What Is ADA Compliance And How Do I Make My Website Compliant?

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You've heard about it, but what is ADA compliance? ADA compliance makes your website accessible to all users and refers to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design. It's a set of standards that ensures your website can be used by all, regardless of abilities.
Non-compliance with the ADA can result in fines ranging from $55,000-$150,000, along with lawsuits from affected users. Keep reading to learn more about ADA compliance's meaning, plus: Who needs to meet ADA requirements How to check your website for ADA compliance How to make your website ADA compliance And more! If you already know ADA compliance's definition and want help becoming compliant, ask WebFX! WebFX offers ADA compliance services, which make your website compliant with ADA, Section 508, WCAG, and more. Contact us online to learn more! What is ADA compliance? Definition of ADA compliance ADA compliance refers to the Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design, which states that all electronic and information technology (like websites) must be accessible to people with disabilities. Who needs to follow ADA requirements? Now that you know ADA compliance's meaning, you're probably wondering whether it applies to you.

List of businesses that need to follow ADA compliance Organizations that need to adhere to ADA requirements include: State and local government agencies Businesses open to the public Common examples of affected businesses include: Retail stores Banks Hotels Hospitals Doctor offices Restaurants Movie theaters Since ADA encompasses electronic and information technology, like the Internet and websites, ADA compliance impacts almost all businesses and webmasters. In most cases, sites (and their designs) aren't intentionally ignoring ADA requirements. Even if ADA compliance doesn't apply to you, creating a site that everyone can use is still important. It keeps you from alienating people in your audience and ensures you provide the best experience for everyone.


How to check your website for ADA compliance You check your website for ADA compliance in a few ways, including the following: A web accessibility tool like WAVE A web accessibility plugin, like for WordPress sites A professional audit A manual audit For many businesses, WAVE offers the most cost- and time-effective method. Like most companies, your site has opportunities to make itself more accessible and aligned with ADA compliance standards. What happens if your website isn't ADA compliant? Details on what happens if your website isn't ADA compliant 't ADA compliant 't ADA compliant 't ADA compliant If your website isn't ADA accessible, you are liable for the following: First-time violation: $55,000 – $75,000 fine Repeat violations: $150,000 fine Federally funded organizations can also lose their funding, whether it's a first-time or repeat violation. Besides fines, a lawsuit could also be filed against your company if people with disabilities cannot access or use your site.Even if your business didn't intend to discriminate or exclude people with disabilities from visiting or using your website, you could pay thousands of dollars in lawsuits. Lawsuits aren't unheard of — here are a few companies that have already been named in lawsuits, include: Amazon Hershey's The Brazil Phone Number Data Wall Street Journal Rite Aid H&R Block Teachers Test Prep Just because your business isn't a well-known brand doesn't mean you won't be named in a lawsuit.





Protect your brand now by investing the time and resources into becoming ADA compliant and delivering a site everyone can access. How to make your website ADA compliant list of ways to make your website ADA compliant Learn how to make your website ADA compliant using WCAG and Section 508 below! When it comes to making your website ADA compliant, the go-to recommendation revolves around the WCAG 2.0 guidelines — including for Section 508 Standards. This resource outlines several recommendations or goals for making your website ADA accessible to users across the US The go-to recommendation for compliance is the WCAG 2.0 guidelines. At a minimum, you want your website to be Level AA compliant. You can download our free WCAG 2.0 checklist Level AA to help you ensure your website is compliant for the majority of website users!