An accessibility statement is an important document for websites that lets users know about your organization’s commitment to making all of your digital services accessible to everyone, including users with disabilities.
Having a clear accessibility statement on your site helps you more easily align with applicable laws. It also keeps users properly informed and shows that you prioritize inclusivity, which can lead to a more positive user experience for your customers.
Below, learn what an accessibility statement is, the laws that impact it, what goes into one, and how to use Termly’s free accessibility statement template to easily make one of these document for your website.
- Download Accessibility Statement Template
- What Is an Accessibility Statement?
- Why Do You Need an Accessibility Statement?
- Why Start with an Accessibility Statement Template?
- What Clauses Does Our Accessibility Statement Template Contain?
- Where Should You Display Your Accessibility Statement?
- Website Accessibility Statement Examples
- Accessibility Statement FAQ
Download Accessibility Statement Template
You can download our free accessibility statement template below in the following formats:
To use Termly’s accessibility statement template, just follow these three easy steps:
- Step 1: Read through the template entirely and fill in the blank sections and [brackets] with relevant, accurate details about your website.
- Step 2: Remove any sections that do not apply to your site or app, and customize any existing language as needed to suit your needs.
- Step 3: Double-check that your final policy complies with all applicable laws that impact your business or protect your consumers.
That’s all it takes!
Now, you can post it in easy-to-find spots across your site, like the footer, and update it as needed from the dashboard whenever your site’s digital accessibility changes or evolves.
Or you can skip the hassle and use our free accessibility statement generator to create your document instead.
What Is an Accessibility Statement?
As accessibility statement is a document on your website that explains the different ways your organization commits to making digital content accessible for individuals with disabilities.
Usually it features:
- The standards your business follows, like Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG);
- Your company’s accessibility goals and policies, like compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other applicable laws;
- A list of known accessibility limitations;
- Company contact information so users can request accommodations or report issues.
This document is meant to promote inclusion and transparency, ensuring all users are able to fully access and use your website.
Why Do You Need an Accessibility Statement?
There are several reasons why your website might need an accessibility statement:
- Legal requirements: Posting an accessibility statement can help you align your website with applicable laws, like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the EU Web Accessibility Directive, and more.
- Promotes inclusivity: Your accessibility statement acts as a public declaration of your organization’s commitment and dedication to making its digital content accessible to as many users as possible.
- Keeps users properly informed: Your accessibility statement can help answer common questions users might have about the ease of use of your website. They’lll appreciate the transparency and access to information.
- Provides a feedback mechanism for users: Your statement should include a section with your contact information. This makes it extra efficient and convenient for users to contact you to provide feedback, request accommodation, and more.
While accessibility statements aren’t always legally required, it’s still a good idea to post one on your website.
Having one proves to users that you care about making your services available to everyone, which helps build trust, promotes inclusion, and boosts the overall reputation of your brand.
Why Start with an Accessibility Statement Template?
If your website needs an accessibility statement, starting with a free template like Termly’s can help you more easily and efficiently make one of these documents for your site.
What Clauses Does Our Accessibility Statement Template Contain?
When you use Termly’s accessibility statement template, you’ll find the following essential sections that you can customize, edit, or remove as needed.
Commitment to Accessibility
Our template provides a space for you to include a clear declaration expressing your dedication to ensuring your website and digital products are inclusive for all of your users.
When filling out this section, write it so it’s easy to read and be honest. It’s okay to be brief.
Because our template is already formatted for you, you can trust that this section will be prominently displayed in your final policy.
Accessibility Standards
Termly’s accessibility template also has a section where you can explain what specific standards and guidelines your organization is following,
This might include the various WCAG levels or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Standards.
Take the time in this section to explain what following these guidelines means for your users.
Known Limitations
There’s also a place in Termly’s accessibility template where you can list any known limitations where your website or its content isn’t yet fully accessible.
Filling this out keeps your users properly informed.
They’ll have a better idea of what to expect when using your website or other digital products, which promotes inclusivity and helps build trust.
Company Contact Information
When filling out our template, remember to include your company contact information in the available section.
This is essential so your users can reach out to you if they have questions, comments, or requests for accommodations.
