| Your organization | |
|---|---|
| Your site | Website Intranet Web App |
| URL | https://example.com |
| Locations & jurisdictions | |
| US | see US laws by state |
| Federal agencies | Section 508 |
| Federal grant funded projects | Section 504 |
| State, local, school, college/university, library | ADA Title II |
| Business | ADA Title I |
| Consumer | ADA Title III |
| Canada | Accessible Canada Act |
| British Columbia | Accessible British Columbia Act (ABCA) |
| Manitoba | Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA) |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Newfoundland and Labrador Accessibility Act |
| Nova Scotia | Nova Scotia Accessibility Act |
| Ontario | Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) |
| UK | Equality Act 2010 |
| Public sector | Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018 |
| EU | EN 301 549 |
| Public sector | Directive (EU) 2016/2102 |
| Business | EU members’ employment laws |
| Consumer | European Accessibility Act (EAA) |
| Responsibilities & reporting | |
| Accessibility evaluation |
DIY is fine, but a third-party evaluation lends credibility. |
| Designated accessibility contact | |
| Accessibility statement | |
| Email address to report issues | |
| Current VPAT/ACR | |
| VPAT/ACR update schedule | |
| PDAA | |
Legal responsibilities at a glance
All web accessibility laws around the world are based on the WCAG 2 standard. Some specify older versions of WCAG (2.2 is current); some have additional requirements, and compliance deadlines vary by jurisdiction.
What do I do if my local laws specify an older version of WCAG? Don’t sweat it. Automated tools can be configured to use the version you need. An accessibility professional will be able to flag the differences for you in their evaluation so you can prioritize tasks accordingly.
Additional procurement requirements
Software vendors and open source projects may be asked for documentation about accessibility. Public sector organizations generally require a VPAT/ACR for the software they purchase or the open source software they adopt. This report is a snapshot of the web interface’s conformance to the WCAG standard.
Some US states also require a PDAA assessment. This is a standardized format for accessibility statements that describes the organization’s accessibility capacity and maturity.
United States
Most states have their own accessibility laws based on Section 508, WCAG, or both. The ADA also applies to websites and web-based services.
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 508 covers federal government agencies and the software they purchase or adopt. Websites or software developed using federal grant money must comply with Section 504 and sometimes require equivalent access to 508.
Section 508 predates WCAG and was originally the basis for many accessibility laws; some older laws still reference it. The two are now very similar. Section 508 includes more details about other software and hardware, and there may be additional reporting requirements.
The Americans with Disabilities Act
ADA Title I
Title I, 42 U.S.C. § 12112(a) of the ADA prohibits employee discrimination. Websites and apps that people use at work must be accessible.
No covered entity shall discriminate against a qualified individual on the basis of disability in regard … terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.
ADA Title II
Title II of the ADA requires public sector websites and apps to conform to WCAG 2.1 AA standards by April 2027 for larger constituencies and April 2028 for constituencies under 50,000 people.
ADA Title III
ADA Title III, 42 U.S. Code § 12182(a) prohibits discrimination of consumers on the basis of disabilities:
No individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation.
Canada
United Kingdom
The Equality Act 2010, Section 20 (3) applies to both consumer- and business-facing websites and apps, as well as public sector services.
The Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018 also applies to government agencies.
European Union
EN 301 549 is the basis for accessibility laws in Europe. In addition to the WCAG rules, it requires that websites respect some operating system preferences (reduced motion, dark mode).
The Directive (EU) 2016/2102 also applies to government agencies.
European Accessibility Act (EAA)
The European Accessibility Act (EAA) applies to any business that sells in the EU, no matter where your offices are based.
If your product was already on the market when the EAA went into effect (28 June 2025), you have until 2030 to comply with the WCAG standard. There’s a small chance WCAG 3 will be available by then, but for now you should use the WCAG 2.2 guidelines.
EU member states’ employment laws
The EAA does not apply to business-facing websites and apps. However, EU member states have employment laws in place to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability. Here are a few: