Does My Website Have to Be ADA Compliant?

In most cases, the answer is yes. If your website represents a business or a state or local government (or is funded by one), it must be ADA compliant. Trying to understand how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to websites when you’re not a lawyer or an expert in website accessibility can be extremely frustrating. We can help you manage all the frustration by adding the ADA widget to your website.

Maintaining an ADA-compliant website helps protect your business against lawsuits and fines in addition to providing needed accommodations for your potential customers.

Most ADA website lawsuits are filed against businesses, which are considered “places of public accommodation” under the law, but lawsuits against government sites work the same way. Over the past 2 years, digital accessibility lawsuits are up more than 50%, resulting in at least 10 new suits being filed per day.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. It was created in an effort to prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities and ensure accessibility to all individuals, regardless of their physical limitations. Now, thirty years later, our world has changed tremendously, especially in regard to technology. Now more than ever, ADA compliance expands far beyond a simple handrail or parking space. It encompasses all public-facing entities, which includes most websites. Think your site may be at risk? It probably is.

When it comes to ADA website compliance, there are no clear rules. That doesn’t let businesses off the hook, though; they still must provide an accessible website that accommodates users with disabilities.