Braillito Maps · Accessibility guides
ADA assistive listening systems: hearing loops, FM and infrared
An assistive listening system carries the sound of a speaker, a stage or a screen straight to the listener, past the noise and the distance of the room, through an induction loop, radio frequency (FM), infrared or a wired connection (2010 ADA Standards, 106.5). The 2010 ADA Standards, which apply to new construction and alterations begun on or after March 15, 2012 (ADA Title III regulations, 28 CFR 36.406(a)), require one in every assembly area where hearing what is said is integral to the use of the space, unless there is no audio amplification, other than in courtrooms (2010 ADA Standards, 219.2). They also set a minimum number of receivers for its seats, at least 25 % of them, and no fewer than two, compatible with hearing aids (2010 ADA Standards, 219.3). This guide covers where the system is required, how many receivers, the sign with the International Symbol of Access for Hearing Loss, and the sound levels in section 706.
This is a summary. The official 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design are the reference.
What an assistive listening system is: loop, FM, infrared
The 2010 Standards define an assistive listening system as an amplification system that uses transmitters, receivers and coupling devices to bypass the acoustical space between a sound source and a listener, by means of induction loop, radio frequency, infrared or direct-wired equipment (2010 ADA Standards, 106.5). In practice, the sound from the microphone or the mixing desk goes into a transmitter, and the listener picks it up on a receiver or, with a loop, directly on a hearing aid.
The advisory note to section 706 sorts these systems by how they transmit: hard-wired systems and three kinds of wireless systems, induction loop, infrared and FM radio. Each has advantages and drawbacks that help decide which fits a given room (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 706.1).
| System | How the sound travels | What the Standards say about it | Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| Induction loop (hearing loop) | a magnetic field from a wire loop around the listening area, picked up by the telecoil of a hearing aid | where every seat is served by an induction loop, the hearing-aid compatible receivers of Table 219.3 are not required | 2010 ADA Standards, 106.5 and 219.3, exception 2 |
| FM (radio frequency) | radio, to a receiver the listener wears | may be better than infrared in some open-air assemblies, since infrared signals are less effective in sunlight | 2010 ADA Standards, advisory 706.1 |
| Infrared | invisible infrared light, to a receiver the listener wears | typically a better choice than FM where confidential transmission matters, because the signal stays inside the space | 2010 ADA Standards, advisory 706.1 |
| Hard-wired | a cable from the sound system to the listener’s seat | one of the four modes in the definition | 2010 ADA Standards, 106.5 and advisory 706.1 |
For a large or complex venue, the advisory note says that selecting or specifying an effective system requires help from a professional sound engineer (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 706.1).
Section 219.2: where an assistive listening system is required
In each assembly area where audible communication is integral to the use of the space, an assistive listening system is provided, and it complies with section 706 (2010 ADA Standards, 219.1 and 219.2). An assembly area is a building or a part of one used for entertainment, educational or civic gatherings, or similar purposes. The Standards list examples, without limiting it to them (2010 ADA Standards, 106.5):
- Learning: classrooms and lecture halls;
- Civic life: courtrooms, public meeting rooms, public hearing rooms and legislative chambers;
- Shows: motion picture houses, auditoria, theaters, playhouses, dinner theaters, concert halls and centers for the performing arts;
- Large venues: amphitheaters, arenas, stadiums, grandstands and convention centers.
There is one exception: other than in courtrooms, an assistive listening system is not required where audio amplification is not provided (2010 ADA Standards, 219.2, exception). A small classroom where the teacher speaks without a microphone does not need one; a courtroom does, even without loudspeakers.
Outside assembly areas, an assistive listening device can also help at a counter or ticket window behind security glass, which distorts what is said. The advisory note suggests it there, with the sign described below, among other options such as grilles, slats, talk-through baffles and intercoms (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 904.6); the counter itself is in ADA counter height.
The 2010 Standards apply to new construction and alterations (ADA Title III regulations, 28 CFR 36.406(a)). Buildings designed for first occupancy after January 26, 1993, and alterations begun after January 26, 1992, had to meet the 1991 Standards (ADA Title III regulations, 28 CFR 36.401(a) and 36.402(a)), which already required assistive listening systems in assembly areas at sections 4.33.6 and 4.33.7; the 2010 Standards added the technical specifications of section 706, meant to make sure that a share of the receivers works with hearing aids (ADA Title III regulations, appendix A, assistive listening systems). In a building older than that, what applies is barrier removal where it is readily achievable (ADA Title III regulations, 28 CFR 36.304(a)) and the duty to provide auxiliary aids, which include assistive listening devices and systems (ADA Title III regulations, 28 CFR 36.303(a) and (b)(1)).