Testing and Evaluation
Because our template is so flexible, you can add a section about how you test and evaluate the accessibility of your website or other compatibility considerations.
Adding this clause can help legitimize your efforts and, once again, promotes transparency with your users by informing them about the ways you’re creating an inclusive website.
Future Goals
Another helpful section you might add to Termly’s accessibility template is a list of your future goals for improving the accessibility of your site or other digital services.
You can also explain how you’ll address the various limitations.
Adding this section helps show your customers that you care about these issues and are continuing to put in efforts to make improvements to your services.
Technologies and Compatibility
You should also consider all third-party technologies your website uses and list any known compatibility considerations that exist in a clause in your accessibility statement.
This can inform users about issues or limitations that are beyond your control but still impact your site.
Mention Accessibility Expertise
If your organization uses any expert resources to enhance accessibility, mention it in a clause in your statement so your users can learn more about your efforts.
This once again helps show users that you’re taking the right steps to ensure your services are inclusive for everyone.
Where Should You Display Your Accessibility Statement?
It’s important that users can easily find your accessibility statement as soon as they land on your website, so consider adding it to the following prominent locations:
- Website footer
- Website header
- Sitemap
- Help menus
- About Us pages
Remember to also use clear, consistent link names for your statement throughout your entire site. Try to avoid calling it by different names, which might cause confusion.
Website Accessibility Statement Examples
Now let’s look at some good examples of accessibility statements on real world websites. You can use these samples to help you make your own.
Example 1: Patagonia Accessibility Statement
For our first example, let’s look at Patagonia’s accessibility statement.
The first thing Patagonia does right is place a clear link to their statement directly in the footer of their site, as highlighted in the screenshot below.
This helps ensure the statement is always easily accessible for users no matter where on the Patagonia site they end up.
When you open their statement, it very clearly states the intent of the document by emphasizing which guidelines they follow and at which levels.
They also clearly state who they work with to achieve their web accessibility standards.
Their accessibility statement is short in length but still very detailed and includes contact information in case users have any requests or would like to ask questions.
Example 2: Patreon Accessibility Statement
Now let’s look at Patreon’s accessibility statement as our next sample, which is a monetization platform that provides business resources for subscription services for content creation.
Like Patagonia, Patreon also links to their statement in their website footer, as shown below.
Their statement is also short in length but filled with essential information about what levels of accessibility they follow, who they work with (they partnership with the American Council of the Blind), and contact details.
It’s very easy to read and understand, and it makes it simple for users with questions or concerns to reach out through the proper channels.
Accessibility Statement FAQ
Here are some answers to the most frequent questions I get from businesses about accessibility statements.
Do I legally need an accessibility statement?
It depends on what type of business you do, and which laws might apply.
For example, while accessibility statements aren’t universally legally required for all websites, in the U.S., all federal agencies are required to have one under Section 508.
The EU Web Accessibility Directive requires public sector websites in Europe to post one.
What’s the difference between an accessibility statement and a VPAT?
A VPAT, or Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, provides in-depth information about your internal accessibility policies and is typically an internal facing document.
On the other hand, your accessibility statement is for the public and explains to users your organization’s commitment to inclusivity.
Many organizations benefit from having both documents.
How often should I update my accessibility statement?
You should plan to update your accessibility statement at least once every year to help ensure it stays updated, accurate, and factual for users.
Otherwise, you should update it whenever any of the information or details about your website’s accessibility features change or evolve.
Is Termly’s accessibility template compliant with WCAG and ADA requirements?
Yes, you can use Termly’s accessibility statement template to inform your website visitors about your commitment to complying with WCAD or ADA requirements, as well as any other requirements you might abide by.
When you use Termly’s free template you can also manually add your own web standards.
More about the author
Written by Natasha Piirainen
Natasha is a Content Specialist with over 10 years of professional experience in research-driven content development. She graduated from Wheaton College with a degree in English and Philosophy. At Termly, she focuses on data privacy and consent management best practices and is responsible for maintaining and updating comprehensive data privacy materials.
More about the author
Reviewed by Masha Komnenic CIPP/E, CIPM, CIPT, FIP Director of Global Privacy
