Is Your Website Required To Be ADA-Compliant?

What Is ADA Compliance?

ADA compliance ensures that your website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. This is based on the Americans with Disabilities Act, which mandates equal access to services and information. For websites, this means ensuring people with visual, auditory, cognitive, or motor impairments can effectively navigate and interact with your site.

To achieve ADA compliance, optimize your website to follow WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Here’s how. 

• Provide text alternatives for non-text content (images, videos)
• Ensure keyboard navigability for all site elements
• Use sufficient color contrast for readability
• Offer clear, descriptive links and buttons
• Enable screen reader compatibility
• Create accessible forms with proper labels and error messages

Is ADA Compliance Mandatory for All Websites?

ADA compliance is required for websites that offer goods, services, or information to the public. This includes both private and public sector websites. U.S. courts have consistently ruled that websites are considered places of public accommodation under the ADA when they impact a person’s ability to access essential services or participate in daily life.

Who Should Follow ADA Requirements?

ADA requirements apply to any organization that operates a public-facing website, including:

• Private businesses that offer goods, services, or information online
• Government agencies at the federal, state, or local level
• Nonprofit organizations that serve the public

Legal Consequences of Non-Compliance with ADA

Failing to comply with ADA accessibility standards can result in lawsuits, large settlements, and long-term reputational damage. Under ADA, initial violations can incur up to $75,000 in fines, rising to $150,000 for repeated violations. 

Here are some examples of companies sued for not complying with the ADA. 

• Target settled for $6 million in 2008, plus paid an additional $3.7 million in legal fees, and committed to implementing long-term accessibility improvements aligned with WCAG standards.
• A blind user filed a lawsuit because he was unable to refill prescriptions or access digital coupons using the grocery chain’s website. The court ruled that the website was a place of public accommodation. Winn-Dixie agreed to pay $250,000 to upgrade its website to meet WCAG 2.0 AA compliance. 
• The Department of Justice found that Greyhound’s website and mobile app were not accessible to users with disabilities. The company agreed to pay $300,000 in damages to impacted individuals and a $75,000 civil penalty to the U.S. government. 

Moreover, noncompliance can disqualify organizations from government contracts or grants that require accessibility adherence.

Why ADA Compliance Matters (Beyond Legal Risk)

ADA compliance ensures people with disabilities can use your website fully. It also drives measurable benefits that improve your business and technology outcomes.

Benefits of accessibility include:

• Operational reach: Serves a broader audience, including users with permanent, temporary, or situational impairments.
• Higher conversion rates: Accessible websites reduce friction in tasks like purchasing, signing up, or submitting forms.
• Improved site quality: Clean code, clear structure, and consistent interfaces increase reliability across browsers and devices.
• Content discoverability: Structured content, alt text, and semantic markup support better indexing by search engines.
• Stronger reputation: Demonstrates commitment to inclusion, which builds trust with customers, partners, and employees.

What Makes a Website Accessible?

A website is accessible when people with disabilities can perceive, operate, understand, and interact with its content, regardless of how they access it. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are built around four key principles, known as POUR:

1. Perceivable: Information must be presented in ways users can sense‍

This means content should be available to all users through various formats. For example:

• Provide alt text for images and meaningful icons
• Offer captions for videos and transcripts for audio
• Use sufficient color contrast and scalable text for visual clarity
• Avoid relying on color alone to convey meaning

2. Operable: Users must be able to navigate and interact with all components‍

Interactive elements must be accessible via keyboard and work without requiring precise movement. This includes:

• Keyboard support for all links, menus, modals, and forms
• Clear focus indicators on interactive elements
• Avoiding time limits or giving users control over them
• Ensuring no content causes seizures (e.g., avoiding flashing animations)

3. Understandable: Content and interfaces must be easy to follow‍

Users should not be confused by inconsistent layouts or unclear language. Good practices include:

• Using consistent navigation and UI patterns across pages
• Writing in plain, concise language
• Providing clear form labels, instructions, and error messages
• Avoiding jargon or unexplained abbreviations

4. Robust: Content must be compatible with current and future assistive technologies‍

Your site should be built with clean, semantic HTML and ARIA roles where necessary. For example:

• Use proper HTML landmarks (e.g., <header>, <nav>, <main>)
• Ensure ARIA roles support, not override, native elements
• Validate code for accessibility and cross-device reliability
• Test with screen readers and assistive input devices

How To Make Your Website ADA-Compliant?

