Government Digital Accessibility
Government entities at all levels have clear legal obligations to provide accessible digital services to the public. The April 2024 DOJ rule now establishes specific technical standards.
Compliance Deadlines Approaching
April 24, 2026: Large entities (50,000+ population)
April 26, 2027: Smaller entities and special districts
Requirements by Government Level
Federal
State
Local
What's Covered
The ADA Title II web accessibility rule covers all "web content" and "mobile applications" used to provide programs, services, or activities:
Websites
- Main government website
- Department/agency sites
- Service portals
- Online payment systems
- Document libraries
- Job application portals
- Permit applications
- Meeting agendas/minutes
Mobile Apps
- Transit apps
- Utility payment apps
- Parking apps
- 311 service apps
- Recreation program apps
- Library apps
- Emergency alert apps
- Voting information apps
Common Government Website Issues
| Issue | Impact | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Inaccessible PDFs | Screen reader users cannot read documents | Properly tag all PDFs; provide HTML alternatives |
| Complex forms | Users cannot complete applications | Proper labels, error handling, clear instructions |
| Video without captions | Deaf users miss meeting recordings | Caption all video content |
| Missing alt text | Blind users miss image information | Add descriptive alt text to all images |
| Keyboard traps | Users cannot navigate with keyboard | Test and fix keyboard accessibility |
| Low color contrast | Low vision users cannot read content | Meet 4.5:1 contrast ratio |
Implementation Roadmap
- Conduct comprehensive accessibility audit
- Inventory all websites and mobile apps
- Prioritize based on usage and criticality
- Identify third-party vendor dependencies
- Assess current staff capabilities
- Develop remediation plan with timelines
- Allocate budget and resources
- Establish accessibility governance structure
- Create accessibility policies and standards
- Plan staff training programs
- Fix identified accessibility barriers
- Remediate PDF documents
- Add captions to video content
- Update procurement processes
- Train content creators and developers
- Implement continuous monitoring
- Regular accessibility testing
- Update training as standards evolve
- Respond to accessibility complaints
- Annual accessibility reports
Procurement Requirements
Government procurement must include accessibility requirements:
In RFPs/RFQs:
- Specify WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance requirement
- Request VPATs/ACRs from vendors
- Include accessibility as evaluation criteria
- Require accessibility testing as part of acceptance
In Contracts:
- Include accessibility clauses
- Specify remediation requirements
- Require ongoing accessibility updates
- Include right to audit for accessibility
Resources
Government Quick Facts
- Primary Law
- ADA Title II, Section 508
- Standard
- WCAG 2.1 Level AA
- Large Entity Deadline
- April 24, 2026
- Small Entity Deadline
- April 26, 2027
- Enforcement
- DOJ, Private Lawsuits