ADA or WCAG compliance for websites means your site is accessible to people with disabilities and follows a recognized accessibility standard (WCAG) so users can read, navigate, and complete actions like booking, paying, or filling out forms without barriers.
Here’s the plain-English difference: the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the US civil rights law that requires equal access and effective communication, and WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is the technical checklist most teams use to build and test an accessible website.
| Term | What it is | Who it applies to | What “compliance” usually means online |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADA Title III | Federal law covering businesses open to the public (public accommodations) | Most local businesses, including medical offices, dental practices, and many service businesses | Your website and digital services should be usable by people with disabilities; WCAG is often used as the measuring stick |
| ADA Title II | Federal law covering state and local governments | Cities, counties, public schools, public universities, public hospitals, and other public entities | There is a federal web and mobile app accessibility rule that requires WCAG 2.1 Level AA, with compliance dates in 2026 or 2027 depending on entity size |
| WCAG (A, AA, AAA) | Technical standards published by the W3C | Used worldwide for testing and procurement | Most organizations target Level AA; Level A is basic, AAA is the toughest and often unrealistic for full sites |
For most Orlando small and mid-size businesses, “doing it right” typically looks like building to WCAG Level AA and keeping it that way as your site changes. That means people can use your site with a keyboard (no mouse), screen readers can understand your menus, buttons, and forms, text has readable contrast, images have meaningful alt text, videos have captions, and error messages on forms are clear.
- Navigation: keyboard access, visible focus states, logical headings, skip-to-content links
- Content: readable contrast, resizable text, plain labels, descriptive link text (not “click here”)
- Forms and booking: labeled fields, clear errors, accessible date pickers and payment flows
- Media and PDFs: captions or transcripts, accessible PDFs or HTML alternatives
One thing to know: there is no official “ADA certified” badge for websites. Accessibility is a moving target because your site changes (new pages, new images, new plugins, new booking widgets). The practical goal is a repeatable process: test, fix, and keep testing, especially on your money pages and any page where someone schedules, pays, or submits a form.
If you want help building or rebuilding with accessibility in mind, our web design services include structure, code, and content practices that support WCAG-style testing from the start.
If your site is on WordPress, upkeep matters because updates can introduce new accessibility problems, so ongoing care through WordPress hosting and maintenance can help you keep improvements from slipping over time.
If you want the non-technical version of what “accessible” means for your customers, our website accessibility FAQ breaks down what users with disabilities experience when a site is hard to use and what to fix first. If you’re getting a demand letter or you operate in regulated spaces like healthcare, we recommend talking with your attorney as well, then we can work from that target standard and remediation plan.
