The U.S. Department of Justice has finalized a new web-accessibility rule under ADA Title II requiring all state and local government websites and mobile apps to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA by April 24, 2026 for agencies serving 50,000 or more people and April 26, 2027 for smaller agencies. Organizations that haven’t started preparing need to act now to ensure compliance.
This ruling provides the clearest federal direction yet on how public-sector digital content must function and establishes a framework that strengthens accountability across all digital environments.
This ruling provides the clearest federal guidance yet on accessible digital content, establishing standards for consistent text alternatives, captioning, proper structure, and navigable interfaces. Accessibility is no longer optional — it is now a regulated requirement.
Cooperative purchasing offers an efficient path forward. Agencies that use these contracts can move directly into audits and remediation without a lengthy RFP process, accelerating compliance as deadlines approach. For organizations already part of cooperatives, this streamlined approach is a significant advantage.
The Viscardi Center supports public agencies, nonprofits, and companies working toward WCAG 2.1 alignment and preparing for the DOJ requirements. Our Digital Accessibility Services include website and mobile-app audits, remediation, accessible document tagging, monitoring, and guidance for sustainable accessibility practices. We encourage organizations to begin this work early so they can keep their digital assets accessible, meet the new requirements on schedule, and move forward with confidence.
Learn more about making websites and digital assets accessible.
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Michael Caprara Chief Information Officer, The Viscardi Center |
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