The WCAG 2.2 AA checklist for small business websites
WCAG is long and technical. Most small business sites only need to get a few dozen things right, on a handful of pages that matter. Here is a plain-English checklist you can work through, starting with the failures that turn up most often.
By the Xuru Technologies team · 19 October 2026
Key takeaways
- WCAG 2.2 became a W3C Recommendation on October 5, 2023. It adds nine success criteria, six of them at Level A or AA, and removes 4.1.1 Parsing.
- The WebAIM Million 2026 found detectable WCAG failures on 95.9% of the top one million home pages, with low-contrast text on 83.9% of them.
- Six issues (contrast, alt text, form labels, empty links, empty buttons and page language) account for most automatically detected errors, so they are the best place to start.
- Automated scanners only catch part of the picture. Keyboard and screen-reader checks on your key journeys are essential.
- This is general information, not legal advice. Consult a lawyer about your obligations under the ADA, the European Accessibility Act or other laws.
What does a WCAG 2.2 AA checklist look like for a small business? In practice it comes down to five groups of checks: text and color, images and media, navigation and keyboard use, forms and checkout, and the six criteria that are new in WCAG 2.2. Work through them on your highest-value pages first (home, services or products, booking or checkout, and contact) and you will cover the problems most likely to block a real customer.
Why WCAG 2.2 AA is the sensible target
The W3C's summary of what's new in WCAG 2.2 explains that the 2.2 version builds on 2.0 and 2.1, which remain essentially the same apart from the removal of the obsolete 4.1.1 Parsing criterion. Meeting 2.2 AA therefore also covers 2.1 AA, the level many laws and contracts still refer to. In the US, for example, the Department of Justice's 2024 rule for state and local governments adopts WCAG 2.1 Level AA. That rule does not directly cover private businesses, but it shows which standard regulators and courts tend to treat as the benchmark. If you sell to EU customers, our guide to the European Accessibility Act for non-EU businesses explains how the standard applies there.
Start with the failures that show up most
The WebAIM Million 2026 scanned the home pages of the top one million websites and found an average of 56.1 detectable errors per page. The same six problems top the list every year, and most of them are quick to fix:
| Failure | Share of home pages (2026) | Typical fix |
|---|---|---|
| Low-contrast text | 83.9% | Darken text or lighten backgrounds to at least 4.5:1 for body text |
| Missing image alt text | 53.1% | Describe what each meaningful image communicates; mark decorative images as empty |
| Missing form input labels | 51% | Give every field a visible, programmatically linked label |
| Empty links | 46.3% | Add text or an accessible name to icon-only links (social icons, logos) |
| Empty buttons | 30.6% | Name icon buttons such as search, menu, close and cart |
| Missing document language | 13.5% | Set the page language in your theme (for example, lang="en") |
Because these problems usually live in your theme, header and footer, one fix often repairs every page at once.
The WCAG 2.2 AA checklist
1. Text, color and layout
- Body text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1; large text and key interface elements (buttons, form borders, icons) at least 3:1.
- Color is never the only way information is shown, such as red-only error messages or "required" fields marked only by color.
- Text can be zoomed to 200% and the page reflows on a narrow screen without horizontal scrolling or overlapping content.
- Headings follow a logical order (one H1, then H2s and H3s) that matches how the page looks.
2. Images, video and documents
- Meaningful images have alt text that conveys their purpose; product and room photos describe what matters to the buyer.
- Videos have accurate captions; audio-only content has a transcript.
- Nothing auto-plays sound, and moving carousels can be paused.
- Key PDFs (menus, brochures, price lists) are accessible or also available as a web page.
3. Navigation and keyboard
- Every link, menu, button, filter and modal works with the keyboard alone (Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Space, Escape, arrow keys).
- A visible focus indicator shows where you are at all times.
- Focus never gets trapped in a pop-up, chat widget or cookie banner.
- A "skip to content" link lets keyboard users bypass the menu.
- Link text makes sense on its own ("View room rates", not "Click here").
4. Forms, booking and checkout
- Every field has a visible label; placeholders are not used as labels.
- Errors are described in text, linked to the field and announced to screen readers.
- Required fields and input formats (dates, phone numbers) are explained before submission.
- Time limits can be extended, and date pickers can be operated with the keyboard or bypassed by typing.
The six new Level A and AA criteria in WCAG 2.2
These are the additions most older audits miss. Each one maps to a common pattern on small business sites.
| Criterion | Level | What to check on your site |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) | AA | Sticky headers, cookie banners and chat bubbles don't completely hide the item that has keyboard focus |
| 2.5.7 Dragging Movements | AA | Sliders, maps and drag-to-reorder features also work with simple taps or clicks |
| 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) | AA | Buttons and links are at least 24×24 CSS pixels or have enough space around them |
| 3.2.6 Consistent Help | A | Phone, chat or contact links appear in the same place on every page |
| 3.3.7 Redundant Entry | A | Multi-step forms don't ask for the same details twice (for example, billing address auto-filled from shipping) |
| 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) | AA | Log-ins allow password managers and paste, and don't rely on puzzles without an alternative |
How to test without a big budget
- Pick your critical journeys. For a hotel, that is finding a room and booking; for a shop, finding a product and checking out; for a service business, reading a service page and sending an enquiry.
- Run an automated scan on those pages to catch contrast, labels, alt text and naming issues. WebAIM notes that not all conformance failures can be detected automatically, so treat a clean scan as a starting point.
- Unplug your mouse. Complete each journey with the keyboard alone and note anything you can't reach, see or close.
- Try a screen reader such as VoiceOver (Mac and iPhone) or NVDA (Windows) on your main form.
- Zoom to 200% and check on a phone in both orientations.
- Fix at the source in your theme and components, not with an overlay. Our article on why accessibility overlays don't make a site compliant explains why.
- Re-test after changes. New plugins, pages and campaigns reintroduce issues.
If you'd rather hand this over, our website accessibility service starts with an audit from US$690, then keeps your site in shape through the Monitor plan (US$99/month), Care (US$249/month) or Care Plus (US$499/month). No provider can promise you will never receive a complaint or demand letter, but a tested, maintained site is far better for your customers and your position.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Please consult a lawyer about your legal obligations under the ADA, the European Accessibility Act, the UK Equality Act or any other law.
Frequently asked questions
Is WCAG 2.2 AA legally required for my business?
It depends on where you operate, who your customers are and what you sell. Many laws and contracts point to WCAG 2.1 AA, and 2.2 AA covers it. A lawyer can tell you what applies to you.
How long does it take to meet WCAG 2.2 AA?
It varies with the size and age of the site. Template-level issues such as contrast, labels and button names are often fixed quickly; custom booking engines or checkouts can take longer. An audit gives you a realistic plan.
Can I just use an automated checker?
Use one, but not on its own. Automated tools miss keyboard traps, confusing focus order, poor alt text and many form problems that only manual testing reveals.
Do third-party booking or ordering widgets count?
Customers experience them as part of your site, so test them too. If a vendor's widget fails, ask the vendor for their accessibility conformance information and roadmap.
Not sure where your site stands? Check it in two minutes.
Answer a few quick questions to see your likely risk areas, then choose an audit or a monthly plan that fixes issues in your code.
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