Section 219.3: how many receivers
Each assembly area provides receivers according to its seating, following Table 219.3, and each receiver has a standard jack (2010 ADA Standards, 219.3 and 706.2). Twenty-five percent of the receivers, at minimum, and no fewer than two, are hearing-aid compatible (2010 ADA Standards, 219.3).
| Seats in the assembly area | Minimum receivers | Of them, hearing-aid compatible | Section |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 or fewer | 2 | 2 | 2010 ADA Standards, table 219.3 |
| 51 to 200 | 2, plus 1 per 25 seats over 50 (or fraction thereof) | 2 | 2010 ADA Standards, table 219.3 |
| 201 to 500 | 2, plus 1 per 25 seats over 50 (or fraction thereof) | 1 per 4 receivers (or fraction thereof) | 2010 ADA Standards, table 219.3 |
| 501 to 1000 | 20, plus 1 per 33 seats over 500 (or fraction thereof) | 1 per 4 receivers (or fraction thereof) | 2010 ADA Standards, table 219.3 |
| 1001 to 2000 | 35, plus 1 per 50 seats over 1000 (or fraction thereof) | 1 per 4 receivers (or fraction thereof) | 2010 ADA Standards, table 219.3 |
| 2001 and over | 55, plus 1 per 100 seats over 2000 (or fraction thereof) | 1 per 4 receivers (or fraction thereof) | 2010 ADA Standards, table 219.3 |
Worked out from the table, rounding every fraction up, as the table says (2010 ADA Standards, table 219.3):
| Venue | Seats | Receivers | Hearing-aid compatible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meeting room | 50 | 2 | 2 |
| Lecture hall | 150 | 2 + 4 = 6 | 2 |
| Small theater | 300 | 2 + 10 = 12 | 3 |
| Concert hall | 800 | 20 + 10 = 30 | 8 |
| Arena | 1,500 | 35 + 10 = 45 | 12 |
| Stadium | 5,000 | 55 + 30 = 85 | 22 |
- Several rooms, one management. Where a building has more than one assembly area that needs a system, all under one management, the receivers may be counted from the total seats of those areas, provided every receiver works with every system (2010 ADA Standards, 219.3, exception 1). A multiplex cinema under one management, for example, can count the seats of all its screens together.
- A loop at every seat. Where all the seats of an assembly area are served by an induction loop, the hearing-aid compatible receivers of the table are not required (2010 ADA Standards, 219.3, exception 2): there, the loop itself reaches hearing aids with a telecoil.
- Movie theaters. A theater may use the receivers it already has under Table 219.3 as its audio description devices for blind patrons, if they have at least two channels for sound (ADA Title III regulations, 28 CFR 36.303(g)(4)(ii)).
Hearing-aid compatible receivers: neckloops and jacks
A receiver that has to be hearing-aid compatible connects with the telecoil of a hearing aid through a neckloop (2010 ADA Standards, 706.3). The neckloop is worn around the neck and turns the signal into a magnetic field that the telecoil picks up, so the listener keeps the hearing aid in and hears the sound through it. Every required receiver, compatible or not, has a 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) standard mono jack (2010 ADA Standards, 706.2).
The advisory note says which kinds work. Neckloops, and headsets that can be worn as neckloops, are compatible with hearing aids. Earbuds are not, because they may require the hearing aid to be taken out, and neither are earphones or headsets worn over the ear, which can cause interference and be uncomfortable with hearing aids (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 706.3).
When the Department of Justice adopted these rules, commenters explained why they matter: someone with significant hearing loss may follow a conversation in a quiet room with hearing aids or cochlear implants, but as background noise and distance grow, an assistive listening system becomes essential, and neckloops work much better than separate headsets, which can create feedback (ADA Title III regulations, appendix A, assistive listening systems).
Section 216.10: signs with the Symbol of Access for Hearing Loss
Each assembly area that has to provide an assistive listening system also posts signs telling patrons that the system is available. The signs meet the visual character rules of section 703.5 and include the International Symbol of Access for Hearing Loss (2010 ADA Standards, 216.10). It is the symbol the Standards use to identify assistive listening systems (2010 ADA Standards, 703.7.2.4 and figure 703.7.2.4).
