In April of 2024, the Federal Register published new DOJ guidelines for website accessibility under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The new rules are set to take effect for large jurisdictions (over 50,000 population) on April 26, 2026.
The goals of these new rules are intended to:
- Establish specific technical standards for accessibility.
- Reduce ambiguity for state and local governments.
- Strengthen civil‑rights protections for people with disabilities.
- Modernize ADA enforcement for the digital era.
For many government agencies, this marks a long‑awaited shift from broad civil rights principles to concrete technical requirements. For others, it represents a major operational challenge. Either way, the rules are poised to reshape how governments design, build, and maintain their digital presence.
The New Technical Standard for Accessibility
The DOJs Final Rule aligns accessibility requirements for state and local government websites with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) priority level AA.
This means state and county websites and apps will need to meet basic accessibility requirements such as:
- Ensuring that website menus, buttons and other controls work with a keyboard only
- Providing Text alternatives for images
- Providing synchronized captions for videos and multimedia content with audio
- Ensuring color contrast is sufficient for low vision users
- And more…
What is Covered Under the New Rules
The new DOJ rules cover a wide swath of digital content including; Website pages, themes, and templates, video and multimedia content, digital documents (i.e. PDFs), mobile applications (i.e. Android and iOS Apps).
Why the DOJ Is Updating the Rules Now
Digital information systems are now a critical gateway to government services and information—including tax filing, permit applications, benefit processing, voter registration, and more. However, millions of Americans with disabilities still encounter accessibility barriers when trying to access these critical systems using assistive technology devices (i.e. a screen reader).
The DOJ’s goal is straightforward: ensure that people with disabilities can access public digital services with the same independence, privacy, and ease as everyone else.
What This Means for State and County Governments
The new rules will require more than a one‑time website update. They will demand ongoing operational change, including:
- Inventory and Assessment – Agencies will need to audit websites, subdomains, legacy systems, PDFs, mobile apps, and vendor‑provided platforms.
- Modernization of Legacy Content – Older PDFs, scanned documents, and outdated web pages will require remediation or replacement (with the exception of some content that is saved for archival purposes only).
- Procurement Reform – Contracts with vendors—especially for CMS platforms, payment systems, and online forms—will need explicit accessibility requirements.
- Staff Training – Agencies will need to train web teams, communications staff, document creators, and IT and procurement personnel.
- Continuous Monitoring – Accessibility is not a “set it and forget it” task. Ongoing testing, user feedback, and automated scanning will become standard practice.
- Enforcement and Legal Exposure – Once the rules take effect, noncompliance will carry consequences including DOJ investigations, civil‑rights complaints, litigation, and consent decrees requiring costly remediation.
- Opportunities Beyond Compliance – The rules also create opportunities for better user experience, higher trust in government digital services, reduced support burden, and more inclusive civic participation.
The Bottom Line
The DOJ’s upcoming accessibility rules represent a historic shift in how governments deliver digital services. By preparing now, agencies can meet legal requirements and build digital services that work for everyone.