Complete Guide To ADA and Privacy Laws For Landscaping Websites

The Laws You Didn't Know Your Website Was Breaking

When we first started building websites for landscapers, nobody was talking about privacy policies or ADA compliance.

You just needed a nice gallery, a clean contact form, and boom—you were online.

But times have changed.

Now, there are real laws that apply to your landscaping business just for having a website. And I’m not talking about big corporations or online stores. I mean your business—even if you’re just mowing lawns in Ottawa or doing patios in Wisconsin.

We’re talking ADA compliance. Cookie consent banners. Privacy policies. Quebec’s Law 25. California’s CCPA.

Ignore them, and you’re not just risking a slap on the wrist—you could be opening yourself up to lawsuits, ADA violations, fines, or even losing the trust of the very customers you’re trying to win.

This article isn’t here to scare you—it’s here to protect you. I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to stay compliant, build trust, and look professional—without turning your website into a legal jungle. 

For more tips on making your website perform at its best, check out our Page Speed Optimization for Landscaping Websites article.

Let’s start with the quick version:

⚡ TL;DR: What Every Landscaping Website Needs to Be Legally Safe

‍

Your Site Should Be Accessible
If someone with a disability can’t use your site (think screen readers, missing alt text, poor contrast), it could land you in hot water—especially in the U.S. and Ontario. Web teams should follow ADA-aligned WCAG 2.0 AA guidelines by default.

There Should Be a Privacy Policy and Confidentiality
Whether you're in Quebec or Kansas, if your site collects personal information (like contact form details or Google Analytics data), you legally need a privacy policy that explains what’s being collected and why.

There Should Be a Cookie Banner (Especially in Quebec)
In the U.S., it’s a best practice. In Canada—and especially in Quebec—it’s the law. If your site drops cookies (even from tools like Facebook Pixel), visitors need to give permission first.

Forms Should Be Secure and Respectful
No sketchy form fields, no oversharing. Your forms should run over HTTPS, follow ADA guidelines for accessible inputs, and only ask what’s needed to start the conversation. Anything more should happen during the actual consultation.

Everything Should Be Simple, Clear, and Trustworthy
This isn’t about legal jargon—it’s about making visitors feel safe and respected. When your website does that, they’re way more likely to reach out.

Think It Doesn’t Apply to You? Think Again.

Every year, more small business owners get hit with lawsuits, fines, or warnings—all because their website didn’t check a few simple boxes related to privacy or ADA requirements.

Here’s a snapshot of what’s going on behind the scenes… and why your web team should care.

🦽 Is Your Website Compliant with the ADA Act?

Most landscaping websites are built to look good—but not necessarily to work well for everyone.

And that’s a problem.

In both the U.S. and Canada, there are laws—like the ADA—that say your website needs to be usable by people with a disability. We're talking about folks who rely on screen readers, keyboard navigation, or high-contrast modes. If your website isn’t built with them in mind, you might be unintentionally locking people out—and opening yourself up to legal trouble under the ADA.

The good news? Your web person can fix most of these issues with just a little extra care.

Here's why ADA compliance matters:

• In the U.S., businesses can be sued under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) for having websites that aren't accessible. And yes—even small, service-based businesses like landscapers have been targeted.
• In Canada, Ontario’s AODA actually requires websites to meet accessibility standards. Other provinces like BC and Nova Scotia are following suit.

If your website doesn’t meet something called WCAG 2.0 Level AA (a global standard for accessibility), you might be on shaky ground.

And unfortunately… 97% of websites still fail basic accessibility tests, which means they might not be usable for people with a disability.

Accessibility Laws and Information That May Apply to Your Landscaping Website, Including Medical Conditions

The ADA confidentiality rule protects sensitive information your company may collect—whether it’s from job applicants, employees, or customers who share personal needs via your forms. If someone discloses a health condition or disability, your site and storage systems must handle that data with care.

As an employer, you also have legal obligations under accessibility law. That includes making sure your website supports reasonable accommodation for a person with a disability, including those with a medical condition, whether they’re a site visitor or part of your employment process.

What Should Your Web Team Be Doing?

If you’ve hired someone to build or manage your website, here’s what they should be taking care of behind the scenes to ensure ADA compliance, especially for users with a disability or medical condition that might affect their ability to interact with your site.