- Ticket offices: where there are ticket offices or windows, the signs do not have to be at each assembly area, as long as each ticket office or window has one (2010 ADA Standards, 216.10, exception).
- Counters: where assistive listening devices are installed at counters or windows behind security glass, the advisory note recommends signs with the same symbol to mark them (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 904.6).
The other access symbols, the International Symbol of Accessibility, TTY and volume control telephones, are in accessibility symbols.
Section 706: sound pressure level and the technical rules
The technical rules set minimum performance for volume, interference and distortion. The advisory note explains the terms: sound pressure level (SPL), in decibels, measures output volume; the signal-to-noise ratio compares the loudness of the wanted sound with the background noise, and the higher it is, the clearer the sound; and peak clipping limits the distortion when loud sound waves are processed (2010 ADA Standards, advisory 706.1).
| Element | Requirement | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Receiver jack | 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) standard mono jack on every required receiver | 2010 ADA Standards, 706.2 |
| Hearing-aid compatibility | through neckloops that interface with hearing aid telecoils | 2010 ADA Standards, 706.3 |
| Sound pressure level | the system is capable of 110 dB minimum and 118 dB maximum, with a dynamic range on the volume control of 50 dB | 2010 ADA Standards, 706.4 |
| Signal-to-noise ratio | 18 dB minimum, for noise generated inside the system | 2010 ADA Standards, 706.5 |
| Peak clipping | no more than 18 dB of clipping relative to the peaks of speech | 2010 ADA Standards, 706.6 |
These are performance figures for the equipment, set when the system is chosen and installed; a visitor cannot check them at the door. What a visitor can check is that receivers are there, that they work, and that a neckloop is available.
For venues: upkeep, deposits and other auxiliary aids
- Keep it working. A business open to the public maintains its accessible features and equipment in operable working condition (ADA Title III regulations, 28 CFR 36.211(a)). The Department of Justice says it plainly: failing to maintain an assistive listening system would violate that rule (ADA Title III regulations, appendix A, assistive listening systems).
- No charge, but a deposit may be allowed. A business may not charge a person with a disability a surcharge to cover the cost of measures such as auxiliary aids (ADA Title III regulations, 28 CFR 36.301(c)). In the Department’s view, reasonable, completely refundable deposits for equipment such as assistive listening devices are not prohibited surcharges (ADA Title III regulations, appendix C, section 36.301).
- Beyond assembly areas. Assistive listening devices and systems are among the auxiliary aids and services that a business provides where needed so that no one with a disability is excluded or treated differently, unless it would fundamentally alter what it offers or be an undue burden (ADA Title III regulations, 28 CFR 36.303(a) and (b)(1)). The same list includes qualified interpreters, real-time captioning, written materials and hearing aid compatible telephones.
- What it costs. In the comments the Department summarized in 2010, a state office of the courts put the cost of an infrared or FM system for an average-sized facility, such as most courtrooms, at $500 to $2,000, and advocacy organizations estimated about $250 wholesale per system and less than $50 per neckloop (ADA Title III regulations, appendix A, assistive listening systems). Those were 2010 estimates; prices today may differ.
If you use hearing aids: what to ask before you go
A quick message to the box office before a show, a lecture or a hearing saves a frustrating evening. Ask about the room you will be in:
- Which system? Is there a hearing loop, an FM system or an infrared system? A loop works straight with a hearing aid set to its telecoil program; with FM or infrared you need a receiver (2010 ADA Standards, 106.5 and 706.3).
- Neckloops. If it is FM or infrared, does the venue have receivers with neckloops? At least 25 % of its receivers, and no fewer than two, should be hearing-aid compatible (2010 ADA Standards, 219.3).
- Where to pick it up. At the entrance to the room, or at the ticket office? The sign with the ear symbol should tell you (2010 ADA Standards, 216.10).
- Deposit. Is a deposit asked for the receiver? It may be a reasonable, fully refundable one, but not a fee (ADA Title III regulations, 28 CFR 36.301(c) and appendix C, section 36.301).
- Where to sit. With a loop, ask whether every seat is covered or only some rows; with infrared, whether the seat has a clear line of sight to the transmitters.
