Short answer: The ADA covers businesses open to the public, and the Department of Justice says that includes what they offer on the web. There is no detailed federal web standard for private businesses: the department points to WCAG and the Section 508 Standards. In practice, use WCAG as your guide and fix the barriers the department names, from contrast and alt text to forms and keyboard access.
It isn’t legal advice: confirm your case with your lawyer.
When the ADA covers your website
Title III of the ADA covers businesses open to the public, such as stores, banks, hotels, medical offices and restaurants. The Department of Justice says the ADA’s requirements apply to what those businesses offer on the web too.
Businesses have flexibility in how they comply, but they must comply. The department’s guidance has no legally binding effect, and it doesn’t cover the rules for state and local governments published on April 24, 2024.
From ADA.gov, “Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA” (Department of Justice, March 18, 2022), read November 2, 2026.
The barriers the Department of Justice names
| Barrier | Who it shuts out |
|---|---|
| Poor color contrast | People with limited vision or color blindness |
| Color alone carries the information | People who are color-blind, and people who use a screen reader |
| Images without alt text | People who are blind |
| Videos without captions | People with hearing disabilities |
| Forms without labels, instructions or error messages | People who use a screen reader, among others |
| Navigation that only works with a mouse | People who cannot use a mouse or a trackpad |
From ADA.gov, “Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA”.
The WCAG standard
WCAG is the web accessibility standard of the W3C. Version 2.2 has 13 guidelines grouped under four principles. Each guideline has testable success criteria at three levels: A, AA and AAA.
WCAG 2.2 was published on October 5, 2023, and updated in December 2024. The versions are backwards compatible, so content that meets 2.2 also meets 2.1 and 2.0, and the W3C encourages using the latest one.
From the W3C, “WCAG 2 Overview”.
How to make your site accessible
- Check the contrast between your text and its background with a contrast checker.
- Don’t use color alone to show information, such as which form fields are required.
- Give every meaningful image alt text that says what it shows or does. Our guide to alt text shows how.
- Caption every video.
- Label every form field, and give clear instructions and error messages.
- Make every link, button, menu and form work with the keyboard alone.
- Run an automated checker, then judge its results by hand: a tool finds missing alt text, but a person decides whether it fits the image.
From ADA.gov, “Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA”, and the W3C, “Easy Checks”.
What our own site shows
On November 2, 2026, Lighthouse gave our home page and a recent guide 100 out of 100 for accessibility on mobile, in English and Spanish. No weighted check failed.
That score only covers what a tool can test. Our accessibility statement sets WCAG 2.1 AA as our target and adopts WCAG 2.2 as we revise sites. Before we call a page done, we test it with a keyboard, a screen reader and automated checks.
It also gives a way to report a barrier: an email to info [at] feedback-studios.com with “Accessibility” in the subject line.
Before you call your site accessible
- Text has enough contrast against its background.
- No information depends on color alone.
- Meaningful images have alt text.
- Videos have captions.
- Every form field has a label, and errors are explained.
- Everything works with the keyboard alone.
RememberFollow WCAG, fix the six barriers the Department of Justice names, and test by hand as well as with a tool.
Our web design service builds every site to that same WCAG 2.1 AA target.
Quick answers about ADA website compliance
Does the ADA apply to my business website?
If your business is open to the public, the Department of Justice says the ADA applies to the goods and services you offer, including those on the web. It isn’t legal advice: confirm your case with your lawyer.
Is there an official ADA standard for websites?
Not for private businesses. The Department of Justice has no regulation with detailed web standards for them, and it points to WCAG and the Section 508 Standards as helpful guidance.
Should I use WCAG 2.1 or 2.2?
The W3C encourages using the latest version, WCAG 2.2, published in October 2023. Content that conforms to WCAG 2.2 also conforms to 2.1 and 2.0, because the versions are backwards compatible.
Can an automated checker make my site ADA compliant?
Not on its own. The W3C notes that automated tests can tell you if alt text is missing, but judging whether it fits the image takes a person looking at it in context.
Are there common accessibility barriers to fix first?
The Department of Justice lists six: poor color contrast, using color alone, missing alt text, videos without captions, forms without labels or error messages, and navigation that only works with a mouse.
Sources
Read on November 2, 2026. Department of Justice, ADA.gov: Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA. W3C Web Accessibility Initiative: WCAG 2 Overview and Easy Checks. Our own case: Lighthouse through PageSpeed Insights and our accessibility statement, on November 2, 2026.