Website Accessibility for Maryland Small Businesses — What You Need to Know in 2026

Why Website Accessibility Matters for Maryland Businesses

Here's a statistic that should wake you up: over 1 in 4 adults in the United States have some type of disability. That's 61 million people. In Maryland alone, that's roughly 1.5 million potential customers.

If your website isn't accessible, you're not just excluding them — you're opening yourself up to legal liability. ADA website accessibility lawsuits have been rising steadily, and Maryland has seen its share.

But website accessibility isn't just about avoiding lawsuits. It's about:

• Reaching more customers (1.5 million Marylanders with disabilities)
• Improving your SEO (accessible websites rank better)
• Better user experience for everyone
• Faster load times (accessibility fixes often improve performance)

What Does ADA Compliance Mean for a Website?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses to provide reasonable accommodation for people with disabilities. For websites, that means following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards.

These standards cover four principles:

1. Perceivable — Information must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive
2. Operable — User interface components must be operable
3. Understandable — Information and operation must be understandable
4. Robust — Content must be robust enough to work with assistive technologies

The 5 Most Common Website Accessibility Issues (and How to Fix Them)

1. Missing Alt Text on Images

The problem: Screen readers can't describe images without alt text. The fix: Every image needs descriptive alt text. Not "image123.jpg" — something like "Blue Ridge Construction crew installing a roof in Gaithersburg, MD."

2. Low Color Contrast

The problem: Light gray text on a white background is unreadable for people with low vision. The fix: WCAG requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

3. Keyboard Navigation Issues

The problem: Many people can't use a mouse. They navigate with a keyboard. If your site doesn't support keyboard navigation, they can't use it.

4. Missing Form Labels

The problem: Forms without proper labels are unusable with screen readers.

5. Unclear Link Text

The problem: "Click here" and "Learn more" tell screen reader users nothing about where the link goes.

Maryland ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuits

ADA website lawsuits are on the rise. In 2025, over 4,000 federal ADA lawsuits were filed nationwide. Maryland is a hotspot because the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that websites are places of public accommodation under the ADA.

What happens if you get sued:

1. You receive a demand letter citing specific violations
2. You have 30–90 days to respond
3. Settlements typically range from $5,000–$20,000 plus attorney fees

How to Do a Website Accessibility Audit (Free Options)

Step 1: Automated Scanning

Run your site through:

• WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool — Browser extension, shows issues visually
• Lighthouse (built into Chrome DevTools) — Gives an accessibility score
• axe DevTools — Browser extension, detailed reports

Step 2: Manual Testing

Try navigating your site using only your keyboard. Can you reach every link? Every button? Try using a screen reader (VoiceOver on Mac, NVDA on Windows).

What MDWebAgency Charges for Accessibility Work

We offer three levels:

1. Free Audit — We run automated scans and give you a prioritized fix list.
2. Accessibility Remediation — We fix all identified issues. $500–$2,500.
3. Full WCAG Compliance Package — Automated scan + manual testing + fixes + monitoring. $2,000–$5,000.

Every new website we build is WCAG 2.1 AA compliant by default.

Need an accessibility audit? Let's talk. We'll scan your site, give you a detailed report, and tell you exactly what needs to change.