ADA Title II website accessibility for municipalities
Audit, fix and maintain your website, documents and apps to meet the Justice Department’s WCAG 2.1 AA rule before your compliance date.
A scope built around your residents.
Your website, documents and vendor tools
WCAG 2.1 AA testing and a remediation plan
Practices that keep new content accessible
How it fits
Your compliance date is set
In April 2024 the Department of Justice issued a rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act that sets a technical standard for state and local government websites and mobile apps: WCAG 2.1 Level AA. It applies to towns, cities, counties, school districts and special purpose districts, including web content and apps they provide through vendors, contracts and licenses.
An interim final rule effective April 20, 2026 moved the deadlines. Public entities with a total population of 50,000 or more must comply by April 26, 2027. Public entities with a population under 50,000, and special district governments, have until April 26, 2028.
EVERNET helps municipalities get there: an accessibility audit of the website, key documents and resident-facing tools, a remediation plan in priority order, and the design and content work to fix what is found. We also help staff keep new pages, agendas and PDFs accessible after the deadline passes, and can add accessiBe as a layer of visitor controls. The rule measures the website itself against WCAG 2.1 AA, so those fixes come first. Your municipal attorney should confirm how the rule applies to you.
What the rule covers, and what it exempts.
The rule applies to web content and mobile apps a public entity provides or makes available, with five exceptions.
What is covered
Web content and mobile apps you provide directly or through contracts, licenses or other arrangements, such as payment portals, permitting systems and agenda platforms.
Archived web content
Exempt only if it was created before the compliance date or reproduces older paper or media records, is kept only for reference, research or recordkeeping, is stored in a clearly marked archive area and has not been changed since it was archived.
Preexisting documents
PDFs, word processing files, presentations and spreadsheets posted before the compliance date are exempt, unless they are currently used to apply for, access or take part in a service, program or activity.
Third-party content
Content posted by members of the public is exempt, unless the third party is posting because of a contract, license or other arrangement with you.
Individualized documents
Password-protected documents about a specific person, their property or their account, such as a tax or utility bill, are exempt, though a resident with a disability who needs one accessible must still get it.
Social media posts
Posts made on social media platforms before the compliance date are exempt. New posts are covered.
Questions before you get started.
When does our town need to comply?
Under the interim final rule effective April 20, 2026, public entities with a total population of 50,000 or more must comply by April 26, 2027. Those under 50,000, and special district governments, must comply by April 26, 2028.
Does the rule cover our vendors’ platforms?
Yes, when you provide web content or apps through a contract, license or other arrangement, such as online payments, permitting, recreation registration or meeting video. Ask vendors for current accessibility documentation, such as a VPAT or Accessibility Conformance Report, and test the resident-facing steps yourself.
Do we have to fix every old PDF?
Not always. Documents posted before your compliance date are exempt unless residents currently need them to apply for, access or take part in a service. Archived content that meets all four archive conditions is also exempt. Current forms, applications and notices should be accessible.
Can we use something other than WCAG 2.1 AA?
The rule allows equivalent facilitation: designs, methods or technologies other than WCAG 2.1 AA are acceptable if they provide substantially equivalent or greater accessibility and usability.
Where should we start?
Start with an audit of your home page, most-used services, forms and documents, then fix shared templates first. Read our ADA Title II website compliance guide or schedule a call.
Related creative work
Municipal website work
EVERNET developed a website concept for the Town of Lyme, organizing 101 original URLs into 73 active destinations around the tasks residents come to complete: services, meetings and records. A clear structure makes accessible navigation easier to build and maintain. See more of our work.
Public entities
Websites, documents and IT for public entities
Accessibility work often surfaces related needs: hosting, security, Microsoft 365 and staff training. EVERNET can scope managed IT and cybersecurity alongside the website. See also website accessibility audits and ADA website requirements.
Let’s talk about what comes next.
Bring the challenge. We’ll help you explore the right scope and a practical next step.