ADA Laws for Banking in Virginia

State Law Summary

Virginia Does Not Have a Specific Website Accessibility Law for Private Businesses

Virginia does not have a state statute that explicitly requires private business websites to meet accessibility standards.

Instead, accessibility obligations generally 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 goods and services, including services delivered through websites.

Examples include:

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

Most ADA website lawsuits argue that accessibility barriers prevent people with disabilities from using online services.

Common barriers cited in lawsuits include:

• missing alt text for images
• inaccessible online forms
• keyboard navigation failures
• poor color contrast
• screen-reader incompatibility.

Because the ADA itself does not define a technical web standard, courts commonly use Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 or 2.1 Level AA as the practical benchmark.

Website Compliance Rules

Virginia’s Information Technology Access Act (ITAA)

Virginia has a state law addressing accessibility for government technology: the Information Technology Access Act (ITAA).

This law requires state agencies and other covered public entities to ensure that information and communication technology (ICT) is accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Covered technology includes:

• government websites
• online services and portals
• software and web applications
• electronic documents and digital communications.

Recent updates to the law require agencies to designate a digital accessibility coordinator responsible for implementing accessibility policies and responding to accessibility complaints. Virginia Code § 2.2‑3505 Digital Accessibility Coordinator Requirement

Agencies must also publish contact information on their websites so users can report accessibility barriers.

Damages & Penalties

Accessibility Standards Used by Virginia Government Agencies

Virginia government websites generally follow federal accessibility standards, including:

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

State agencies require websites and digital content to undergo accessibility testing to ensure compliance with Section 508 requirements.

Many Virginia government sites currently aim for WCAG 2.0 or 2.1 Level AA compliance, which includes requirements such as:

• alt text for images
• keyboard navigation support
• accessible forms
• captions or transcripts for video
• proper heading structure.

For example, several Virginia agencies state that their websites are designed to meet WCAG accessibility guidelines and Section 508 standards.