The ADA Title II web rule does not create one deadline for every organization in the United States. It applies to covered state and local governments, with compliance dates based on population and entity type.
What this date means
| Question | Technical answer |
|---|---|
| Who is affected? | Covered state and local government entities under ADA Title II. |
| What changes? | The DOJ rule sets technical accessibility requirements for covered web content and mobile apps provided by state and local governments. |
| Technical standard | WCAG 2.1 Level AA, subject to the rule’s provisions and exceptions. |
| What teams should do | Inventory affected digital content, sample representative workflows, audit, remediate, retest and document decisions before the applicable date. |
| Official source | U.S. Department of Justice - Title II web accessibility rule |
Current compliance dates
| Date | Covered public entities | Status | Technical standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 26, 2027 | State and local government entities with a total population of 50,000 or more | UPCOMING | WCAG 2.1 Level AA, subject to provisions and exceptions |
| April 26, 2028 | Public entities with a population below 50,000 | UPCOMING | WCAG 2.1 Level AA, subject to provisions and exceptions |
| April 26, 2028 | Special district governments | UPCOMING | WCAG 2.1 Level AA, subject to provisions and exceptions |
These dates reflect the DOJ extension published in 2026 and verified against ADA.gov on September 27, 2026.
What changed?
The U.S. Department of Justice issued a final rule concerning accessibility of web content and mobile apps provided by state and local governments under ADA Title II. The rule identifies WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard, subject to the rule’s provisions and exceptions.
Who does the rule apply to?
Covered state and local government entities have compliance dates based on population and entity type. Do not describe this as a universal U.S. website deadline.
What types of digital content are covered?
The rule concerns web content and mobile apps that covered public entities provide or make available, including content provided directly or through contractual, licensing or other arrangements. Teams should review the official rule text for exact scope, exceptions and definitions.
Why start before the deadline?
Accessibility work usually touches templates, content, procurement, documents, authentication, forms, third-party tools and release processes. Waiting until the compliance date makes verification harder and remediation less predictable.
Suggested technical preparation
- Inventory.
- Representative sampling.
- Audit.
- Remediation.
- Retest.
- Governance.