Addressing issues identified in an ADA compliance audit marks the beginning of accessibility work. Many organisations complete an ADA website audit or ADA website compliance audit, only to feel uncertain about what to fix first, how to apply WCAG requirements, or how to prevent the same problems from returning.
This guide explains how to resolve ADA compliance issues step by step, utilising current WCAG 2.2 standards and actual audit remediation practices. It is written for teams that already have audit results and now need clear, actionable guidance to move from findings to full compliance.
What Happens After an ADA Website Compliance Audit?
An ADA compliance website audit typically produces a report listing accessibility issues, WCAG references, severity levels, and affected pages. While this information is valuable, many teams struggle at this stage because audit reports often explain what is wrong, not how to fix it efficiently.
After an audit, organisations usually face these challenges:
- Too many issues to address at once
- Confusion around WCAG technical language
- Unclear ownership between design, development, and content teams
- Uncertainty about legal risk and prioritisation
Fixing ADA compliance issues requires a structured approach that balances user impact, WCAG alignment, and legal exposure.
How to Prioritise ADA Compliance Issues Before Fixing Them
Not all accessibility issues carry the same risk. Prioritisation is critical to avoid spending time on low-impact problems while high-risk barriers remain.
Fix issues that block access first
These prevent users from completing essential actions and often appear in ADA complaints:
- Keyboard navigation failures
- Inaccessible forms
- Missing input labels
- Focus traps and invisible focus indicators
Fix issues that limit usability next
These cause difficulty but may not fully block usage:
- Low colour contrast
- Poor heading structure
- Unclear link text
Fix low-risk issues last
These typically have minimal user impact:
- Minor ARIA warnings
- Cosmetic spacing or alignment issues
Prioritisation ensures that ADA compliance fixes address real user barriers first.
Before starting remediation, it’s helpful to confirm which accessibility requirements apply to your website. Our ADA compliance Audit checklist for websites provides a WCAG 2.2–based reference that teams can use to review accessibility basics, validate audit findings, and ensure no critical areas are overlooked during remediation. Using a checklist alongside audit results helps prioritise fixes and maintain consistency across pages.
Most Common ADA Compliance Issues Found in Website Audits
Across industries, ADA compliance auditors repeatedly identify the same patterns.
Low colour contrast
Text and UI elements that fail WCAG contrast ratios remain the most frequent issue in audits.
Missing or incorrect alt text
Images without meaningful alternatives block screen reader users from understanding content.
Keyboard navigation failures
Users who rely on keyboards cannot access menus, buttons, or forms.
Inaccessible forms
Missing labels, unclear errors, and broken focus paths disrupt critical workflows.
Poor heading structure
Incorrect heading order confuses screen reader navigation and page comprehension.
Inaccessible interactive components
Modals, dropdowns, carousels, and accordions often fail keyboard and ARIA requirements.
Understanding these patterns helps teams fix issues faster and more consistently.
How to Fix ADA Compliance Issues (Step-by-Step)
Fix colour contrast issues
- Ensure text meets WCAG 2.2 contrast ratios
- Adjust foreground and background colours
- Review buttons, icons, borders, and focus outlines
- Test light mode and dark mode separately
Colour contrast fixes often deliver the fastest accessibility improvement.
Fix alt text and non-text content
- Add meaningful alt text to informative images
- Mark decorative images with empty alt attributes
- Avoid keyword stuffing
- Describe purpose, not appearance
Alt text fixes are quick and significantly improve screen reader usability.
Fix keyboard accessibility problems
- Ensure all interactive elements are reachable by keyboard
- Add visible focus indicators
- Remove keyboard traps
- Ensure ESC closes dialogues and modals
Keyboard access is a core ADA requirement and a common legal risk area.
Fix form accessibility issues
- Associate labels with inputs programmatically
- Provide clear instructions and required field indicators
- Ensure error messages are visible and announced
- Support autofill and autocomplete
Accessible forms improve both compliance and conversion rates.
Fix heading and structural errors
- Use one H1 per page
- Follow logical heading hierarchy
- Avoid using headings for styling only
- Use semantic HTML elements
Structural fixes improve navigation for assistive technologies.
Fix interactive UI components
- Ensure dropdowns and accordions work with keyboard input
- Manage focus correctly in modals
- Announce state changes to screen readers
- Use ARIA only when necessary
Modern component libraries often require customisation to meet accessibility standards.
How to Fix Issues Identified by an ADA Compliance Auditor
An ADA compliance auditor’s report is more than a list of technical errors; it is a roadmap for improving real user access. To apply fixes correctly, teams must understand both the WCAG success criteria referenced and how those issues affect people using assistive technologies.
When reviewing an ADA compliance audit report, teams should:
Review WCAG references for each issue
 Auditors typically cite specific WCAG success criteria to explain why an element fails. Understanding these references helps teams implement fixes that meet accessibility standards instead of applying surface-level changes.
