Guide · United States
Website legal requirements United States businesses face
US business websites and apps may need to account for state privacy laws, the Children's Online Privacy Protection (COPPA) Rule, accessibility under Title III of the ADA and sales tax rules. Commercial emails must follow the CAN-SPAM Act. The rules that apply depend on your business, audience and activities. Plan your data handling, checkout, accessible web content and email opt-out process before launch. If your site is directed to children, check the COPPA Rule when designing it.
Checked against official sources on 5 November 2026. General information, not legal advice: confirm the rules that apply to your business with an adviser.
What privacy rules apply to a site directed to children?
The Federal Trade Commission's amended Children's Online Privacy Protection (COPPA) Rule applies to operators of websites and online services directed to children under 13. It took effect on 23 June 2025, with most requirements applying from 22 April 2026. If your site is directed to children, check the rule when planning forms and data handling.
Does my business website need to be accessible?
US Department of Justice guidance from March 2022 states that Title III of the ADA covers the goods and services that businesses open to the public offer on the web. The Department has no regulation setting detailed web standards for them. Standards such as WCAG provide helpful guidance when designing your site.
How should I plan for sales tax at checkout?
Forty-five US states and the District of Columbia levy a statewide sales tax. Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon have no statewide sales tax. Check the tax obligations relevant to your sales when planning your checkout.
Can I accept payments through Stripe?
Yes. Stripe lists the United States among the countries where businesses can sign up to accept payments with Stripe. You can consider it when planning your checkout.
Can a federal agency site use languages other than English?
Executive Order 14224 of 1 March 2025 designated English as the official language of the United States. It also stated that federal agencies are not required to stop producing documents or services in other languages. This is relevant when planning content for a federal agency site.
Who administers the .us domain?
The .us country-code domain is administered under a contract supervised by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The NTIA awarded the 2026 contract to Identity Digital. This applies to the domain you may consider for your site.
What details must my commercial emails include?
Under the CAN-SPAM Act, commercial email, including business-to-business email, must include a valid physical postal address and a clear way to opt out. Opt-out requests must be honoured within 10 business days. If your site collects email sign-ups, plan how you will include these details in your commercial emails and process opt-out requests.
What should be on my United States website checklist?
Check the states relevant to your site. Comprehensive consumer privacy laws in Indiana, Kentucky and Rhode Island took effect on 1 January 2026, adding to the comprehensive privacy laws already in force in other US states.
- Check the COPPA Rule when designing a site directed to children.
- Use WCAG as guidance when planning accessible web content.
- Check relevant sales tax obligations before building checkout.
- Consider how you will accept payments at checkout.
- Choose the domain you want to consider for your site.
- Include a valid physical postal address and a clear opt-out in commercial emails.
- Set up a process to honour email opt-out requests.
Questions
Does California have a consumer privacy law?
Yes. The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) was amended by the California Privacy Rights Act, approved by voters as Proposition 24 in November 2020 with new protections from 1 January 2023. It is enforced by the California Attorney General and the California Privacy Protection Agency.
Can a state require an out-of-state seller to collect sales tax?
Yes. In South Dakota v. Wayfair, decided on 21 June 2018, the US Supreme Court overruled the physical-presence rule of Quill and Bellas Hess in a case about a South Dakota law requiring out-of-state sellers to collect and remit sales tax.
What accessibility standard applies to state and local government websites?
The Department of Justice's ADA Title II rule requires state and local government websites and mobile apps to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA. An interim final rule of 20 April 2026 moved its compliance dates to 26 April 2027 for entities serving 50,000 or more people and to 26 April 2028 for smaller entities and special district governments.
Can customers transfer money instantly through their bank?
Yes, through participating banks and credit unions using the Federal Reserve's FedNow Service. The service has been live since 20 July 2023 and lets them transfer money instantly for customers at any time of day, on any day of the year.