It means more people can use your site, find what they need and get in touch with you. There can also be legal questions. The U.S. Department of Justice has guidance on web accessibility and the ADA at ADA.gov. For what applies to your business, please talk to your attorney.

We can't give legal advice. Here's what the Department of Justice's guidance says:

"Existing technical standards provide helpful guidance concerning how to ensure accessibility of website features. These include the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and the Section 508 Standards, which the federal government uses for its own websites."

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, "Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA," https://www.ada.gov/resources/web-guidance/ (checked Oct 27, 2026)

Your attorney can tell you what applies to you.

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is published by the W3C. It is organized around four ideas: content should be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. Levels A, AA and AAA describe how far a site goes.

That depends on your organization and where you operate. ADA.gov explains how the ADA applies to state and local governments and to businesses open to the public. Your attorney can help with your specific situation.

Common barriers include:

• Missing Alt Text: Images without descriptive text alternatives can prevent visually impaired users from understanding content.
• Poor Color Contrast: Insufficient contrast between text and background can make reading content difficult for users with visual impairments.
• Inaccessible Forms: Forms that cannot be navigated or completed using a keyboard can exclude users with motor disabilities.
• Lack of Captions: Videos without captions or transcripts can hinder access for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Complex Navigation: Websites with complicated navigation structures may confuse users with cognitive disabilities.

Start with a scan to find issues, then check by hand. Make sure everything works with a keyboard, add alt text and captions, use clear headings and labels, and test with real people when you can. Re-check after changes.

We can't answer that for your business. It's a legal question. ADA.gov has the Department of Justice's guidance, and your attorney can tell you what applies to you.

Some people won't be able to use it. They might not be able to read your content, fill out a form or buy from you. For legal questions, please talk to your attorney.

For comprehensive resources on web accessibility:

• Visit ADA.gov for guidance on web accessibility and the ADA. • Review the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) from W3C for detailed standards on creating accessible web content.

• Explore resources from organizations like the National Center on Accessible Media for best practices in media accessibility.

Use a mix: an automated scan (our free scan checks one page and catches only some issues), a manual check with a keyboard and a screen reader, and feedback from people with disabilities. The Department of Justice puts it this way:

"A 'clean' report does not necessarily mean everything is accessible."

Source: U.S. Department of Justice, "Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA," https://www.ada.gov/resources/web-guidance/ (checked Oct 27, 2026)

People who can't use your site may go somewhere else, and you may miss hearing from them. For legal risk, talk to your attorney.

Here are some authoritative resources for improving web accessibility:

• The official ADA website (ada.gov): Provides guidance on web accessibility and the ADA, including examples of barriers and best practices.

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): This is the official documentation for WCAG 2.1, which provides detailed technical standards for web accessibility.

• Section508.gov offers resources and guidelines for federal agencies, which can also be helpful for private organizations.

• WebAIM.org: Provides articles, tutorials, and tools for web accessibility implementation.

• The A11Y Project (a11yproject.com): A community-driven effort to make web accessibility easier to implement.

Remember, achieving and maintaining web accessibility is an ongoing process that requires regular auditing, testing, and updating as your website evolves and accessibility standards advance.