What Are the ADA Website Compliance Requirements in 2026?

Website accessibility lawsuits are still a concern for American businesses. In 2025, federal courts received 3,117 of these cases, a 27% increase from the previous year, according to Seyfarth Shaw. Despite these numbers, many business owners aren’t entirely sure what the ADA website compliance requirements mean for their websites.

Part of the confusion comes from the law itself. Government websites have specific accessibility rules and deadlines, while private businesses face different legal obligations.

So, what does your website actually need? Below, we’ll explain which businesses are covered, what accessibility standards apply, and what you can do to address potential issues.

Understanding ADA Website Compliance Requirements

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from discrimination. It covers several areas of public life, including employment, transportation, and access to goods and services.

Restaurants, stores, hotels, and other businesses that serve the public fall under Title III. While websites aren’t mentioned in the law, courts have ruled that certain online services are covered.

Many businesses use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA to check for accessibility problems and make their websites easier for people with disabilities to use.

State and local government websites have additional requirements under Title II, which we’ll cover further below.

What Is ADA Website Compliance?

To explain what ADA website compliance means, it’s about making website content, services, and features accessible to people with disabilities. Someone should be able to read product information, fill out a form, or complete a purchase without facing barriers because of a disability.

How Does the ADA Apply to Websites?

Title III prohibits disability discrimination in public places. Over the years, courts have applied this protection to websites connected to businesses such as restaurants, retail stores, and hotels.

Courts haven’t reached the same conclusion about businesses that operate entirely online. Some have ruled that a website must have a connection to a physical business, while others have found that online-only companies can also be covered.

The DOJ has published guidance on website accessibility, along with Title II requirements for government sites. There is no equivalent website-specific rule for private businesses under Title III, so individual court rulings still matter.

As a result, website accessibility law can affect businesses differently depending on their services, location, and applicable court decisions. Reviewing the relevant ADA compliance requirements is a useful first step before making changes to a website.

WCAG 2.1 AA as the Standard

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 were developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). They provide technical accessibility guidelines for website content, design, and functionality.

WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the standard adopted in the federal Title II website rule. Courts and accessibility agreements also frequently reference it in cases involving private businesses.

The guidelines are organized around four principles:

1. Perceivable: Visitors need ways to access information, even if they cannot see an image or hear a video.
2. Operable: People should be able to use menus, buttons, and other website features without relying on a mouse.
3. Understandable: Instructions, content, and interactions should be clear enough for visitors to know what to do.
4. Robust: Website content and features should work properly across different browsers and assistive technologies, including screen readers.

These four WCAG principles help developers identify problems that might otherwise go unnoticed.

The levels of WCAG conformance are A, AA, and AAA, with Level AA commonly used to check whether websites meet accessibility standards.

WCAG 2.2 came out on October 5, 2023, with new criteria covering keyboard focus visibility and the size of clickable buttons and links.

The Title II rule still uses WCAG 2.1 AA, but developers can also account for the changes in WCAG 2.2 when working on a website.

ADA Compliance Requirements for Websites Under Title II and Title III

Not every organization has the same responsibilities under the ADA. The ADA compliance requirements for websites depend largely on whether the site belongs to a public agency or a private business.

Title II applies to state and local governments. A public school or city department, for example, must make its online services accessible to people with disabilities. WCAG 2.1 AA sets the technical requirements for their websites and mobile apps, though the rule allows certain exceptions.

Title III applies to businesses open to the public. Restaurants, hotels, retailers, medical offices, and other covered businesses must provide equal access to their services. Although there is no single federal technical website standard for Title III, WCAG 2.1 AA is frequently used when evaluating accessibility claims.

ADA Website Compliance Deadlines

The DOJ set accessibility rules for government websites in 2024, then gave agencies more time to comply through an April 2026 update.

The updated dates are:

The dates are for government agencies covered by Title II, not private businesses. Some exceptions also apply, depending on the circumstances.

For private companies, having no fixed federal deadline doesn’t mean accessibility can be ignored. Businesses can still face claims under Title III.

State laws may introduce other obligations. California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act allows statutory damages in qualifying discrimination cases, while New York laws also provide possible remedies for accessibility violations.

Given the differences among US website accessibility laws, businesses should review which web accessibility legal requirements apply to their operations.

If you’re unsure about your website’s condition, Oyova’s ADA compliance audit and remediation services can help identify technical accessibility problems and determine which changes should be prioritized.

Website ADA Compliance Requirements Checklist

A website might look fine at first glance but still be difficult for some people to use. For example, a visitor could get stuck filling out a form, struggle to read a button, or find that a menu won’t open without a mouse. These are some of the issues covered by website ADA compliance requirements.

The table below covers several WCAG 2.1 AA criteria, including some of the most common accessibility issues found during website reviews.

Some problems are easy to miss during a regular website review.

For example, a product image might have alternative text, but the description could be so vague that a screen reader user learns nothing useful. Writing descriptive alt text helps address that problem.

Online stores need to make sure customers can complete a purchase without running into accessibility issues. From choosing a product to entering payment information, each step should be easy to use, including the checkout forms.

The table covers common requirements, but it isn’t a complete WCAG checklist. Depending on your website, other criteria may apply to videos, language settings, time limits, or complex interactions.

Automated scanning can identify certain errors, but manual testing is still necessary. Oyova’s developers check how website features behave in practice, including whether visitors using assistive technology can complete important tasks.

