot Do
- Refuse entry because of a no-pets policy
- Require the dog to wear an identifying vest or tag
- Charge a pet deposit or pet fee
- Require a certificate, registration, or ID card
- Ask you to leave because a customer is allergic (they must be accommodated in a different area)
- Isolate you to a separate or less desirable area of the business
Exceptions
A business may exclude a service animal only if the animal is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it, or if the animal is not housebroken. In such cases, the handler must still be offered service without the animal.
Voting Rights
The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and the ADA together guarantee that voters with disabilities have the right to vote privately and independently. In Missouri, every polling place must provide:
Audio Ballot Machines
Every polling place must have at least one accessible voting system that allows blind voters to cast ballots privately without assistance, using audio output and tactile controls.
Curbside Voting
If a polling place is not fully accessible, you may request that an election worker bring a ballot to you at the curbside so you can vote without entering the building.
Absentee Voting
Missouri allows absentee voting for voters with disabilities. Request an accessible absentee ballot from your county clerk. You may designate an assistant of your choice to help mark your ballot.
Voter Assistance
You have the right to choose any person (except your employer or union officer) to assist you in voting. The assistant must keep your choices confidential.
Missouri Secretary of State Accessibility Hotline
Call (800) 669-4898 to report voting accessibility barriers or request accessible election materials from the Missouri Secretary of State's office.
When Your Rights Are Violated — Filing a Complaint
Deadlines vary by law and agency. Act promptly — most filing deadlines are strictly enforced.
| Situation | Agency | Filing Deadline | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment discrimination (ADA Title I) | EEOC | 300 days in Missouri | (800) 669-9040 |
| State/local government (ADA Title II) | DOJ Civil Rights Division | 180 days | (800) 877-4339 |
| Business discrimination (ADA Title III) | DOJ Civil Rights Division or federal court | No federal administrative deadline | (800) 877-4339 |
| Housing discrimination (Fair Housing Act) | HUD or federal court | 1 year (HUD); 2 years (court) | (800) 569-4287 |
| Federal program (Section 504) | Relevant federal agency OCR | 180 days | Varies by agency |
| Air travel (ACAA) | DOT Aviation Consumer Protection | 6 months recommended | (800) 225-5322 |
| Missouri state law (Missouri Human Rights Act) | Missouri Commission on Human Rights | 180 days | (573) 751-3325 |
MCB Can Help
The Missouri Council of the Blind's advocacy work is built on the principle that every blind Missourian deserves to exercise their rights without fear, confusion, or delay.
- Help you understand which law applies to your situation
- Connect you with legal resources and disability rights organizations
- Amplify your voice with Missouri legislators and state agencies
- Represent blind Missourians' interests nationally through our ACB affiliation
Frequently Asked Questions
Don't Face It Alone
MCB has advocated for the rights of blind Missourians since 1936. Join us, and let your voice be part of something larger than any one individual's struggle.