ADA Laws for Education in Washington

State Law Summary

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

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

Instead, accessibility obligations for most businesses come from the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Two sections of the ADA apply:

• Title II – covers state and local government services
• Title III – covers private businesses that serve the public

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

Examples of businesses typically covered include:

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

Common accessibility barriers cited in lawsuits include:

• missing alt text for images
• inaccessible forms or checkout pages
• keyboard navigation failures
• poor color contrast
• incompatibility with screen readers.

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

Website Compliance Rules

Washington State Digital Accessibility Policy (USER-01)

Washington has a formal digital accessibility policy for government technology, managed by Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech).

The statewide policy (USER-01) requires all state agencies to ensure their digital services are accessible to people with disabilities.

The policy applies to:

• state agency websites
• online forms and portals
• mobile apps
• digital documents and online services.

State agencies must:

• design technology with accessibility in mind from the start
• maintain accessibility over time
• designate accessibility coordinators
• report compliance with statewide technology policies annually.

Damages & Penalties

Accessibility Standards Used in Washington

Washington’s statewide accessibility policy requires government technology to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards at minimum.

These standards include requirements such as:

• alt text for images and non-text content
• keyboard-accessible navigation
• proper heading structure and semantic HTML
• adequate color contrast
• captions or transcripts for multimedia.

Some Washington agencies are already preparing for WCAG 2.2 Level AA as the next technical standard.

Compliance Deadlines in Washington

Washington has established specific accessibility deadlines for government digital services.

Key milestones include:

• April 2026 – public-facing government technology must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA
• July 2026 – target transition toward WCAG 2.2 Level AA
• July 2029 – internal employee systems must also meet accessibility standards.

These requirements apply to:

• state agencies
• state-operated websites
• digital services used by residents
• internal government technology systems.