The DOJ issued regulations which were set to take effect in April 2026 requiring state and local government bodies – including public schools – to make their websites and mobile content accessible for people with disabilities. Late last month, the DOJ published an Interim Final Rule (the “Rule”) extending these deadlines. Now, the compliance deadline for the new ADA website accessibility rules for state and local government entities with a population of 50,000 or more is April 26, 2027. The compliance deadline for public entities with a population of less than 50,000 – or any special district government – is now April 26, 2028.
This is the first time that the DOJ has ever adopted a technical standard for digital content. Now, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA is the technical standard all state and local governments must meet for web content and mobile apps.
There are only narrow exceptions to these requirements.
