# What should a Shopify accessibility statement include?

Source: https://suitshieldhq.com/blog/2026-10-13-shopify-accessibility-statement-what-to-include.html

Reviewed October 13, 2026


Include the standard you aim for, the known limitations you are working on, how shoppers can get help or an accessible alternative, and a contact method that a real person monitors. Leave out guarantees you cannot back up.

## What the statement is for

An accessibility statement tells disabled shoppers three things: this store takes access seriously, here is how to get help if something blocks you, and here is what we know still needs work. It is part trust signal and part practical support page.

It is not a legal shield by itself. A polished statement on an inaccessible store helps no one, and in a dispute it can hurt if it promises a level of access the store does not deliver.

## The sections worth including

Start with your commitment and the guideline version and level you target, commonly WCAG 2.1 AA. Add the date the statement was last reviewed, because an old date quietly tells readers the page is abandoned.

Then list known limitations honestly, with the workaround for each. If your product videos lack captions, say so and offer a transcript or a contact route. Specific and honest beats broad and vague.

## The help route matters most

Give shoppers a way to ask for help that is itself accessible: an email address, a contact form that works with assistive technology, and a response time you can actually meet. A phone only contact excludes some of the very people the page serves.

Assign ownership internally. A statement that routes to an inbox nobody checks is worse than no statement, because it proves the commitment was decorative.

## What not to write

Avoid claiming full compliance, certified accessibility, or guaranteed ADA compliance unless an audit supports it and counsel agrees with the wording. Avoid naming tools or overlays as the reason you are accessible.

Also avoid burying the statement. Link it in the footer alongside your other trust pages so a shopper who needs it can find it in seconds.

## Keeping it current

Review the statement whenever you change themes, add major features, or complete remediation work. Update the limitations list as items are fixed, which turns the page into a visible record of progress.

Pair the statement with the actual work: audits, fixes, and testing with assistive technology. The statement should be the summary of a real program, written last, not the program itself.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does an accessibility statement protect my store from a lawsuit?

No. It can show good faith and give shoppers a help route, but it does not replace an accessible store. The fixes matter first, the statement documents them.

### Where should I publish the statement?

As its own page linked from the site footer, next to privacy and terms. It should be reachable from every page, including checkout help areas where possible.

### How often should I update it?

Review it at least yearly and after any redesign, theme change, or round of accessibility fixes, and update the review date each time you check it.

### Should I mention WCAG in the statement?

Yes, naming the guideline version and level you target, such as WCAG 2.1 AA, makes the commitment concrete and testable. Only claim a level you are actively working to meet.