Public Sector · WCAG 2.1 AA

DOJ Accessibility Deadlines.
Get Ahead Before
They Become Liabilities.

WCAG 2.1 Level AA remediation for government, education, and publicly funded organizations. We help public entities meet the Department of Justice ADA Title II requirements through comprehensive audits, remediation, training, and long-term governance.

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Apr 2027
Deadline for populations of 50,000+
Apr 2028
Deadline for smaller entities & districts
AA
WCAG 2.1 Level AA standard
ADA
Title II, enforced by the DOJ
The Mandate

The DOJ has set firm
compliance deadlines.

The U.S. Department of Justice has established accessibility requirements for websites, web applications, mobile applications, and digital documents operated by state and local governments under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The standard is WCAG 2.1 Level AA, and the timeline is set.

April 2027

Organizations serving populations of 50,000 or more must comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA across their digital properties. This covers most state agencies, counties, larger municipalities, and public universities.

April 2028

Smaller public entities and special districts must comply by this date. Smaller does not mean simpler, many districts carry decades of legacy content and documents that take time to remediate.

For many agencies, years of legacy content, PDFs, forms, portals, third-party integrations, and outdated content management systems have created substantial gaps that must now be addressed.

Who Is Impacted

If you serve the public,
this likely applies to you.

If your organization receives public funding, provides public services, or operates under state or local government oversight, accessibility compliance should be considered a priority.

State & County Government

State agencies, county governments, and municipal governments delivering services to residents online.

Education

Public universities, community colleges, school districts, and public research institutions.

Public Services & Libraries

Public libraries, public transportation agencies, and economic development agencies.

Utility & Water Districts

Utility districts, water districts, and special service districts serving defined populations.

Health & Housing

Healthcare districts and housing authorities operating under public oversight.

Publicly Funded Organizations

Public benefit corporations and government-funded science and research organizations.

The Current Reality

Most sites contain
accessibility barriers.

Industry studies consistently show that the overwhelming majority of websites contain accessibility barriers. Many organizations are surprised to discover that even recently redesigned websites fail accessibility audits.

Accessibility is not a plugin. It is not an overlay. It is not a one-time fix. It requires technical expertise, testing, remediation, governance, and ongoing monitoring. The same semantic foundation that satisfies WCAG 2.1 AA is what makes a site genuinely usable for everyone.

Common Issues We Find

  • Missing alternative text on images
  • Inaccessible PDFs and digital documents
  • Poor keyboard navigation
  • Improper heading structures
  • Insufficient color contrast
  • Form accessibility issues
  • Missing video captions
  • Screen reader compatibility problems
  • Inaccessible third-party tools and integrations
Risks of Non-Compliance

Proactive costs less than
emergency remediation.

Addressing issues ahead of the deadline is significantly less expensive than emergency remediation under legal or regulatory pressure.

Legal Risk

  • ADA complaints
  • Civil litigation
  • Department of Justice investigations
  • Consent decrees
  • Court-ordered remediation

Funding Risk

  • Federal grants
  • State funding opportunities
  • Procurement eligibility
  • Contract renewals

Operational Risk

Organizations often discover accessibility problems at the worst possible time, during:

  • Procurement reviews
  • Grant applications
  • Public audits
  • Technology modernization projects
Our Process

A clear path
to compliance.

We help public organizations achieve and maintain WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance through a structured, documented process built for public-sector accountability.

Step 1

Accessibility Audit

A comprehensive review of websites, web applications, mobile experiences, PDFs and digital documents, online forms, and third-party integrations. Testing includes both automated and manual review methods.

Step 2

Gap Analysis

We identify WCAG 2.1 AA violations, severity levels, legal exposure, user impact, and remediation priorities. You receive a detailed roadmap showing exactly what needs to be fixed and in what order.

Step 3

Remediation

We correct barriers directly within your website, application, or CMS: code and template remediation, CMS optimization, PDF and document remediation, form improvements, navigation fixes, ARIA implementation, and accessibility-focused QA testing.

Step 4

Verification & Validation

Every remediation is tested against WCAG 2.1 AA standards using screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, assistive technology testing, and manual validation procedures.

Step 5

Ongoing Compliance Support

Accessibility is an ongoing responsibility. We provide scheduled audits, monitoring programs, accessibility statements, staff training, content governance, procurement guidance, and vendor accessibility reviews.

Technology Expertise

Modern platforms.
Legacy systems. All of it.

Whether your organization operates a modern digital platform or a decades-old government system, we can help create a realistic path toward compliance.

