Newsletter

New Rule for State and Local Governments on Web and Mobile App Accessibility

Originally published on April 25, 2024. Reprinted with permission from the Pacific ADA Center.

In April, the Federal Register published the U.S. Department of Justice’s final rule updating its Americans with Disabilities Act Title II regulations. This rule provides state and local governments with new requirements to make their websites and mobile applications (apps) accessible to people with disabilities.

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Many government programs, services, and activities are now provided online. When state and local government agencies’ websites and mobile apps are not accessible, people with disabilities do not have the same opportunities to get information and participate as people without disabilities. For example, if a video on a government website is not captioned, a person with a hearing disability may not be able to fully understand its content. Others may need to navigate through a website using their keyboard instead of a mouse. If a person with a disability can’t use a government website or mobile app, it may be harder for them to request a mail-in ballot or get the tax forms they need.

With the rule’s publication, the dates when state and local governments have to meet the rule’s requirements are now set. For state and local governments with a population of 50,000 or more, the date is April 24, 2026. For state and local governments with a population of 0 to 49,999 persons and special district governments, the date is April 26, 2027.

Until then, state, and local governments still must meet their current Title II requirements and give people with disabilities equal access to their services, programs, and activities through their websites and mobile apps.

To learn more, read the U.S. Department of Justice Fact Sheet: New Rule on the Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps Provided by State and Local Governments or the official version of the full rule in the Federal Register.

The Pacific ADA Center is a program of the Center on Disability at the Public Health Institute and is a resource to help the community understand and apply the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal disability rights laws.

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