ADA Laws for Banking in North Dakota

State Law Summary

North Dakota Does Not Have a State Law Specifically Requiring Accessible Business Websites

North Dakota does not have a state statute that explicitly mandates accessibility standards for private business websites.

Instead, accessibility obligations generally arise from the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Two ADA sections are most relevant:

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

Under Title III, businesses classified as places of public accommodation must provide equal access to goods and services. Courts increasingly interpret this requirement to include websites and digital services, especially when a website is tied to a physical business location.

Businesses typically covered include:

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

Common accessibility barriers cited in lawsuits include:

• images without alternative text
• inaccessible forms or checkout systems
• navigation that cannot be used with a keyboard
• poor color contrast
• incompatibility with screen readers.

Because the ADA does not define a specific technical web standard, courts and settlements generally rely on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 or 2.1 Level AA as the accessibility benchmark.

Website Compliance Rules

North Dakota Government Website Accessibility Policies

Although there is no statewide statute focused solely on websites, North Dakota government agencies maintain accessibility policies for public websites.

State agencies state that they are committed to providing equal access to digital information and services for people with disabilities, consistent with the ADA and federal accessibility laws.

Government websites typically follow accessibility standards such as:

• WCAG 2.1 Level AA
• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
• WAI-ARIA accessibility practices

These standards aim to ensure digital content is:

• perceivable
• operable
• understandable
• robust for assistive technologies.

Accessibility policies generally apply to:

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

Some North Dakota agencies also conduct regular accessibility testing and remediation to maintain compliance with WCAG standards.

Damages & Penalties

Accessibility Requirements for Schools and Public Universities

Public schools and universities in North Dakota must ensure accessible digital content under:

• ADA Title II
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

For example, state educational institutions define accessibility compliance as meeting WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards for digital content, including websites, course platforms, and online documents.

These requirements apply to:

• school district websites
• university websites
• learning management systems
• online course materials.