DNN (DotNetNuke) Sitefinity Drupal WordPress SharePoint Umbraco Kentico Custom .NET Applications React Applications Angular Applications Government Portals Legacy CMS Platforms
Why Organizations Choose Us

A public-sector
digital compliance partner.

Accessibility compliance is not an add-on service. It is our core expertise, and we understand how public organizations buy, document, and stay accountable.

Specialized Focus

Accessibility compliance is not a side service we bolt on. It is core expertise: WCAG audits, DOJ requirements, assistive technology testing, PDF remediation, and compliance documentation.

Government-Focused Approach

We understand procurement processes, compliance requirements, documentation needs, and public-sector accountability, so the engagement fits how your organization actually operates.

Technical Depth

We combine accessibility expertise with deep development experience to solve issues at the source, in the code and the CMS, rather than applying temporary workarounds or overlay widgets.

Long-Term Partnership

We help organizations establish sustainable accessibility programs that remain compliant long after remediation is complete, with governance and monitoring that hold up to public audits.

Built for Government Buyers

Documentation that
stands up to scrutiny.

Government buyers need to know what standards you follow, how you document compliance, and whether you understand procurement. Here is what every engagement delivers.

WCAG Audits

Comprehensive audits against WCAG 2.1 Level AA, with automated and manual testing across your full digital ecosystem.

DOJ Requirements

We understand ADA Title II requirements and what the 2027 and 2028 deadlines mean for entities of your size.

Assistive Technology Testing

Validation with real screen readers, keyboard-only navigation, and assistive technology, not just automated scanners.

PDF & Document Remediation

We remediate the PDFs, forms, and digital documents that automated overlays cannot touch.

Compliance Documentation

Accessibility statements, remediation records, and reporting that support grants, procurement, and public audits.

A Multi-Year Path

Beyond remediation, we support website modernization, CMS migrations, digital governance, UX, and ongoing maintenance.

Based in Utah

A Salt Lake City studio
built for public work.

We are a Salt Lake City, Utah studio, and we understand the digital ecosystems public organizations across Utah and the Mountain West actually run: county portals, university systems, school district sites, transit and utility districts, and the legacy platforms behind them.

The DOJ ADA Title II deadlines apply to state and local government nationwide, so we serve public agencies across the United States. But if you are a Utah city, county, district, or public institution, you get a local partner who knows the region and works on your timeline.

Talk to a Utah-based team

Who We Serve in the Region

  • Utah cities, counties, and municipalities
  • Public universities, colleges, and school districts
  • Transit, utility, and water districts
  • Healthcare and housing authorities
  • Publicly funded research and science organizations
FAQ

DOJ ADA compliance,
answered.

Quick answers to what public-sector leaders ask before scheduling an accessibility assessment.

When is the DOJ ADA website compliance deadline?

Under the DOJ's ADA Title II rule, state and local government entities serving populations of 50,000 or more must comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA by April 2027. Smaller public entities and special districts must comply by April 2028.

Does the ADA Title II accessibility rule apply to my organization?

It applies to state and local government entities and the programs they operate: state agencies, counties, municipalities, public universities and community colleges, school districts, public libraries, transit agencies, utility and water districts, healthcare districts, housing authorities, and other publicly funded organizations. If your organization receives public funding, provides public services, or operates under state or local government oversight, compliance should be treated as a priority.

What standard must public sector websites meet?

The technical standard is WCAG 2.1 Level AA, applied to websites, web applications, mobile applications, and digital documents such as PDFs and online forms.

Do accessibility overlay widgets satisfy the DOJ requirements?

No. Overlay widgets add a toolbar on top of an inaccessible site and do not fix the underlying code. Accessibility must be remediated at the source, in the HTML, templates, CMS, PDFs, and forms, and validated with assistive technology against WCAG 2.1 AA.

Do PDFs and online documents need to be accessible?

Yes. The requirements cover digital documents, including PDFs and online forms, not just web pages. Inaccessible PDFs are one of the most common and most overlooked gaps for public-sector organizations, and they require dedicated document remediation.

How long does accessibility remediation take?

It depends on the size and complexity of your digital ecosystem. For organizations with years of legacy content, PDFs, portals, and third-party integrations, remediation can take months or even years. A proactive assessment identifies the scope and priorities so the work fits the deadline. Schedule an assessment to get started.

The deadline feels distant.
The work is not.

Depending on the size and complexity of your digital ecosystem, remediation can take months or even years. A proactive assessment today identifies risks, establishes priorities, and creates a practical roadmap toward compliance. Contact us to schedule a consultation and accessibility readiness review.

Schedule an Accessibility Assessment Our Accessibility Approach