Accessibility Statement Template
A starter template — not a finished legal document. Customize, then have your counsel review before publishing.
A clean, plain-English accessibility statement template you can adapt for your NJ business or public entity. WCAG 2.1 AA-aware. Contact + complaint pathway built in. This is a template only. Your counsel reviews and approves before you publish.
One accountable partner, fast decisions, and a premium result that looks expensive and feels simple. We confirm scope, build fast, and ship.
Starter accessibility statement — private business version
[Business Name] is committed to making our website usable by people of all abilities. We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA as our target technical standard, and we work to improve our website's accessibility on an ongoing basis.
What we do. We periodically review our website against WCAG 2.1 Level AA success criteria using a combination of automated tools and human review. When we find barriers, we work to remove them in a reasonable timeframe based on impact and complexity. We do not claim our site is fully conformant at all times — web content changes, and so does the technical standard.
If you encounter a barrier. If you have difficulty accessing any part of this website, please let us know. Email [email] or call [phone] with the page URL and a description of what you experienced. We aim to respond within [X] business days and resolve the barrier within [Y] business days where reasonably possible. If we cannot resolve the barrier directly, we will work with you to provide the information or service through an alternative means.
Third-party content. Some content on our site is provided by third parties (embedded video players, payment processors, scheduling widgets). We work to choose vendors that prioritize accessibility, but we may not be able to fix issues in third-party content directly. If you encounter a barrier in third-party content, please contact us using the information above and we will work with the vendor.
This statement. Last updated [date]. We review this statement at least annually and after any major redesign.
Public entity variant adds: a sentence identifying the entity as a Title II covered public entity; a sentence stating which compliance tier (April 26, 2027 or April 26, 2028) applies; a formal complaint procedure compliant with Title II grievance procedure requirements; an ADA coordinator contact (required for Title II entities with 50+ employees).
Important. This template is informational only and not legal advice. Before you publish an accessibility statement on your site, your counsel should review the wording, the obligations you're committing to, and the complaint procedure for compliance with applicable law. The wording above is a starting point, not a finished document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I just copy-paste this and ship it?
No. Your counsel needs to review the wording for your specific business or entity. The obligations you commit to in a public statement are enforceable; the wording matters; the resolution timeframes matter; the contact procedure matters. Use the template as a starting point, customize for your reality, and have counsel sign off before publishing.
Do I need an accessibility statement?
For Title II public entities, yes — the ADA Title II web rule and the DOJ's guidance effectively require one (with a complaint procedure). For private businesses, no statutory requirement exists, but publishing a thoughtful one is widely considered a good-faith signal in ADA Title III matters. Counsel's call.
Does publishing a statement make me liable?
A statement can create commitments enforceable as representations — that's why counsel review matters. A statement that says "we are fully WCAG 2.1 AA compliant" can be turned against you if you're not. A statement that says "we aim to conform and we welcome feedback" is harder to weaponize. Wording matters.
How often should we update it?
Annually at minimum, and immediately after any major redesign, vendor change, or accessibility incident. Date your statement so visitors and auditors can see freshness.
Where should the statement live on my site?
Footer-linked, accessible from every page, at a stable URL. Common patterns: /accessibility, /accessibility-statement, /a11y. Don't bury it inside Terms of Service.