ADA Laws for Cardiologist in North Carolina

State Law Summary

Private Business Websites Are Primarily Governed by Federal ADA Law

North Carolina does not have a state law that explicitly requires private business websites to meet accessibility standards.

Instead, website accessibility obligations typically come from the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Two sections of the ADA are most relevant:

• Title II — applies to state and local government services
• Title III — applies to private businesses that serve the public

Under Title III, businesses considered places of public accommodation must provide equal access to their goods and services. Courts increasingly interpret this obligation to include websites and digital services, particularly when the website is connected to a physical business location.

Businesses commonly covered include:

• restaurants
• retail stores
• hotels
• banks
• healthcare providers
• professional service firms.

Typical barriers cited in ADA website lawsuits include:

• images without alt text
• inaccessible online forms or checkout pages
• keyboard navigation failures
• poor color contrast
• incompatibility with screen readers.

Because the ADA does not specify a technical web standard, courts and settlement agreements typically rely on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 or 2.1 Level AA as the accessibility benchmark.

Website Compliance Rules

North Carolina Accessibility Policies for Government Websites

North Carolina maintains formal accessibility standards for state government websites.

The official state portal states that government websites are designed to reduce barriers and provide accessible content for users with disabilities, including those using assistive technologies.

Key accessibility practices implemented across state websites include:

• keyboard-accessible navigation
• screen-reader compatible content
• high-contrast and legible fonts
• alternative text for images
• accessible online forms and tables.

North Carolina government sites generally follow:

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards.

These accessibility standards apply to:

• state agency websites
• public information portals
• online government services
• digital documents and forms.

Damages & Penalties

Digital Accessibility Oversight by the State IT Department

The North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) oversees digital accessibility policies for state agencies.

The state requires agencies to ensure that public digital content and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities and to include accessibility requirements when purchasing or developing technology systems.

Accessibility expectations include:

• accessible website design
• accessible PDFs and digital documents
• accessible mobile applications
• accessibility requirements in technology procurement.