The Complete Website Compliance Checklist for 2026

Accessibility (ADA, WCAG 2.1 AA, EAA) is baseline

WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the minimum standard. All businesses must comply. 1 in 4 Americans have disabilities; ignoring accessibility excludes millions of potential customers and violates federal law.

Privacy (GDPR, CCPA) is non-negotiable

EU visitors require GDPR compliance. California residents require CCPA compliance. Privacy breaches can result in fines up to 4% of revenue. Combine accessibility + privacy for user trust.

Security (HIPAA, PCI-DSS) intersects with accessibility

Healthcare websites must balance accessibility and security. Payment sites must be accessible AND secure. Security can't be excuse for inaccessibility.

Compliance is interconnected

Privacy consents must be accessible. Security measures can't break keyboard navigation. Accessibility features can't leak personal data. Single audit covering all is more efficient.

2026 is enforcement year

ADA lawsuit volume continues. EAA deadline (June 28, 2025) means enforcement in 2026. WCAG 2.2 adoption increasing. Start compliance now to avoid penalties.

Phase 1 (Immediate): Conduct full WCAG 2.1 AA audit. Identify critical violations (missing alt text, no keyboard nav). Remediate within 60 days.

Phase 2 (Month 2): Audit privacy mechanisms (consent popups, data request forms). Ensure GDPR/CCPA compliant AND accessible.

Phase 3 (Month 3): If healthcare/payments: audit HIPAA/PCI-DSS requirements. Ensure security doesn't break accessibility.

Phase 4 (Month 4): Create accessibility statement. Implement feedback mechanism. Train staff on compliance.

Phase 5 (Ongoing): Schedule monthly audits. Fix violations as identified. Update documentation quarterly. Stay ahead of WCAG 2.2 adoption.

Legal: Consult accessibility lawyer. Get insurance for ADA coverage. Document compliance efforts for legal defense.

Marketing: Publish accessibility commitment. Use 'Accessible' as differentiator. Appeal to 1.3 billion disabled people globally.

Treating accessibility and privacy as separate compliance efforts (they interact)

Using accessibility overlays instead of fixing root issues (overlays fail in lawsuits)

Ignoring WCAG 2.2 adoption timeline (courts will reference it by 2027)

Assuming EAA doesn't apply (applies to many US companies selling to EU)

Not testing with actual assistive technology (screen readers, voice control)

Setting compliance deadline for 'later' without accountability (drift happens)

Hiring low-cost accessibility auditor without legal expertise (penny wise, pound foolish)

Not documenting compliance efforts (hard to defend in court without documentation)

Forgetting third-party content (plugins, ads, chat, maps must be accessible too)

Believing 'no disabled users visit our site' (false assumption; adds legal risk)