ADA vs. 508 Compliance vs. WCAG

ADA. 508 compliance. WCAG. Which is which — and which matter to your business? The ADA is a civil-rights law requiring public and private websites to be accessible, with penalties of $55K – $75K for first-time violations. In comparison, Section 508 is a federal law mandating that U.S. government agencies’ electronic and information technology be accessible for people with disabilities. Both laws follow the ISO-standard WCAG guidelines for accessibility. Keep reading to learn more about ADA vs. 508 compliance vs. WCAG.

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Quick Comparison

ADA: A civil-rights law banning disability discrimination; covers public/private entities; fines $55K–$75K (first), $150K (repeat).
508: A federal law requiring accessible tech in U.S. agencies; violations trigger formal complaints and lawsuits.
WCAG: An ISO guideline (Levels A/AA/AAA) for building accessible sites; no direct penalties but used to meet ADA/508 standards

Who Must Comply

ADA: Businesses, nonprofits, state & local governments
508: Federal agencies & departments
WCAG: Any organization creating accessible web content

How to Comply

Follow WCAG success criteria in your design and code
Build in-house or hire a specialized agency for audits and fixes

Why It Matters

Avoid costly fines, lawsuits, or revoked funding
Demonstrate inclusivity and meet legal requirements

Are you ready to learn more about these website compliance standards? Keep reading for a complete breakdown between ADA vs. 508 compliance vs. WCAG. Plus, determine if they apply to your business and how to get started if they do.

If you’d like immediate help with creating a compliant site, contact us online or call us at 888-601-5359!

[Summary] ADA vs. 508 vs. WCAG

For a quick summary of everything to know about ADA vs. 508 vs. WCAG, check out this handy table!

ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS
SUMMARY	ADA	508	WCAG
What Is It?	A civil rights law that prohibits the discrimination of people with disabilities in all areas of life, including when using electronic and information technology.	A federal law that requires federal agencies to maintain and use information and communications technology that people with disabilities can use.	An ISO standard set of guidelines for creating an accessible website for people with disabilities.
Who Is Affected?	Local governments, State governments, Nonprofits, Businesses	Federal agencies, Federal departments	N/A
How Is Non-Compliance Handled?	$55,000-$75,000 for first-time violation, $150,000 for repeat violations, Revoked funding if federally funded	Formal complaints, Civil lawsuits	N/A
How Are They Different?	Applies to the public and private sector	Applies only to federal agencies and departments	Serves as a reference for ADA or 508 website compliance
How Do I Make My Website Compliant?	Create an ADA-compliant website using WCAG guidelines in-house, Use ADA-compliant web design services, Install an ADA compliance plugin (if using a WordPress site)	Use WCAG to build a 508-compliant website in-house, Hire a web design agency to create a 508-compliant website	N/A

What is ADA, 508, and WCAG?

Understanding the differences between WCAG, 508, and ADA starts with learning the basics.

ADA

Passed in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. ADA maintains a simple goal: Ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else in the world.

what is ada

The law encompasses all areas of life, including:

Employment
Education
Transportation
And more

In addition, ADA also applies to electronic and information technology, which includes websites.

508

508, also called Section 508, refers to a section in the Rehabilitation Act, a federal law. The Rehabilitation Act mandates that federal agencies develop, acquire, maintain, and use information and communications technology (ICT) that people with disabilities can access.

what is 508 compliance

A few examples of some ICT technologies include:

Telephones
Websites
Software
Call centers
And more

When discussing 508 compliance, it’s essential to mention that the law doesn’t focus solely on federal employees with disabilities. It also applies to people with disabilities that use federal agency resources, like a U.S. National Park’s website, when planning a family trip.

Organizations that receive federal funding are also exempt from 508 compliance.

WCAG

Launched in 2008, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) describes a series of standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). WCAG gives companies an actionable guide and resource for making a website accessible to users with disabilities.

what is wcag

WCAG includes three compliance tiers:

Level A: A site that some users can access.
Level AA: A site that almost all users can access.
Level AAA: A site that all users can access.

Recognized as an ISO standard, WCAG is the go-to resource for website accessibility.

Learn more about WCAG in our video on accessible web design.

Who does ADA, 508, and WCAG affect?

Does WCAG, ADA, or Section 508 affect your organization? Keep reading to find out!