• Alt Text for all images (so screen readers can describe what’s shown)
• Proper Heading Structure (for clear page navigation)
• High Contrast + Legible Fonts (for users with vision issues)
• Keyboard Navigation (so users who can’t use a mouse can still get around)
• No “Trap” Pop-Ups (which are inaccessible without a close button)

Don't think accessibility is bad for your business or your ability to generate leads—in fact, it can help with conversion rate optimization. Making your website more usable for everyone often leads to cleaner layouts, clearer navigation, and faster decision-making for all visitors—not just those with a disability.

In fact, here’s what others have seen when working with niche web design agencies that understand their industry and the compliance challenges that come with it:

"Ah, niche web design agencies — they’re such a game changer, especially when you're in a specialized field! Our company chose an agency that focuses only on health and wellness websites. Right off the bat, they knew the regulations we had to comply with... After launching the redesigned site, we saw a 40% increase in time spent on the site and a substantial boost in newsletter signups."
— Alex Cornici, Marketing & PR Coordinator, Insuranks

"Working with a niche agency meant I didn’t have to explain why accessibility, SEO, and IDX integrations mattered in real estate. They just got it. The result? A faster launch, more qualified leads, and a website that actually built trust from the first click."
— Justin Landis, Founder, The Justin Landis Group

"Byrna isn’t a typical consumer product. When we hired a public safety-focused agency, they already spoke our language. That translated into better engagement, shorter sales cycles, and a site that finally did justice to our brand."
— Joshua Schirard, Director, Byrna

These aren’t just nice-to-haves—they’re ADA-driven baseline expectations in 2025.

And it’s not just about avoiding lawsuits. An ADA-friendly website means you’re serving more people,  including those with a disability, building more trust, and showing that you care about your customers—no matter how they browse.

🔐 Data Protection Rules: What Your Website Needs to Stay Compliant and Ensure Confidentiality

Let’s clear one thing up right away—if your website has a contact form, uses Google Analytics, or drops cookies for retargeting, you're collecting personal information. That can include details like names, phone numbers, and even medical information if a customer includes health-related concerns in a consultation form.
And the moment that happens, you’re stepping into the world of data protection and user rights—including protections around discrimination and sensitive data handling.

Here’s the good news: as a landscaping business, nobody’s expecting you to hire a lawyer or write 30 pages of legal jargon. But your web designer should absolutely know how to cover your bases.
Because while data protection rule varies by country, province, and state, the basics are surprisingly similar—and they matter more than ever.

What Counts as “Personal Information”?

• A name and email address? ✅
• A phone number? ✅
• Even just tracking someone with a cookie for retargeting ads? ✅

If your website captures or stores any of that—you’re responsible for handling it properly.
Or more specifically… your web team is.

In Canada: It’s the Regulation (And Quebec’s Got Teeth)

Canada’s personal information regulations aren’t suggestions—they’re legal requirements.

• PIPEDA (Federal law): Applies to most businesses across Canada. If you collect personal information, you must explain why, protect it, and get consent.
• Alberta and BC: Have their own versions of the legislation, but they follow the same general rule for handling personal information—explain it, protect it, and obtain consent.
• Quebec’s Law 25: This one’s a game changer. It requires explicit opt-in consent, a named data protection officer, and clear cookie notices—and hands out fines up to $25 million for non-compliance. Yup. Million.

So if you’re doing business in Quebec—even just taking form submissions or collecting information from Quebecers—your site needs a cookie banner that asks first, not forgives later.

In the U.S.: It Depends Where You Operate

There’s no single national framework yet, but many states have stepped in with their own privacy laws to fill the gap.

• California (CCPA/CPRA): The most aggressive. If you cross certain thresholds (like 50,000 users or $25M in revenue), you must let people access, delete, or opt out of sharing their personal information.
• Other states like Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and Utah have passed their own laws too. Even if your business doesn’t hit the size thresholds, it’s smart to follow best practices now—because this list of states is only growing.

For most landscapers? You're probably safe from major enforcement—but if your web team follows basic compliance steps, you’ll stay ahead of the curve and look way more trustworthy online.

‍

What Should Be on Your Website?