Museums with auditoriums and guided tours are in accessible museums, and the rooms for deaf and hard of hearing guests in hotels are in ADA hotel room requirements. In the United Kingdom, induction loops and infrared systems are among the auxiliary aids of the Equality Act 2010: see Equality Act reasonable adjustments.
Hearing loops and Braillito Maps
Braillito Maps is a community map that answers ten questions about each place: step-free entrance or ramp, wide doorway, accessible restroom, accessible parking, tactile paving, braille signage, braille menu, audible signals, guide dogs welcome and a quiet environment.
The checklist has no question for assistive listening or hearing loops, so for a theater or a lecture hall you ask the venue, with the list above. Two questions are close to the subject. Audible signals is about alerts that can be heard, not only seen, which matters most to blind visitors. A quiet environment is the other: whether the place is calm, which is worth knowing when background noise is what gets in the way. Each answer is yes, no or no data until someone knows, and the score of a place is the number of yes answers out of ten, always shown with its number, never by color alone.
And for the rest of the outing, the step-free entrance, the wide doorway and the accessible restroom of the venue and of the restaurant next to it are already on the map, or can be added by you. Meet Braillito Maps.
Frequently asked questions
What is an assistive listening system?
An amplification system that uses transmitters, receivers and coupling devices to bypass the acoustical space between a sound source and a listener, through an induction loop, radio frequency, infrared or direct-wired equipment (2010 ADA Standards, 106.5).
Where does the ADA require assistive listening systems?
Under the 2010 Standards, which apply to new construction and alterations, in each assembly area where audible communication is integral to the use of the space, such as theaters, lecture halls, courtrooms and arenas. Other than in courtrooms, they are not required where there is no audio amplification (2010 ADA Standards, 219.2 and 106.5).
How many assistive listening receivers are required?
It depends on the seats, following Table 219.3: 2 for 50 seats or fewer, and 2 plus 1 per 25 seats over 50 up to 500 seats, with lower rates above that. At least 25 % of the receivers, and no fewer than two, are hearing-aid compatible (2010 ADA Standards, 219.3 and table 219.3).
Does a hearing loop count as an assistive listening system?
Yes, induction loop is one of the modes in the definition. Where every seat in an assembly area is served by an induction loop, the hearing-aid compatible receivers of Table 219.3 are not required (2010 ADA Standards, 106.5 and 219.3, exception 2).
What sign is used for assistive listening?
The International Symbol of Access for Hearing Loss. Assembly areas that must have a system post signs with it, or put them at each ticket office or window (2010 ADA Standards, 216.10 and 703.7.2.4).
Can a venue ask for a deposit for an assistive listening device?
It may not charge a surcharge for it (ADA Title III regulations, 28 CFR 36.301(c)), but the Department of Justice considers reasonable, completely refundable deposits not to be prohibited surcharges (ADA Title III regulations, appendix C, section 36.301).
More accessibility guides
- Accessibility symbols: what the wheelchair symbol means, where it is required and the other access symbols.
- Accessible museums: what makes a museum accessible: the route, objects you can touch, captions, assistive listening and seating.
- 2010 ADA Standards: what each of the ten chapters covers, since when the Standards apply and to which buildings, with the guide for each element.
- ADA compliance: a checklist for small businesses, with the 2010 Standards section behind each item.
- ADA hotel rooms: how many accessible rooms and roll-in showers a hotel needs, rooms for deaf and hard of hearing guests, and what each room has inside.
- Accessible tourist attractions: what to check at a park, zoo, theme park or show: the entrance, the route, rides, tickets, services for blind and deaf visitors, and trails.
- Equality Act reasonable adjustments: the three requirements of section 20, why the duty is anticipatory, who pays, and what a shop, restaurant or service can change in its building.
- ADA counter height: how high and how long the accessible part of a sales, service or check-out counter must be, and what applies at bars.
- All accessibility guides
Sources
Every figure in this guide comes from one of these official texts, which we read in October 2026.
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. U.S. Department of Justice, published September 15, 2010; required for new work since March 15, 2012.
- Americans with Disabilities Act Title III Regulations (28 CFR part 36). U.S. Department of Justice (ADA.gov), current text with its appendices, read October 2026.
Braillito Maps
Find places with ramps, accessible toilets or tactile paving near you in Braillito Maps
In Braillito Maps, every place answers ten questions. One is audible signals: whether alerts can be heard, not only seen. It is built by the people who need it, and every place gets a score out of ten.
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