Ada Compliance

ADA Compliance

Overview

Guides ADA compliance audits for digital properties (websites, apps, PDFs) and physical facilities. Covers WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements, ADA Title II/III obligations, and actionable remediation steps.

Instructions

When conducting an ADA compliance review:

1. Determine scope — ask the user:

   • Digital (website/app), physical (facility), or both?
   • Title II (government) or Title III (private business)?
   • Target standard: WCAG 2.1 AA (required) or WCAG 2.2 AA (recommended)?

2. For digital audits, evaluate against the four WCAG principles (POUR):

   • Perceivable — alt text, captions, contrast, reflow, text spacing
   • Operable — keyboard access, no traps, timing, navigation, input modalities
   • Understandable — language, predictability, error handling, labels
   • Robust — valid HTML, ARIA, status messages

3. For physical facility audits, evaluate:

   • Parking, exterior routes, entrances, interior circulation
   • Restrooms, signage, service counters, communication systems

4. Prioritize findings — critical (blocks access), major (significant barrier), minor (inconvenience)

5. Provide remediation guidance — concrete fixes with code examples for digital, specification references for physical

6. Note deadline context — Title II per DOJ 2024 final rule: April 24, 2026 (50K+ pop) / April 26, 2027 (under 50K and special district governments)

Digital Accessibility Checklist

Perceivable

Operable

Understandable

Robust

PDF Accessibility

PDFs are among the most common barriers in government digital content. Remediation checklist:

• Tagged PDF — document must have a tag tree reflecting logical reading order (headings, paragraphs, lists, tables)
• Text-based — no image-only scans; use OCR if digitizing paper documents
• Reading order — tags must match visual layout order for screen readers
• Alt text — all meaningful images within the PDF must have alternative text
• Form fields — interactive forms must have labels, tab order, and tooltips
• Table structure — tables must have header cells (<TH>) properly associated with data cells
• Bookmarks — documents over 9 pages should include bookmarks for navigation
• Language — document language must be set in metadata
• Color contrast — same 4.5:1 ratio applies within PDF content

Tools: Adobe Acrobat Pro (Accessibility Checker), PAC 2024, CommonLook PDF Validator.

WCAG 2.2 New Criteria

WCAG 2.2 (October 2023) adds the following criteria beyond WCAG 2.1. The DOJ rule references WCAG 2.1 AA as the legal minimum, but 2.2 is recommended for future-proofing.

New Level A:

New Level AA:

Removed in WCAG 2.2: 4.1.1 Parsing (obsolete — modern browsers and assistive tech no longer depend on strict HTML parsing).

Physical Facility Checklist

Parking

• Correct number of accessible spaces (1 per 25 for first 100)
• At least one van-accessible space per lot
• Access aisles 60" minimum width
• ISA signage mounted 60"+ above ground
• Firm, stable, slip-resistant surface

Exterior Routes

• Accessible route from parking to entrance (36" minimum width)
• Passing spaces 60" x 60" on long routes (200ft+)
• Curb ramps at level changes
• Ramp slope max 1:12, handrails on both sides
• Level landings at top and bottom of ramps

Entrances

• At least one accessible entrance
• 32" minimum clear door opening
• Hardware operable with one hand, no tight grasping
• Threshold max 1/2"
• Adequate maneuvering clearance

Interior

• Corridors 36" minimum width
• Stable, firm, slip-resistant floors
• Protruding objects detectable by cane (max 4" between 27"-80" height)
• Elevator access to all public floors (controls at 48" max, Braille markings)

Restrooms

• At least one accessible restroom per floor
• 60" turning radius
• Grab bars on side and rear walls
• Toilet seat 17"-19" height
• Sink rim 34" max, knee clearance underneath
• Lever or sensor faucets

Signage

• Raised characters and Braille on room identification signs
• Mounted on latch side, 48"-60" from floor
• High contrast text/background

