The 15-Minute ADA Compliance Checklist for Government Websites

1. Images and Alt Text (2 minutes)

Right-click any image on your site and select “Inspect.” Look for the alt attribute on the <img> tag.

• Every meaningful image must have descriptive alt text (e.g., alt="City Hall building exterior")
• Decorative images should have empty alt text (alt="") — not missing, but explicitly empty
• Icons used as links or buttons need alt text describing their function, not their appearance
• Logos should have alt text with the organization name

Common on government sites: Council member photos without names in alt text, department logos with no alt text, PDF icons with “icon” as alt text instead of “Download meeting minutes (PDF).”

2. Color Contrast (2 minutes)

WCAG 2.1 AA requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text (18px bold or 24px regular).

• Light gray text on white backgrounds is the most common failure
• Text over images or gradients often fails contrast checks
• Links must be distinguishable from surrounding text (not just by color — underline or other visual indicator needed)
• Button text must contrast with the button background

Quick test: Can you read all text on your site if you squint? If any text is hard to read, it likely fails the 4.5:1 ratio.

3. Keyboard Navigation (3 minutes)

Put your mouse aside. Navigate your entire site using only the keyboard:

• Tab to move forward through links and form fields
• Shift+Tab to move backward
• Enter to activate links and buttons
• Space to activate buttons and checkboxes

Check for these issues:

• Can you see where focus is? There should be a visible outline or highlight on the currently focused element
• Can you reach all interactive elements (links, buttons, form fields, dropdowns)?
• Do dropdown menus work with the keyboard?
• Can you get “trapped” anywhere? (You tab in but can't tab out — this is a critical violation)
• Does the tab order follow a logical reading order?

4. Form Labels and Errors (2 minutes)

Go to any form on your site (contact form, search, newsletter signup). Check:

• Every input field must have a visible label (not just placeholder text — placeholders disappear when you start typing)
• Labels must be programmatically associated with their fields (using for/id attributes or wrapping the input in the label)
• Required fields must be indicated (not just with an asterisk — screen readers need aria-required="true" or the required attribute)
• Error messages must identify the specific field and describe the error in text

5. Page Structure and Headings (2 minutes)

Screen readers use headings to navigate your page, much like a table of contents. Open your browser's developer tools and search for heading tags.

• Each page should have exactly one <h1> (the main page title)
• Headings should be hierarchical: h1 → h2 → h3 (don't skip from h1 to h3)
• Don't use headings just for visual styling — if it's not a heading in the content structure, use CSS instead
• Every page should have a meaningful <title> that describes the page

6. Links and Buttons (2 minutes)

• Every link must have descriptive text — not “click here” or “read more” (a screen reader user hearing “click here, click here, click here” has no context)
• Links that open in new windows should indicate this (e.g., “Meeting minutes (opens in new tab)”)
• PDF links should indicate the file type: “Budget report (PDF, 2.3 MB)”
• Buttons should use <button> elements, not styled <div> or <span> tags

7. Video and Audio (2 minutes)

If your site has any video or audio content:

• All videos must have captions (auto-generated captions are a start but often need editing)
• Pre-recorded audio content needs a text transcript
• Video/audio must not auto-play (or must have an easily accessible pause/stop mechanism)

Score Your Results

Count how many of these 7 areas have issues:

• 0-1 issues: You're in good shape. Run a full automated scan to catch the edge cases.
• 2-3 issues: Common for government sites. These are fixable — get a compliance report to prioritize the work.
• 4+ issues: Your site needs significant attention before the April 2026 deadline. Start with a professional compliance report so you have a clear fix list.