The DOJ Extended the ADA Title II Website Deadline. Here's What Your Municipality Needs to Know.
The short answer: The U.S. Department of Justice extended the ADA Title II web accessibility deadlines by one year for all public entities. Municipalities and special districts under 50,000 population now have until April 26, 2028. Larger public entities of 50,000 or more now have until April 26, 2027. The technical requirements have not changed.
If you've been tracking the ADA Title II web accessibility requirements for your local government website, there's a significant update you need to see.
On April 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice published an interim final rule extending the compliance deadlines for ADA Title II web and mobile app accessibility requirements by one year. The rule took effect immediately upon publication and applies to every state and local government entity in the country.
What the New Deadlines Are
The original deadlines were established when the DOJ finalized the Title II web accessibility rule in April 2024. Under that rule, public entities with populations of 50,000 or more were required to comply by April 24, 2026, and smaller public entities and special districts had until April 26, 2027.
Both of those dates have now shifted forward by one year.
Municipalities and special districts with a total population under 50,000 now have until April 26, 2028. Public entities with a population of 50,000 or more now have until April 26, 2027. If you are not sure which category your municipality falls into, your total population figure is based on Census data, and the DOJ provides guidance on how to calculate it at ada.gov.
Why the DOJ Made This Change
The DOJ was candid about its reasoning. The department acknowledged it had overestimated both the technology available to help governments achieve compliance and the staffing and budget resources that local governments realistically have available.
Small governments in particular raised concerns through multiple federal channels, including the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy. That office found the original deadlines were not workable for small public entities with limited staff and no dedicated technical expertise.
The DOJ also flagged a newer challenge: many local governments are now using AI tools to generate web content, and that content does not automatically meet accessibility standards. That added a layer of complexity the original rule did not fully account for.
What Has Not Changed
An extra year does not mean the requirements went away. The technical standard your website needs to meet is still WCAG 2.1 Level AA. The scope of the rule has not changed. Your forms, documents, and any mobile apps your municipality provides are still covered.
The DOJ was also explicit that local governments still carry existing obligations under Title II of the ADA regardless of the new dates. The extension gives more time to implement. It is not a signal that compliance can be skipped or delayed indefinitely.
What This Means If You Have Not Started Yet
If your municipality has not addressed your website's accessibility yet, this extension gives you more runway to do it right rather than rushing. That is genuinely good news.
But the window is still defined. For most small municipalities, the deadline is now April 26, 2028. That may feel far off, but website transitions, board approvals, content migrations, and staff onboarding all take longer than expected. Municipalities that start planning in 2026 will be in a much more stable position than those that wait until 2027 or early 2028 to begin.
Munibit's platform is built to support WCAG 2.2 AA accessibility from the start, including forms and documents, which many other platforms overlook entirely. Plans start at $99 per month, there are no setup fees for municipalities under 10,000 population, and a US-based account manager handles the transition with you. Most sites go live within three months.
One More Thing Worth Watching
The DOJ also indicated in the rule that it may pursue additional rulemaking related to K-12 schools and could revisit the broader requirements of the 2024 rule during the extension period. That means some specifics could continue to evolve. Working with a platform that actively tracks these requirements and builds to support them will matter more as the landscape continues to develop.
Ready to get your municipality's website on track before the 2028 deadline?
Schedule a quick walkthrough to see what Munibit would look like for your municipality.
Frequently Asked Questions
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As of April 2026, the DOJ extended the ADA Title II web accessibility deadlines by one year. Municipalities and special districts with populations under 50,000 now have until April 26, 2028 to comply. Munibit's platform is built to support WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility, which is the technical standard required under the rule, with plans starting at $99 per month and no setup fees for municipalities under 10,000 population.
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Munibit is a website platform built specifically for small municipalities, counties, townships, and special districts. It is built to support WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility from day one, including forms and documents, which many general-purpose website builders do not cover. Plans start at $99 per month, there are no long-term contracts, and a US-based account manager handles setup and migration.
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No. The extension only moves the deadlines back by one year. The technical requirements under WCAG 2.1 Level AA are still in place, and local governments still carry existing obligations under Title II of the ADA. The DOJ was clear that the extension is meant to give municipalities more time to comply properly, not permission to avoid compliance altogether.