Follow these key steps to align with WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 Level AA, the widely accepted benchmark for ADA compliance:

1. Conduct an accessibility audit using real devices

Begin with a comprehensive evaluation of your website using the BrowserStack Accessibility platform. It gives you access to 3,500+ real devices and browsers, enabling accurate testing across screen sizes, orientations, and OS/browser combinations. 

BrowserStack supports both automated and manual testing, including screen reader compatibility checks, to help identify issues in navigation, layout, and content rendering.

2. Use semantic, structured HTML‍

A strong accessibility foundation starts with clean, semantic code. Use proper heading levels (<h1> to <h6>) to reflect content hierarchy. Implement HTML landmarks (<header>, <nav>, <main>, <footer>) to aid screen reader navigation.

Avoid using generic <div> or <span> tags for interactive elements. Instead, use <button>, <a>, or <input> to preserve native functionality.

3. Add text alternatives for all non-text content

Every meaningful image, icon, chart, and media element must have a text alternative. Use alt attributes for images, label decorative elements with empty alt="", provide captions for videos, and offer transcripts for audio content. Charts and graphs should include textual descriptions of data.

4. Ensure complete keyboard accessibility

‍All users must be able to navigate and interact with your site using only a keyboard. This includes dropdowns, sliders, modals, buttons, and form fields. Use logical tab order and avoid traps where keyboard focus cannot escape. Clearly visible focus indicators (like outlines or highlights) must be present and never disabled in CSS.

5. Build accessible forms and feedback messages‍

Form elements should be clearly labeled using <label> tags or aria-label. Group related fields using <fieldset> and <legend>. Error messages must be programmatically associated with the field and announced by screen readers. Indicate required fields and validate inputs in real time with accessible feedback.

6. Use ARIA attributes carefully and only when necessary

ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes can enhance accessibility but should not replace semantic HTML. Use ARIA to define roles, states, and properties for custom widgets like accordions or tabs, but always test behavior with screen readers. Avoid overuse, which can introduce confusion.

7. Maintain consistent structure and navigation patterns

Use a predictable layout across all pages. Navigation menus, search bars, and interactive components should appear in the same order throughout the site. This benefits users with cognitive disabilities and helps screen reader users orient themselves efficiently.

8. Test regularly using assistive technology and diverse input methods

Use screen readers like NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver to test your site’s output. Navigate using only the keyboard to identify traps or inaccessible elements. Simulate color blindness, low vision, and other user conditions.

Common Misconceptions About ADA Compliance

Misunderstanding what ADA compliance involves can lead to partial fixes, ongoing barriers, or legal risk. Below are common myths and the facts organizations need to get right.

• Only government websites need to comply: ADA compliance applies to both public and private websites that serve the general public in any capacity.
• Accessibility is only for blind users: ADA compliance covers a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments.
• If a site looks good, it's accessible: A visually polished site can still be completely unusable for screen reader or keyboard-only users if it lacks proper structure.
• Once fixed, it stays compliant: Accessibility is not a one-time task and must be maintained through every design change, update, or content addition.
• Small businesses are exempt: Any business that offers services or products to the public, regardless of size, is expected to meet ADA accessibility standards.
• Accessible sites can't be visually appealing: Modern accessible design can be clean, attractive, and on-brand while still meeting all usability requirements.
• ARIA will solve all issues: ARIA should be used sparingly and only when necessary, as semantic HTML is more reliable and better supported by assistive technologies.
• Keyboard support is optional: Many users depend on keyboard navigation, so all functionality must be fully operable without relying on a mouse.

Conclusion

ADA requires equal access for people with disabilities. It applies to any organization with a public-facing website in the U.S., including businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits. To comply, follow WCAG standards, test on real devices, and remove accessibility barriers across your site. This ensures usability for all and protects against legal and operational risks.