Skip to Content

major life activity

A major life activity is a term contained in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 relating to the severity of disability necessary to qualify for protection under the Act.

On This Page

major life activity

A major life activity is a term contained in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 relating to the severity of disability necessary to qualify for protection under the Act.

Additional Information


For an individual to be considered disabled for the purposes of the Act, a major life activity must be substantially limited. Activities considered to be major include but are not limited to caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.