Website accessibility: Now is the time to prepare

A new federal deadline is coming for local government websites, and every community should be paying attention.

In 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) finalized a rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It requires ALL state and local governments to ensure their website and mobile apps are accessible to people with disabilities.

The compliance timeline depends on population size. Communities serving fewer than 50,000 residents have until April 26, 2027 while larger communities must comply by April 24, 2026.

Website updates, budget approvals and vendor coordination can take months, and sometimes longer.

Now is the time to assess what you have, understand what’s required, and build a plan.

What’s changing?

The rule requires public entity websites and mobile apps meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA.

That may include:

• Making sure payment portals work with screen readers
• Adding alternative text to images
• Captioning videos
• Ensuring forms can be completed using a keyboard
• Posting accessible PDFs and public documents

For many small communities, that isn’t a full rebuild, but a careful review of what already exists. Older websites or third-party platforms may require updates or coordination with vendors.

Important exceptions

The rule does include a few limited exceptions.

Archived web content kept only for reference may not need to be updated. Some third-party content a city does not control may also be treated differently.

Furthermore, documents created for one specific person, or certain password-protected materials, may not fall under the same requirements.

These exceptions are narrow. Core services, such as bill payment portals, meeting agendas, forms and public notices, are expected to be accessible.

If you’re unsure how the rule applies to your community, review the full guidance with your municipal league or legal counsel.

Why act now?

Even though the deadline for smaller entities is April 2027, waiting creates risk:

• Budget cycles may not line up with the deadline
• Website vendors may have long lead times
• Staff may need training and time to review existing documents and content
• Online tools may require third-party coordination

Starting now allows your community to:

• Assess your current website for ADA gaps
• Talk with your site or billing platform provider about compliance plans
• Identify costs and build them into your next budget
• Create a timeline for updates well ahead of the deadline

Accessibility also goes beyond compliance. Your website is often the first place residents go to pay a bill, report an outage, find a meeting agenda or read a public notice.

If someone can’t access that information, they are effectively shut out of services.

Practical first steps

April 2027 will come quickly. Taking small steps now will make the transition smoother and ensure your digital services work for everyone.

Now is the time to:

1. Ask your website provider about WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance
2. Confirm accessibility standards with billing or payment vendors
3. Run a basic accessibility scan to identify gaps
4. Plan for potential costs in your next budget cycle

Free online tools can help with an initial assessment. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which sets accessibility standards, offers a planning guide with step-by-step guidance.

To help local governments understand the rule, the DOJ offers a First Steps Compliance Guide as well as a Small Entity Compliance Guide. The department also hosted a webinar to answer questions and maintains a toll-free ADA information line.