What standard does the ADA Title II web rule require?

The DOJ final rule adopts WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard for web content and mobile apps of state and local governments.

When is the compliance deadline?

Public entities serving a population of 50,000 or more must comply by April 24, 2026. Entities serving fewer than 50,000 people, and special district governments, must comply by April 24, 2027.

Does this apply to my city or school district website?

Yes. The rule covers the web content and mobile apps that state and local government entities — including cities, counties, and public school districts — use to provide services, programs, and activities to the public.

ADA Title II · Government web rule

ADA Title II: your government website must meet WCAG 2.1 AA

In 2024 the Department of Justice set a hard technical standard and hard deadlines for state and local government websites and apps. Here is what the rule says, when you have to comply, and how to prove you did.

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If you manage a website for a city, county, public school district, or other state or local government entity, the accessibility rules changed in 2024 — and the clock is now running.

What the DOJ rule actually says

In April 2024 the U.S. Department of Justice published its final rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The rule sets WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard for the web content and mobile apps that state and local governments use to offer their services, programs, and activities to the public.

In plain terms: the pages residents use to pay a bill, register for a program, read a public notice, or find a service must conform to WCAG 2.1 AA. That covers text alternatives, keyboard operability, color contrast, form labels, captions, and the rest of the WCAG 2.1 AA success criteria.

The compliance deadlines

April 24, 2026

Population 50,000 or more

Public entities that serve a population of 50,000 people or more must comply by this date.

April 24, 2027

Under 50,000 & special districts

Entities serving fewer than 50,000 people, and special district governments, must comply by this date.

The deadlines are staggered by the size of the population served, but the standard is the same: WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

Who this covers

Cities, towns, and counties
Public K-12 school districts, and public colleges and universities
Public transit agencies, libraries, and courts
Special district governments (water, fire, utility, and similar districts)
The websites, web apps, and mobile apps these entities use to deliver services to the public

What to do before the deadline

Inventory your web and app content. List the sites, portals, and apps residents use — including third-party services you link to for government functions.
Scan against WCAG 2.1 AA. Get a real, criterion-level report of where you fail today. (Our free scan does exactly this — no signup.)
Fix the source code, not the surface. Remediate the actual HTML, templates, and PDFs. An accessibility overlay widget is not conformance and does not satisfy the rule.
Prioritize high-traffic public services first — payments, forms, notices, and enrollment flows.
Set a re-test cadence so new content and new pages stay conformant after launch.
Keep dated evidence of conformance. Record what you tested, what you fixed, and when — the documentation you will want if your conformance is questioned.

How wcagdefender helps governments. Scan your .gov or .us site free and get the exact WCAG 2.1 AA gaps at the criterion level. We hand you real code fixes — not an overlay — and produce a dated record of conformance so your team can show its work before April 2026 or April 2027.

See where your site stands today

Free scan — a real WCAG 2.1 AA check with an honest, criterion-level report. No signup.

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This page summarizes the DOJ 2024 final rule under ADA Title II for general information. Verify current requirements and deadlines against the official rule text at ada.gov. This is not legal advice.