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An ADA website demand letter is a formal notice claiming your site is not accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act, usually referencing WCAG standards and requesting that specific barriers be fixed within a set timeframe.
What Is An ADA Website Demand Letter?
An ADA website demand letter is typically sent by an individual with a disability, an advocacy group, or a law firm, alleging that your website has accessibility barriers that violate the ADA. These letters often cite WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the expected standard and list issues such as missing alt text, low color contrast, inaccessible forms, lack of keyboard navigation support, or videos without captions.
If the issues are not addressed and the letter is ignored, the matter can escalate into a formal lawsuit, which may lead to higher costs and reputational damage.
Why Demand Letters Are Sent
- They are used to notify businesses that accessibility barriers are preventing equal access for users with disabilities.
- In many cases, demand letters are part of a broader legal or settlement strategy, giving organizations the chance to resolve issues before litigation begins.
- Most letters include a response deadline, and failure to respond can increase legal risk.
What To Do If You Receive One
- Review the letter carefully – Identify the specific accessibility issues and the parts of your site they reference.
- Get legal guidance – Consult an attorney experienced in ADA and digital accessibility to understand your obligations and options. (This is general information, not legal advice.)
- Audit your website – Perform both automated and manual accessibility testing to confirm the claims and uncover any additional WCAG violations.
- Fix the issues identified – Remediate barriers such as missing alt text, poor keyboard access, low contrast, inaccessible forms, and missing captions or transcripts.
- Respond to the sender – Share your remediation plan and timelines to demonstrate good‑faith efforts, which can help reduce legal exposure.
- Publish an accessibility statement – Publicly communicate your accessibility commitment and provide a way for users to report issues.
What A Demand Letter Usually Contains
Most ADA website demand letters include:
- A description of alleged accessibility barriers and examples from your site
- A deadline or timeline for fixing the issues
- Sometimes, proposed settlement terms or conditions to avoid litigation
The letter itself is not a lawsuit, but it usually acts as a warning before one is filed if the problems are not addressed.
Common Questions
- Purpose of the letter – To allege that your site is not accessible under the ADA and to outline barriers that must be addressed.
- Who sends these letters? – Individuals with disabilities, advocacy organizations, or law firms acting on their behalf.
- What if you ignore it? – Ignoring a legitimate demand letter can lead to a formal lawsuit and potentially higher costs.
- If you fix the issues, is risk gone? – Effective remediation greatly reduces risk, but accessibility must be maintained over time as your site changes.
- How do ADA and WCAG fit together? – The ADA is the legal framework, while WCAG is widely used as the technical benchmark for what “accessible” means online.
Final Thoughts
Receiving an ADA demand letter is serious, but it can be managed effectively by acting quickly and methodically. The most effective approach is to understand the claims, perform a thorough accessibility audit, remediate the issues, and communicate clearly with the sender, while also treating accessibility as an ongoing responsibility and a hallmark of a professional, inclusive digital presence.