Originally published December 20, 2021. Updated October 16, 2026.
If someone can’t use your contact form, read your service information, or book an appointment, your website is putting a barrier between that person and your business. That’s where I like to start the accessibility conversation.
The legal details matter too. The ADA has different provisions for different organizations, and a government website rule isn’t automatically the rule for a private business. This is a practical overview for business owners, not a legal opinion about your particular website.
Key Takeaways
- The Department of Justice says the ADA applies to web offerings of covered public accommodations.
- Private businesses and state or local governments have different legal frameworks.
- WCAG supplies technical criteria for accessibility work.
- A widget or clean automated scan doesn’t establish compliance.
- Test real visitor tasks and keep accessibility part of ongoing maintenance.
Written by Dotty Scott
Founder of Premium Websites, Inc.
Empowering small businesses to go from Invisible to Invincible.
Table of Contents
- How Does the ADA Relate to Business Websites?
- What Is Different About Government Websites?
- What Is WCAG?
- Start With What Visitors Need to Do
- Useful Accessibility Checks
- Can a Widget Make a Website Compliant?
- Turn Findings Into a Work List
- Make It Easy to Report a Problem
- What Should You Do Next?
- Common Questions
How Does the ADA Relate to Business Websites?
The Department of Justice’s web accessibility guidance states that the ADA’s requirements apply to goods and services offered online by businesses open to the public that are covered by Title III.
That doesn’t mean every website has identical obligations. Coverage and legal requirements depend on the organization and applicable law. Ask a qualified attorney about your business, jurisdiction, contracts, and any complaint you receive.
What Is Different About Government Websites?
The separate Title II web rule applies to state and local government entities and uses WCAG 2.1 Level AA. As of this October 2026 update, DOJ lists April 26, 2027 for entities serving populations of 50,000 or more, and April 26, 2028 for smaller entities and special district governments, following its April 2026 extension.
Those dates aren’t a general grace period for private businesses. Government contractors should also clarify any requirements in their agreements. Check the official rule for its scope and exceptions rather than applying a headline deadline to every site.
What Is WCAG?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG, provide testable technical criteria. They’re organized around making content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust, with conformance levels A, AA, and AAA.
WCAG 2.2 became a W3C Recommendation in October 2023. It isn’t a future standard waiting to arrive. Agree on the applicable version, level, and evaluation scope with your specialist; a technical target and a legal conclusion aren’t the same thing.
Start With What Visitors Need to Do
I suggest testing the tasks that matter to your business: find a service, understand the price or next step, send an inquiry, and book an appointment. Include mobile visitors and people using keyboards or assistive technology.
For example, a form can look complete while its fields have no usable labels or its errors aren’t announced. W3C’s forms tutorial explains labels, instructions, validation, and feedback. Test the whole submission process, not just the first screen.
Useful Accessibility Checks
This is a starting checklist for a review, not a certification that every requirement has been met.
| Area | Example of what to test |
|---|---|
| Keyboard | Reach controls, see focus, and complete tasks without a mouse |
| Images | Meaningful alternatives; decorative images handled appropriately |
| Text and layout | Readable contrast and usable zoom |
| Forms | Labels, clear instructions, and understandable error feedback |
| Media | Accurate captions and other alternatives as needed |
| Third-party tools | Booking, payment, maps, and documents in the real task flow |
Can a Widget Make a Website Compliant?
I wouldn’t describe a widget as a complete solution or a guarantee against lawsuits. Display preferences may help some visitors, but they don’t establish that your content, code, forms, and third-party tools meet the applicable requirements.
W3C explains that evaluation tools require human judgment. Use automated checks alongside manual testing and, where possible, evaluation by people with disabilities. Ask what was actually tested and corrected.
Turn Findings Into a Work List
Record each issue with the affected URL, the task it blocks, the expected behavior, and the person responsible for fixing it. Prioritize barriers in important tasks and recurring templates, then retest after changes.
Keep accessibility in your publishing process. A new video, PDF, booking service, or design change can introduce problems after an earlier review. A report is most useful when it leads to ongoing work.
Make It Easy to Report a Problem
Offer a clear way to report an accessibility problem, and assign someone to respond. Ask which page and task caused difficulty without making the visitor repeat unnecessary personal information.
An accessibility statement can explain your approach, known limitations, and contact options. It should describe your actual work. Don’t use a badge or statement as a substitute for fixing a barrier.
What Should You Do Next?
Start with an accessibility review of your important pages and visitor tasks. For legal advice or a formal complaint, involve qualified counsel. My separate accessibility complaint guide explains how to organize the technical response.
If you’d like help planning website improvements, schedule a Discovery Call. We’ll identify a practical next step and the specialist support your site may need.
Common Questions
Does a small business automatically get an exemption?
Don’t assume size alone resolves your obligations. Ask qualified counsel how the relevant law applies to your business.
Is WCAG 2.2 the same as the government’s Title II rule?
No. WCAG is a technical standard; the Title II rule specifies WCAG 2.1 AA for covered government web content and apps.
Does a clean scan prove compliance?
No. Automated tools can’t evaluate every aspect of accessibility. Human evaluation and task testing are still needed.
Read the rest of the posts in this series: The Honest Truth about Your Website
- Is Your Website Actually Working? (Or Just Sitting There Looking Pretty)
- Why the Phone Isn’t Ringing (And It’s Probably Not What You Think)
- The Truth About AI-Built Websites (What They Don’t Tell You Before You Click Generate)
- The Truth About Wix, Squarespace, and DIY Website Builders
- What a Good Web Designer Actually Does (And Red Flags That Say Run)
- Why Your Competitor Shows Up on Google and You Don’t
- What Is Schema Markup (And Why You Should Care)
- Does Your Business Show Up in ChatGPT? Here’s How to Find Out
