Website accessibility law

Website accessibility law in United States

The Americans with Disabilities Act bars disability discrimination by businesses open to the public. The Department of Justice says that includes their websites, and courts in many states agree, especially where a site is tied to a physical location.

Very high exposure for private websites. Private demand letters and lawsuits are common, and attorney fees make them costly even for small stores.

Quick answers

Does website accessibility law apply to my business in United States?
Americans with Disabilities Act, Title III (42 U.S.C. § 12182) applies to: Businesses that are places of public accommodation, which covers most businesses open to the public. Courts disagree on online-only businesses.
What accessibility standard must a website meet in United States?
No single technical standard is set by law for private businesses. WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA is the reference courts and settlements use; the DOJ's 2022 guidance names WCAG as helpful guidance.
How is website accessibility enforced in United States?
Private lawsuits and demand letters, and DOJ enforcement.
What are the penalties for an inaccessible website in United States?
Private claims under Title III give court orders and attorney fees, not damages. The DOJ can seek civil penalties.

The laws

Americans with Disabilities Act, Title III

42 U.S.C. § 12182

Who is covered
Businesses that are places of public accommodation, which covers most businesses open to the public. Courts disagree on online-only businesses.
Standard
No single technical standard is set by law for private businesses. WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA is the reference courts and settlements use; the DOJ's 2022 guidance names WCAG as helpful guidance.
Enforcement
Private lawsuits and demand letters, and DOJ enforcement.
What it can cost
Private claims under Title III give court orders and attorney fees, not damages. The DOJ can seek civil penalties.
Key dates
DOJ web guidance published March 2022.
Impact on your website
An inaccessible website can be the basis of a demand letter or lawsuit, usually asking for fixes, a monitoring commitment and fees.

California Unruh Civil Rights Act

Cal. Civ. Code § 52

Who is covered
Businesses serving people in California.
Standard
Tied to the ADA: an ADA violation is also an Unruh violation.
Enforcement
Private lawsuits.
What it can cost
Statutory damages of at least USD 4,000 per violation, plus attorney fees.
Key dates
In force.
Impact on your website
Explains why many demand letters ask for payment, not only fixes.

What it means for your website

  • Most claims are settled, not tried, so the cost is legal fees and settlements rather than fines.
  • Removing or replacing an accessibility widget does not end a claim; claims are about whether people can use the site.
  • State laws such as California's Unruh Act and New York's human rights laws add damages on top of the ADA.
  • A record of regular testing and fixing shows good faith; it does not prevent a claim.

Key cases

  1. 2019

    Robles v. Domino's Pizza

    913 F.3d 898 (9th Cir. 2019)

    The ADA applied to Domino's website and app because they connected customers to its physical restaurants.

How Jralo helps in United States

  • Daily checks against WCAG 2.2 A and AA with axe-core. Automated testing finds many, not all, problems.
  • A dated, independently timestamped record of what was checked and fixed, so you can show what you did and when.
  • Website Mechanic fixes problems in your code and opens a pull request for you to review.
Start free

Good to know

  • Courts are split on whether websites with no physical location are covered.
  • No product, badge or audit can certify ADA compliance; the DOJ does not certify any.

Sources

  1. U.S. Department of Justice, Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA (2022)
  2. California Civil Code § 52

General information, checked 9 October 2026. Not legal advice. Laws, guidance and enforcement change; speak to a qualified lawyer about your situation.