Questions You Might Have

If you're new to web accessibility, it's normal to have questions—about the legal landscape, what WCAG conformance really involves, and how it applies to your specific site. The answers below cover what comes up most in conversations with clients. Nothing here is meant to be the final word — every site is different, so if your question isn't answered below, get in touch, and we'll talk through it.

GENERAL QUESTIONS

What exactly is web accessibility?

It means building and auditing your site so everyone can use it—people navigating with a screen reader, people using a keyboard instead of a mouse, and anyone with a motor, cognitive, or low-vision condition that affects how they interact with a page.

What is WCAG, and why does it matter?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the internationally recognized benchmark for digital accessibility, maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the specific baseline referenced in accessibility settlements, consent decrees, and state procurement standards.

What's the difference between Title II and Title III of the ADA?

Title II covers state and local government entities — cities, counties, school districts, public agencies. Title III covers private businesses open to the public. Both point to WCAG 2.1 AA as the practical standard, but they get there differently: Title II now has a specific DOJ rule with fixed compliance dates, while Title III obligations have developed mainly through court decisions and settlements.

What does an accessibility audit actually look for?

We check your site's source code and interactive elements against the full set of WCAG Level A and AA success criteria — things like keyboard navigation breaks, missing alt text, unlabeled form fields, and hidden elements that trip up assistive technology.

Why isn't a free automated scan or widget enough?

Automated tools are useful, but they only catch a portion of real accessibility issues. They can't test whether your site is actually navigable by keyboard, whether a promotional graphic has hidden text behind it, or what a screen reader experience is actually like for someone using one. A clean automated score means the machine-detectable bugs are gone — it doesn't mean the site is usable.

How many pages do you test? (Our scoping model)

We evaluate your site by unique page templates — homepage, standard content page, contact flow, and so on — rather than by raw page count. This keeps testing efficient without skipping anything that matters. See our audit process page for how that works.

Do you install an overlay toolbar or "widget" to achieve compliance?

No. Overlay tools and quick-fix widgets don't touch your underlying code, don't satisfy legal requirements, and can actually create new barriers for screen reader users. We work exclusively at the code level — diagnosing issues at the source.

How long does a technical review take?

Once we've finalized scope, we complete the technical review within 3 to 5 business days.

About Remediation | What's the difference between an Audit Only and Audit + Remediation?

An audit is the diagnosis: a full roadmap of what's failing and exactly where it lives. To keep our findings objective, we separate auditing from remediation — we handle code remediation directly only for sites built or maintained by 54 Design Group, LLC, the design studio behind webcompliance.co. If your site belongs to another agency, we hand you a clear, plain-English roadmap your developer can act on directly.

Can I fix some of these myself, without a developer?

Yes. Our roadmaps sort findings into "Editor-Fixable" and "Developer Required." A lot of content-level issues — adding missing alt text, rewriting a text-heavy graphic — are things you can handle yourself right in your CMS.

Does a passing audit mean permanent compliance?

No. Accessibility is an ongoing practice, not a one-time achievement. New content, media uploads, or platform updates can introduce new issues over time. Our roadmap validates your site at the time of testing; we recommend a scheduled annual review to catch anything that creeps in as your site grows.

I already have a web designer. Can you still do the audit?

Yes — this is one of our most common engagements, for businesses and government clients alike. We step in as an independent, objective third party: we conduct technical testing, write your Accessibility Statement, and hand your existing designer, developer, or IT vendor a roadmap they can act on without guesswork.

What do I actually receive at the end of the audit?

Every client gets a clear Technical Audit Report prioritized by severity, a remediation roadmap, and a publication-ready Accessibility Statement built for your site's footer. Developer-Ready tier clients also get a companion spreadsheet with exact CSS selectors and HTML fix snippets.

Does this cover PDFs and other documents, or just the website?

Both. Any PDF, form, or document you post as part of your public-facing content generally falls under the same accessibility obligations as your web pages. Documents are often the most overlooked piece—we can flag which of yours need attention as part of an audit, and refer you to Allyant, our partner, for larger-scale PDF remediation when needed.

What if I just have a question about my specific site first?

That's a good place to start. Contact us, and we'll walk through your site's footprint, any platform-specific constraints, and what a right-sized plan would look like for you.

For Businesses and Non-Profits/ (TITLE III)

Is my website required to be accessible?

Most federal courts that have addressed the question treat public-facing business websites as covered under Title III of the ADA — e-commerce sites, nonprofits, professional services, local shops. WCAG 2.1 AA has become the de facto benchmark referenced in DOJ guidance, settlements, and consent decrees, even without a single binding federal standard.

My website is small — do I still need to worry about this?

Site size doesn't change the requirement. A five-page business site can carry just as many accessibility issues as a large e-commerce store. The good news is that issues on smaller sites are usually straightforward to fix, so the cost and effort of an audit scale down with the site.

What happens if I don't do anything?

The practical risk is a demand letter or lawsuit — accessibility-related web claims have become common, and cost far less to prevent than to litigate. Nothing happens automatically or overnight, but the risk doesn't go away if you wait. Besides, website accessibility is the right thing to do and can significantly improve your SEO.

FOR GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC ENTITIES (TITLE II)

Is my website required to be accessible?

Yes. A 2024 DOJ rule under Title II of the ADA requires state and local government entities — cities, counties, school districts, public agencies — to meet WCAG 2.1 AA on a fixed compliance timeline. Unlike the business side of the law, this isn't based on evolving case law; it's a written regulation with a set standard and a deadline.

We're a small jurisdiction — do we still need to worry about this?

The requirement doesn't go away, but the timeline shifts. Your compliance deadline is based on your jurisdiction's population, not the size of your website — smaller jurisdictions simply get more time to comply.

Is there an actual deadline for government websites?

Yes. Entities serving a population of 50,000 or more had an original deadline of April 2026, which was extended to April 26, 2027. Entities serving fewer than 50,000 people, along with special district governments, now have until April 26, 2028. The standard — WCAG 2.1 AA — hasn't changed, only the timeline.

What happens if we don't take action?

DOJ compliance reviews and complaints are the most likely path for government entities, rather than the lawsuits more common on the business side. Either way, the obligation is already in effect — the deadline just marks when enforcement expectations tighten.

Still have questions?

If your situation doesn't fit neatly into what's above, that's normal — every site and every entity is a little different. Get in touch, and we'll walk through your specific site, what platform you're on, and what a right-sized audit would actually look like for you.

Start with an audit

If you're ready to see where your site stands, an audit is the place to start — a clear, prioritized picture of what's working, what isn't, and what it would take to close the gap.