The accessibility rule for state and local websites is not a future problem

April 8, 2026 · 2 min read · HQT

The Department of Justice's rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act sets WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard for the web content and mobile applications of state and local governments. Compliance dates depend on the size of the jurisdiction, and the earliest of them are close. For many agencies, this is the largest single change to their web obligations in years.

What is covered

Websites, web applications, and mobile apps that a public entity provides or makes available, including content from vendors and content on third-party platforms used to deliver services. There are limited exceptions, for example for certain archived content and some third-party content the agency does not control, but they are narrower than many assume.

What WCAG 2.1 AA means in practice

• Text alternatives for images and meaningful link text
• Keyboard operability for every function
• Sufficient color contrast and resizable text
• Proper headings, labels, and form error handling
• Captions for video and transcripts for audio
• Documents, including PDFs, that are tagged and readable by assistive technology

Where agencies usually stand

Most agency websites have a mix of accessible pages and inaccessible legacy content, forms, and PDFs. Applications procured from vendors vary widely. Documents are almost always the largest backlog.

How to start

1. Inventory: list sites, applications, and document repositories.
2. Audit: run automated scans, then manual testing of the highest-traffic services.
3. Prioritize: fix the services residents depend on most, and stop publishing inaccessible content.
4. Procure carefully: require WCAG conformance in every new contract and verify it during acceptance.
5. Publish an accessibility statement and a way to report problems.

Remediation is a program, not a project. Starting now is the difference between a manageable backlog and a scramble.