The ADA and business websites
Thousands of website accessibility lawsuits are filed in the US each year under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The law sets no technical web standard for businesses, so WCAG is the benchmark most teams use.
At a glance
Checked against the official sources on 13 September 2026. General information, not legal advice.
- Who it covers
- Title III covers businesses open to the public, such as stores, restaurants, hotels and medical offices.
- Standard
- The Justice Department has no detailed web regulation for Title III. Its 2022 guidance says businesses have flexibility in how they comply and calls WCAG helpful guidance.
- Lawsuits in 2025
- Seyfarth Shaw counted 3,117 federal website accessibility lawsuits, up 27% from 2024. UsableNet counted 5,114 across federal courts and New York and California state courts.
- Government websites
- State and local governments fall under Title II, which has its own web rule and deadlines.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| March 18, 2022 | The Justice Department publishes guidance on web accessibility under the ADA. |
| April 26, 2027 | First Title II deadline for state and local governments with 50,000 or more people. |
What businesses usually aim for
Without a technical standard in the regulations, many businesses and their agencies use WCAG Level AA as the target, because it is the standard the Justice Department's guidance points to and the one accessibility testing tools measure.
Widgets don't stop lawsuits
UsableNet's 2025 year-end report counted over 1,400 lawsuits filed against companies that had accessibility widgets on their websites. Fixing barriers in the site's code is the durable approach.
Where AccessGuard helps
An audit shows what fails today and keeps a dated history as fixes land.
- WCAG 2.2 AA audit
- Automated checks on each page as the browser renders it, with every finding mapped to a criterion.
- Reports for the client
- A PDF under your agency's name that explains each failure in plain words.
- A record of progress
- Scan history shows what failed, when it was fixed and what's new since the last audit.
What an audit can't do
- It can't prevent a lawsuit or confirm that a site meets the ADA.
- Only part of WCAG can be checked automatically. Some criteria need a person to review.
- This page is general information, not legal advice. Ask a lawyer about a specific business.
Questions
Does the ADA require WCAG?
Not for businesses in the regulations. The Justice Department's guidance gives businesses flexibility and describes WCAG as helpful guidance, so most teams use WCAG Level AA as their target.
Does an accessibility widget protect a site?
No. UsableNet counted over 1,400 lawsuits in 2025 against companies using accessibility widgets on their websites.
Can an audit prevent a lawsuit?
No tool can promise that. An audit shows what fails today, helps you fix it and keeps a dated record of the work.
What about state and local government websites?
They are covered by Title II of the ADA, which has a web rule requiring WCAG 2.1 AA, with deadlines in April 2027 and April 2028.
Related
- European Accessibility Act
EU law applying since 28 June 2025 to e-commerce, consumer banking, transport, e-books and communications services, with penalties set by each country.
- ADA Title II web rule
State and local governments and public colleges must meet WCAG 2.1 AA by April 26, 2027 or April 26, 2028, depending on size.
- Section 504 web rule
Recipients of HHS funding, including many healthcare providers, must meet WCAG 2.1 AA by May 11, 2027 or May 10, 2028.
- Alt text checker
Finds images, icons and image buttons with missing or empty text alternatives, and alt text that says nothing useful.
- Form labels checker
Finds inputs without labels, placeholders used as the only label, and fields that don't say what they collect.
- Link text checker
Finds links with no accessible name, vague text like "click here", and links that open new windows without warning.
- WCAG 2.2 checklist
Every A and AA criterion, and how much of each an automated audit can check.
See where a client site stands today
Run a free WCAG 2.2 AA audit of any page. Results in about a minute.