US website accessibility legal requirements
Distinguish ADA Title III guidance, the updated Title II web-rule deadlines, and Section 508 scope.
Source review October 24, 2026. 6 fully verified rows. 0 rows remain marked Not verified.
Scope and exclusions
The listed federal instruments and California and Colorado public-entity website requirements. This bounded reference does not claim a complete state survey.
- A 50-state survey, circuit-by-circuit case law, individual settlement duties, procurement-contract terms, and a legal conclusion about a private website.
This reference summarizes source text. It is not legal advice. A missing or unverified entry does not mean no law applies.
What the sources say
US website accessibility legal requirements. Snapshot October 24, 2026.
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| Jurisdiction | Covered entities | Technical standard | Timing | Scope limit | Official provision and verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United StatesADA-III | Businesses that are public accommodations. DOJ interprets the ADA to cover their web goods and services. Courts differ on some website coverage questions. | No generally applicable DOJ Title III regulation specifying a WCAG version for all private-business websites. | Existing ADA nondiscrimination and effective communication duties. The Title II web-rule deadlines do not become a private-business deadline. | The guidance is an agency interpretation. A legal opinion on coverage or litigation is outside this reference. | ADA Title III, 42 U.S.C. 12182; DOJ web guidanceRetrieved 2026-10-24. Verified. Verified 2026-10-24. Next review 2027-01-24. |
| United StatesADA-II-LARGE | State and local public entities with a total population of at least 50,000, other than special district governments. | WCAG 2.1 Level A and Level AA, subject to the rule and its exceptions. | Compliance date extended to April 26, 2027. | Government population is determined under the rule. Existing ADA duties continue before this date. | 28 CFR 35.200; DOJ April 20, 2026 interim final ruleRetrieved 2026-10-24. 28 CFR 35.200; DOJ April 20, 2026 interim final ruleRetrieved 2026-10-24. Verified. Verified 2026-10-24. Next review 2027-01-24. |
| United StatesADA-II-SMALL | State and local public entities with fewer than 50,000 persons, and special district governments. | WCAG 2.1 Level A and Level AA, subject to the rule and its exceptions. | Compliance date extended to April 26, 2028. | A school district is not automatically a special district. Use the rule to determine its population. | 28 CFR 35.200; DOJ April 20, 2026 interim final ruleRetrieved 2026-10-24. 28 CFR 35.200; DOJ April 20, 2026 interim final ruleRetrieved 2026-10-24. Verified. Verified 2026-10-24. Next review 2027-01-24. |
| United StatesSECTION-508 | Information and communication technology developed, procured, maintained, or used by federal agencies, subject to exceptions. | E205.4 incorporates WCAG 2.0 Level A and Level AA success criteria and conformance requirements for electronic content, with stated exceptions. | Compliance with the revised standards required from January 18, 2018. | This is not a general private-business website rule. | 29 U.S.C. 794d; Revised Section 508 StandardsRetrieved 2026-10-24. Verified. Verified 2026-10-24. Next review 2027-01-24. |
| CaliforniaCA-STATE-WEB | California state agencies and state entities subject to the website certification requirement. | Statute names WCAG 2.0 or a subsequent version, at least Level AA. CDT guidance aligns SIMM 25 with WCAG 2.1. | Homepage certification before July 1, 2019, and biennially on or before July 1 thereafter. | A state-agency duty. This is not a WCAG certification requirement for every private California business. | Cal. Government Code 11546.7; CDT SIMM 25Retrieved 2026-10-24. Verified. Verified 2026-10-24. Next review 2027-01-24. |
| ColoradoCO-PUBLIC-ICT | Colorado state and local public entities under the state technology accessibility rules. | WCAG 2.1 Level AA or higher, with the OIT rules and their compliance provisions. | The official Judicial Branch plan states that all government entities must comply with OIT rules from July 1, 2025, after the HB 24-1454 transition. | Government technology scope. Not a private-business deadline. Federal Title II dates and state-law duties are separate. | C.R.S. 24-85-101 to 24-85-104; OIT technology accessibility rulesRetrieved 2026-10-24. Verified. Verified 2026-10-24. Next review 2027-01-24. |
Reading notes
DOJ extended the Title II web-rule dates in April 2026. The original 2026 and 2027 compliance dates are superseded for the listed categories.
Title II, Title III, and Section 508 have different coverage. Do not apply a government deadline to every small business.
Update policy and changelog
Business Compliance Tools reviews this table quarterly and when an identified source change affects a row. Next scheduled review 2027-01-24.
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- . Initial source-backed snapshot. Unverified rows are visibly marked and excluded from downloads. No nationwide completeness claim is made.
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