Common Misconceptions About Website ADA Compliance Requirements

Some businesses put off accessibility improvements because they’ve heard that the ADA doesn’t apply to them. Others believe a software tool is enough to handle the problem.

A few misconceptions are worth clearing up.

Small businesses are automatically exempt.

A company doesn’t receive a general Title III exemption simply because it has fewer than 15 employees. That employee threshold relates to Title I employment provisions, not Title III public accommodations.

Religious organizations and qualifying private clubs have certain exemptions under Title III. Whether a particular website is covered depends on the organization and its activities. Our guide explains more about which websites have to comply.

Online-only businesses have nothing to worry about.

Courts have disagreed about how Title III applies to companies without physical locations. That legal disagreement doesn’t guarantee protection from accessibility claims.

A scanner can confirm complete compliance.

Automated compliance checkers can identify missing labels, contrast problems, and certain coding errors. They cannot evaluate every part of the user experience.

There is also no official federal ADA certification program for websites. A documented audit, completed corrections, and an accessibility statement can help show what a business has done, but they don’t guarantee protection from legal claims.

Accessibility widgets fix everything.

Some accessibility widgets let visitors adjust text size or contrast. These tools may be useful, but they don’t necessarily repair issues in the website’s code or interactive features.

Accessibility means giving up your design.

A website can be visually appealing and accessible. In many cases, businesses won’t have to sacrifice their design to improve contrast, keyboard access, and content organization.

Steps to Meet ADA Compliance Website Requirements

There isn’t a single setting that makes an entire website accessible. Meeting ADA compliance website requirements usually involves reviewing the site, fixing problems, and checking that those fixes work.

The following four steps provide a practical approach.

1. Start with an accessibility audit.
   A professional website accessibility audit combines automated testing with manual reviews. Developers examine important pages, forms, navigation, and other features that visitors depend on. The size of the website and the amount of testing needed will affect what an audit costs.
2. Decide what needs fixing first.
   Some accessibility problems are more serious than others. If visitors can’t submit a contact form or finish a purchase, those issues should be fixed first.
   Developers can use a remediation plan to organize the corrections, assign responsibilities, and track progress.
3. Check the changes with assistive technology.
   A problem isn’t necessarily solved just because a scanner stops reporting it. Test repaired features using keyboards, screen readers, and other relevant tools.
   When possible, invite people with disabilities to test the website. Their feedback can reveal problems that developers haven’t encountered.
4. Review the website after updates.
   A new plugin, redesigned page, or updated form can introduce another accessibility barrier.
   Regular testing helps support ongoing accessibility compliance and prevents previously corrected issues from returning.

For businesses trying to achieve full WCAG conformance, the process should cover all applicable criteria rather than a few visible improvements. Keep records of the tests performed, the issues corrected, and any remaining problems.

Why ADA Website Compliance Matters for Your Business

Making your website accessible can help customers find what they need and use your services without running into problems. It may also lower the chances of facing accessibility-related legal claims.

• Lower the risk of lawsuits: Federal website accessibility cases rose from 2,452 in 2024 to 3,117 in 2025, according to Seyfarth Shaw. Businesses with inaccessible websites may have to pay legal fees, make changes to their sites, or deal with other consequences of non-compliance.
• Make everyday tasks easier: Visitors shouldn’t have trouble submitting a form, finding a phone number, or moving between pages.

• Make your services available to more people: Visitors who rely on screen readers or other assistive technologies should be able to browse your website and complete the same tasks as other customers.
• Improve certain SEO elements: Search engines use information such as headings and image descriptions to interpret pages. These are some of the areas where accessibility supports SEO, though accessible websites aren’t guaranteed better search rankings.

Fixing these issues can make a noticeable difference in how people use your website. It also gives your team fewer accessibility problems to deal with as the site grows.

Accessibility work is also easier to maintain when it becomes part of regular website updates rather than something addressed only after a complaint.

Legal Cases and Precedents Related to ADA Website Compliance

Website accessibility laws have also been affected by court cases and changes to federal rules. Some notable examples include:

• Robles v. Domino’s Pizza (2019): The Ninth Circuit found that Title III covered Domino’s website and app because customers used them to access its restaurants. The Supreme Court chose not to review the ruling.
• DOJ Title II Rule (2024): The DOJ set WCAG 2.1 AA as the accessibility standard for covered state and local government websites and mobile apps.

Private businesses don’t have a single federal deadline for website accessibility. However, Title III still applies to covered businesses, and website accessibility lawsuits remain a legal concern.

Get Help Meeting ADA Website Compliance Requirements

The requirements change depending on who owns the website. Public agencies have to follow WCAG 2.1 AA and meet federal deadlines. Businesses have a different set of obligations under Title III, with court rulings and state laws also playing a part.

Regardless of which rules apply, the first practical step is to find out where your website has accessibility problems. From there, you can make corrections and establish a process for keeping the site accessible.

Oyova’s developers provide ADA compliance audits and remediation, using automated checks and manual testing to identify problems with website content, design, and functionality. If you’re unsure where your website stands, contact Oyova to discuss an accessibility review and the improvements your website may need.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. The contents of this blog may not reflect the most current legal standards or interpretations. For specific legal advice regarding ADA compliance or other legal issues, please consult with a qualified attorney. Oyova does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information on this site and is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information.