ADA

The following parties must follow and meet ADA guidelines:

Nonprofits
Businesses
Local governments
State governments

Remember that ADA compliance applies to more than your website. You’ll also need to ensure that other areas of your business, like your entrances and exits, as well as hiring processes, do not discriminate against people with disabilities.

508

Section 508 applies to two organizations:

Federal agencies
Federal departments

Federal agencies and departments must make sure other areas of their operations meet 508 compliance standards. That means purchasing accessible telephones and computers for staff members, as well as developing appropriate call center procedures to make the center available to everyone.

WCAG

WCAG does not operate as a law or regulatory body, so businesses do not need to develop a compliance plan for WCAG. Instead, they can use WCAG as a guide or checklist when working towards 508 or ADA compliance.

What is the difference between ADA, 508, and WCAG?

When talking about ADA vs. 508 compliance vs. WCAG, there are two core differences:

Audience: While Section 508 focuses on federal agencies and departments, ADA encompasses a broad audience. Organizations in the private and public sectors must adhere to ADA standards. Finally, WCAG serves as a guide for anyone building an accessible website for ADA or 508.
Use: Section 508 ensures that anyone with a disability working for or interacting with the federal government can do so without issue. ADA provides people with disabilities the same opportunities, free of discrimination. WCAG offers an industry-vetted resource for compliance.

While different, WCAG, ADA, and 508 share and work towards a similar goal.

What happens if my website isn’t compliant?

If your website isn’t compliant, it can result in severe penalties for your organization.

ADA

Breaking the Americans With Disabilities Act carries the following fines:

$55,000 to $75,000 for first-time violations
$150,000 for every repeat violation

The above fines often cost more than ADA compliance products or services.

If your organization receives federal funding, the government may revoke those funds.

Even if your company didn’t intend to make your website inaccessible to people with disabilities, you can still get fined by the federal government. Not to mention, affected parties may file a civil lawsuit against your business.

That’s why ADA compliance is so critical, especially for smaller businesses.

508

Ignoring Section 508 can lead to the following:

Formal complaints
Civil lawsuits

In the event of a complaint or lawsuit, the federal government will cover the winning party’s attorney fees and provide injunctive relief. Injunctive relief includes any remedies in addition to monetary damages.

Via Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the federal government has worked towards ensuring 508 compliance. Remember, Section 508 only applies to federal agencies and governments. FAR helps the federal government purchase accessible tech and more.

WCAG

Non-compliance with WCAG does not result in any penalties.

Organizations looking to make their websites compliant with ADA or Section 508, however, should reference and follow WCAG. That way, they can prevent the repercussions from non-compliance with Section 508 or ADA.

How do I become ADA, 508, or WCAG compliant?

If you want to become compliant with ADA or 508, you have two options:

Build a website in-house: For organizations with an in-house design and development team, creating an ADA- or 508-compliant site in-house is possible. Your team, however, should have some experience with accessible web design.
Hire a web design agency: For organizations without the resources to design and develop an accessible website in-house, it’s smart to hire a web design agency that specializes in ADA- or 508-compliant web design. WebFX is one example, offering accessible web design services.

Since WCAG operates as more of a resource for meeting industry compliance standards for web design, you don’t have to worry about becoming WCAG compliant. Instead, you’ll want to use WCAG as a guideline for your site design.

Depending on the size of your website, building an accessible website in-house could take months.

Talk with your design and development team beforehand to learn about their to-dos and expectations for long the project will take. Using their estimates, you can compile an accurate budget for your compliance initiative.

Based on the cost and expected launch date, you may find a web design agency offers a more cost-effective option. They can deliver your website sooner, plus allow your design and development team to focus on other impactful projects.

Not to mention, they’ll bring 508- or ADA-compliance expertise to the project.

Whether you decide to partner with an agency or keep the initiative in-house, research your options. You want to make the best decision for your business because it’ll save you time and hassle, as well as fines and lawsuits.

Overwhelmed with building a compliant website? WebFX can help.

Creating a website that everyone can access is a massive undertaking. For many companies, especially small-to-midsized businesses (SMBs), it’s overwhelming. Our experienced and in-house team of designers and developers, however, can help.

With more than 1000 sites launched (and more than 155 design awards won), we’re a trusted choice for SMBs. From talented developers to dedicated project managers, we provide you with a client-first approach that makes ADA- or 508-compliance stress-free.

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