Validate issues using real user scenarios
 Before fixing, recreate the problem using a keyboard, screen reader, or mobile device. This confirms the issue and clarifies how it affects navigation, form completion, or content understanding.
Translate findings into actionable development tasks
Audit reports often use accessibility terminology that needs to be converted into clear development requirements. Each issue should include a description, affected components, expected behaviour, and acceptance criteria for testing.
Apply ARIA with caution and purpose
 ARIA should enhance accessibility only when semantic HTML cannot solve the problem. Adding ARIA roles or attributes without understanding context can confuse assistive technologies and introduce new barriers.
Re-test fixes against the original audit criteria
 After remediation, teams should re-test issues using the same WCAG criteria and assistive tools referenced in the audit. This ensures that fixes actually resolve the problem and do not cause regressions elsewhere.
Treating an auditor’s report as a living document and pairing it with hands-on testing helps teams fix issues accurately and maintain long-term ADA compliance.
Tools to Verify Fixes After an ADA Website Audit
Verification is as important as remediation.
Automated testing tools
- Accessibility Assistant
- Axe DevTools
- WAVE
- Google Lighthouse
These tools help confirm that known issues are resolved.
Manual testing
- Keyboard-only navigation
- Screen readers (NVDA, VoiceOver)
- Zoom and reflow testing
Mobile testing
- Touch target size
- Orientation support
- Pinch-to-zoom
WCAG 2.2 places increased emphasis on mobile accessibility.
ADA Compliance Fix Validation Table
| Issue Type | User Impact | Priority | Typical Fix Time |
| Keyboard navigation | Blocks access | High | Medium |
| Low colour contrast | Limits readability | High | Fast |
| Form errors | Prevents completion | High | Medium |
| Heading structure | Confuses navigation | Medium | Fast |
| Media captions | Limits content access | Medium | Moderate |
This table helps teams plan remediation realistically.
Common Mistakes When Fixing ADA Compliance Issues
Many organisations repeat the same errors during remediation:
- Fixing issues without retesting
- Relying only on automated scans
- Ignoring mobile accessibility
- Applying ARIA incorrectly
- Treating fixes as permanent without monitoring
ADA compliance requires continuous validation, not one-time repairs.
How to Prevent ADA Compliance Issues From Returning
Long-term compliance depends on process, not just fixes.
- Build accessibility rules into design systems
- Train content creators and developers
- Test accessibility before releases
- Monitor accessibility continuously
- Re-audit after major updates
Preventive practices reduce recurring audit failures.
When to Re-Audit After Fixing ADA Issues
Best practices recommend:
- Re-testing immediately after remediation
- Quarterly accessibility reviews
- Audits after redesigns or feature launches
- Reviews after third-party integrations
Regular audits protect against regression.
Frequently Asked Questions About ADA Compliance and Audits
- What is required for ADA compliance?
ADA compliance requires that websites and digital services be accessible to people with disabilities. This includes readable text, keyboard navigation, accessible forms, sufficient colour contrast, captions for media, screen reader compatibility, and predictable interaction patterns. For websites, WCAG standards are commonly used as the technical reference to meet ADA accessibility expectations.
- What is an ADA compliance check?
An ADA compliance check is a review process used to identify accessibility barriers on a website. It typically involves automated scanning, manual WCAG evaluation, keyboard testing, and assistive technology testing to confirm whether users with disabilities can access and use the site without difficulty.
- What is the most common ADA violation?
The most common ADA violation found in website audits is low colour contrast, followed closely by missing alt text, inaccessible forms, broken keyboard navigation, and unclear heading structure. These issues prevent users with visual or motor impairments from reading or interacting with content effectively.
- What are the 5 principles of the ADA?
The ADA is guided by five broad principles that shape accessibility requirements:
- Equal access to goods and services
- Non-discrimination against individuals with disabilities
- Reasonable accommodation
- Effective communication
- Full participation in public and digital environments
For websites, these principles translate into accessible design and usability practices.
- What are the 4 types of accommodations?
The four common types of accommodations under the ADA include:
- Physical accommodations (ramps, accessible layouts)
- Communication accommodations (captions, screen reader support)
- Technological accommodations (accessible websites and software)
- Policy or procedural accommodations (flexible processes or alternatives)
In digital accessibility, accommodations focus heavily on communication and technology.
Conclusion
Fixing issues found in an ADA compliance audit is achievable with the right strategy. By prioritising high-impact barriers, applying WCAG 2.2-aligned fixes, validating changes, and embedding accessibility into workflows, organisations can move from audit findings to real compliance.
Accessibility is not a one-time task. It is an ongoing responsibility that improves usability, reduces legal risk, and creates inclusive digital experiences for all users.