Compliance Process

1. Inventory all digital assets and physical spaces
2. Audit — automated scan + manual testing + assistive tech testing (automated tools catch only 30-40%)
3. Prioritize — critical barriers first, then major, then minor
4. Remediate in phases with documented timelines
5. Publish accessibility statement with contact for reporting barriers
6. Train staff on accessible content creation and customer service
7. Update procurement to require WCAG 2.1 AA in vendor contracts
8. Monitor continuously — re-audit quarterly or after major changes

Key Context

Who Must Comply

• Title II: State and local governments (all sizes, no exemptions)
• Title III: Businesses open to the public (15+ employees). No formal technical standard yet, but courts and DOJ reference WCAG 2.1 AA
• Section 508 (Rehabilitation Act): Federal agencies and contractors — all electronic and information technology must be accessible. Uses WCAG 2.0 AA as technical standard (ICT Refresh, 2017). Applies to websites, documents, software, and hardware procured or developed by the federal government

Deadlines (DOJ 2024 Final Rule, Title II)

Source: DOJ Final Rule on ADA Title II Web Accessibility

Penalties

• First Title III violation: up to $75,000
• Subsequent violations: up to $150,000
• Title II: DOJ consent decrees, remediation orders
• Private lawsuits: injunctive relief + attorney fees

Exceptions (Title II digital only)

• Archived content (pre-compliance, not updated, in designated archive)
• Pre-existing documents (created before deadline)
• Third-party content (not posted at agency's discretion)
• Confidential password-protected individual documents

Common Pitfalls

• Relying solely on automated tools (miss 60-70% of issues)
• Using accessibility overlay widgets (25% of 2024 lawsuits targeted overlay users)
• Assuming older facilities are "grandfathered" (they are not)
• Forgetting third-party vendor liability (you remain legally responsible)

Examples

Example: Website Audit Request

Input: "Review our website for ADA compliance"

Response approach:

1. Ask for URL or code to review
2. Check against WCAG 2.1 AA criteria systematically (POUR principles)
3. Report findings by severity (critical/major/minor)
4. Provide specific code fixes for each issue
5. Recommend testing with NVDA/VoiceOver + keyboard-only navigation

Example: New Feature Accessibility Check

Input: "We're adding a modal dialog, what ADA requirements apply?"

Response approach:

1. Focus trap management (2.1.2)
2. Keyboard dismiss with Escape (2.1.1)
3. Focus return to trigger element on close (2.4.3)
4. ARIA role="dialog" and aria-labelledby (4.1.2)
5. Visible focus indicators (2.4.7)
6. Content on hover/focus requirements if tooltip-like (1.4.13)

Example: Facility Compliance Question

Input: "Our office building was built in 1995, do we need ADA upgrades?"

Response approach:

1. Clarify that older facilities are NOT grandfathered
2. Explain "readily achievable barrier removal" obligation for Title III
3. Walk through the physical checklist areas relevant to their space
4. Note that access should be re-evaluated annually
5. Mention tax incentives (Disabled Access Credit up to 50%, Section 190 deduction up to $15,000)

Guidelines

• Always distinguish between Title II (government) and Title III (private business) requirements
• Reference specific WCAG success criteria by number when reporting digital issues
• Reference 2010 ADA Standards section numbers for physical facility issues
• Note that WCAG 2.2 is recommended for future-proofing even though 2.1 is the legal minimum (see WCAG 2.2 New Criteria section for specifics)
• Never recommend overlay widgets as a compliance solution
• Emphasize that automated testing alone is insufficient
• Include remediation priority (critical > major > minor)
• Mention applicable deadlines based on entity type

References

• ADA.gov: https://www.ada.gov/
• DOJ 2024 Final Rule (Title II): https://www.ada.gov/resources/title-ii-rule/
• WCAG 2.1: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/
• WCAG 2.2: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/
• WCAG Quick Reference: https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/quickref/
• Section 508: https://www.section508.gov/
• ADA Facility Checklist: https://adachecklist.org/
• 2010 ADA Standards: https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/design-standards/
• U.S. Access Board: https://www.access-board.gov/ada/