Every U.S. business—whether local or online—must ensure their website meets federal, state, and digital accessibility laws. When a website violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or fails to follow WCAG 2.1 AA standards, it becomes legally non-compliant, exposing the business to lawsuits, penalties, settlements, and ongoing monitoring agreements. This guide shows you exactly how to make your website according to the law, including ADA, WCAG, Section 508, and state-level regulations in California, New York, Florida, Illinois, and New Jersey.
What Does “According to Law” Mean for a Website?
Websites must comply with U.S. federal disability laws, accessibility standards, privacy rules, and industry-specific regulations.
Most businesses assume legal compliance only applies to physical locations. But digital compliance is now mandatory across the United States under laws like:
- ADA Title III (public-facing businesses)
- WCAG 2.1 AA (technical accessibility standard)
- Section 508 (government-funded institutions)
- CVAA (media & communication apps)
- FERPA (education data)
- HIPAA (healthcare)
Failing any of these requirements makes your website illegal and open to litigation.
Why Website Accessibility Is Now a Legal Requirement
ADA lawsuits have increased sharply in major U.S. states due to aggressive enforcement and active plaintiff firms.
States with the highest digital accessibility lawsuits:
- California (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco)
- New York (NYC, Brooklyn, Bronx)
- Florida (Miami, Tampa, Orlando)
- New Jersey
- Illinois (Chicago)
Case examples of companies sued for inaccessible websites:
- Netflix — sued for missing captions
- Domino’s — sued for inaccessible ordering
- Target — sued for non-accessible navigation
- Sweetgreen — sued for inaccessible mobile app
Netflix case | Domino’s | Target
One customer complaint is enough to trigger a lawsuit.
How to Make Your Website According to ADA & WCAG Laws
Follow the steps below to make your website legally compliant under U.S. accessibility rules.
Below is a structured, easy-to-understand, step-by-step breakdown:
Step 1 — Meet WCAG 2.1 AA Technical Requirements
WCAG is the global accessibility standard used by courts and the Department of Justice.
Key WCAG Requirements:
- Add alt text for all images
- Enable full keyboard navigation
- Provide screen-reader labels
- Fix color contrast issues
- Add captions and transcripts
- Ensure form fields have clear instructions
- Add ARIA roles where required
- Ensure mobile responsiveness accessibility
- Provide clear focus indicators
Step 2 — Make Your Website ADA Title III Compliant
ADA requires all public websites to ensure people with disabilities can access:
- Menus
- Buttons
- Videos
- Forms
- Shopping carts
- Mobile apps
- Contact pages
ADA compliance is mandatory for:
- Retail stores
- Restaurants
- Real estate firms
- Healthcare clinics
- Banks
- Universities
- Hotels
- Law firms
Step 3 — Ensure Legal Compliance for Your Industry
Different industries must follow additional legal frameworks:
- Healthcare → HIPAA
- Education → FERPA
- Finance → privacy + fraud protection
- Media → CVAA
- Telecom → CVAA accessibility
- Government contractors → Section 508
Education | Healthcare | Finance
Step 4 — Add a Legally Required Accessibility Statement
Most compliant businesses publish an accessibility statement demonstrating good-faith efforts.
This protects businesses in case of claims.
Accessibility statement guidance
Step 5 — Keep Evidence & Documentation
To meet legal standards, websites must maintain:
- Accessibility reports
- Remediation logs
- Update records
- Audit trails
- Compliance documentation
Courts expect businesses to prove they attempted accessibility—even before any lawsuit.
Step 6 — Use Continuous Monitoring
Compliance is not one-time.
WCAG, ADA, and browser requirements update constantly. Ongoing monitoring ensures continuous legal coverage.
What Your Website Needs to Be Legal
Simple comparison showing what every business must meet.
| Requirement | Mandatory? | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| ADA Title III | Yes | All U.S. businesses |
| WCAG 2.1 AA | Yes | All websites & apps |
| Section 508 | Yes | Government-funded clients |
| CVAA | Yes | Video, media, telecom |
| HIPAA | Yes | Healthcare |
| Yes | Schools & education | |
| Privacy laws (various) | Yes | All organizations |
What Happens If Your Website Is Not According to Law?
Non-compliant sites face lawsuits, settlements, monitoring, and reputational damage.
Consequences include:
- Legal demand letters
- Federal lawsuits
- $5,000–$100,000+ settlements
- Mandatory accessibility remediation
- Public-negative press
- Loss of customers
- Forced deadlines
How to Become Fully Compliant Without Wasting Time
Businesses should work with a professional compliance provider instead of trial-and-error scanning tools.
Automated tools only catch 20–30% of problems.
This is why companies like Domino’s, Netflix, and Harvard still lost lawsuits despite using software.
Harvard/MIT | TikTok captioning
The only reliable method is expert-led accessibility remediation.
This ensures your website becomes legally compliant and lawsuit-safe.
Get Your Website Legally Compliant Today
If your website is not legally compliant under ADA, WCAG, and other U.S. regulations, you are at immediate risk of a lawsuit.
Become fully compliant with professional accessibility experts today and protect your business before a claim occurs.
Take the next step now and secure full legal compliance for your business.
FAQs — How I Make My Website According to Law
What laws do I need to follow to make my website legal?
ADA, WCAG 2.1 AA, Section 508, and industry laws like HIPAA or FERPA.
Can one accessibility complaint get my business sued?
Yes, one complaint is enough.
Do small businesses also need to comply?
Yes. ADA applies to all businesses—even small, local, or home-based.
Is ADA compliance different from WCAG?
ADA is the law; WCAG is the standard used to measure compliance.
Can automated tools make a website compliant?
No. Automated tools detect only a portion of barriers.
Protect Your Business Legally
Compliance is not optional—it’s a legal necessity. Get expert help and secure your digital presence today.
Safeguard your website with legally defensible, full-service ADA and WCAG compliance.