Here’s what your web designer should already be including by default (and if they’re not, it’s worth asking):

• A Privacy Policy that clearly states what you collect and why
• A Cookie banner (opt-in if you serve Quebec; opt-out in the U.S. under best practices like ADA-compliant user consent design)
• Secure forms over HTTPS
• Minimal data collection—just enough to start the conversation
• A way for people to contact you about their information (even a simple “Contact Us” link is enough in most cases)

This isn’t about scaring off potential customers—it’s about showing them they can trust you before they ever pick up the phone.

GDPR: Do These Data Rights Affect Your Landscaping Business?

Let’s not overcomplicate this.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a European law. It’s designed to protect the personal data of people who live in the EU. 

So, if you’re running a landscaping company in Canada or the U.S., you might be thinking: “What’s this got to do with me?”

The short answer?
Probably nothing.

But (and there’s always a but)… it can apply if your website targets or tracks people in Europe.

Here’s When GDPR Might Apply to You:

1. You have a booking form that accepts clients from the EU
2. Your site is in multiple languages or prices services in Euros
3. You’re running Facebook or Google Ads that show up in Europe
4. You use analytics tools that track everyone, including EU visitors
5. You ship products or offer services to people overseas (rare for landscapers—but possible for suppliers)

If none of that applies?
You’re in the clear. No GDPR compliance needed.

🧰 Tools & Tips (and What We’re Already Doing for You)

By now, you’ve probably realized that website compliance isn’t just some checklist—it’s a combination of legal safety, user trust, and good business sense.

The good news?
If you’re working with Supersonic Landscaping, you're already ahead of the curve.

We take this stuff seriously.

Every website we build includes a privacy policy, cookie banner, and an accessibility-first approach. We stay current with the law in both Canada and the U.S., so you don’t have to keep up with legislation—we do it for you.

Still, here’s a quick overview of the tools and tactics we use (and recommend) to keep your landscaping website safe, fast, and trustworthy:

For Accessibility

We check every site against WCAG 2.0 AA standards. But if you’re curious, here are the tools pros use:

• WAVE: Fast and easy tool to check contrast, headings, and alt text
• Accessibility Insights: Microsoft’s tool to scan and diagnose issues
• axe DevTools: For developers who want to go deep into fixes
• Chrome Lighthouse: Built into Chrome—great for basic audits

If your current web team hasn’t used at least one of these… that’s a red flag.

For Privacy Policies & Cookie Consent

We include these on every site we launch. If you’re DIY-ing or want to check your current site, try:

• Termly.io: Custom privacy policy, cookie consent banner, terms of service
• Cookiebot: Full GDPR + Law 25–style cookie banner (free for smaller sites)
• FreePrivacyPolicy.com: Great for generating basic Canadian or U.S. policies
• Osano: Advanced data compliance and consent platform for larger businesses

Bonus: If your website gets traffic from Quebec, we’ll automatically configure Law 25–compliant consent, including opt-in banners and default cookie blocking.

For Secure Forms & Minimal Data Collection

We hardwire best practices into every site:

• ✅ SSL certificates (HTTPS) included
• ✅ Contact forms that only ask for essential personal information
• ✅ ReCAPTCHA to block spam
• ✅ Optional field-based lead filtering (so you avoid tire-kickers without overwhelming your dream clients)

How Supersonic Landscaping Builds Trust Through Accessibility & Accommodation

Here’s our promise:

At Supersonic Landscaping, we go beyond basic compliance. Every website we build is designed with accessibility and accommodation in mind—so your site serves everyone and protects your business at the same time.

Our websites aren’t just beautiful—they’re built to protect your business.
From cookie banners to form security, we’ve got your back.

Your Website Should Be Working for You—Not Putting You at Risk

Running a landscaping business is hard enough without worrying about whether your website complies with important ADA rules, accessibility requirements, or information handling standards. Today’s digital landscape demands more than just a nice design—it requires built-in protection of rights, confidentiality safeguards, and accommodation for all users under laws like the ADA.

That’s why ADA compliance isn’t just a legal expectation—it’s a reflection of your commitment to professionalism, inclusion, and public accommodations. And not just for big corporations. Even the little guys—a local lawn care crew or a patio contractor—need to make sure their website supports users with disabilities, secures personal information, and respects the act-based requirements set by regions like Quebec and California.

The good news? You don’t have to figure this all out alone.

If you’re working with Supersonic Landscaping, we’ve already embedded these standards into your site—because we believe a professional website shouldn’t just be compliant…

It should reflect your values, protect your business, and welcome every visitor with trust and clarity.

‍