Service · Accessibility
ADA website accessibility
Current Layer Intelligence audits websites against WCAG 2.1 Level AA, the standard the Department of Justice requires for state and local government sites, then fixes what fails and re-tests it.
By Luke Jacobsen, Founder of Current Layer Intelligence · Published · Updated
Who needs this
State and local governments. Under the Department of Justice’s ADA Title II rule, the websites and mobile apps of cities, counties, school districts and special districts must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA. That includes pages a vendor builds or updates for them.
Private businesses. A site people can use with a keyboard, a screen reader or low vision reaches more customers, and WCAG 2.1 AA is the benchmark accessibility complaints are measured against.
Compliance dates
| Public entity | Must comply by |
|---|---|
| State and local governments with a total population of 50,000 or more | April 26, 2027 |
| Governments under 50,000, and all special district governments | April 26, 2028 |
Source: ADA.gov fact sheet on the Title II web rule, updated for the interim final rule published April 20, 2026.
What the work includes
- Audit: automated scans with axe-core and Lighthouse on every template, then manual testing with a keyboard and a screen reader.
- Written report: every failure mapped to its WCAG 2.1 success criterion, with where it happens and how to fix it.
- Fixes: headings, alt text, color contrast, focus order and visible focus, skip links, form labels and errors, page language, and captions.
- Re-test: each fix checked again so the report shows a pass, not a promise.
Proof
The Florida Keys Cleaning website built by Current Layer Intelligence scored 100 for accessibility in Lighthouse on all 8 tested pages at launch and passed automated WCAG 2.1 AA checks.
Questions
What accessibility standard does the ADA web rule require?
WCAG 2.1 Level AA. The Department of Justice set it as the technical standard for the web content and mobile apps of state and local governments under Title II of the ADA.
When do state and local governments have to comply?
Governments with a total population of 50,000 or more must comply by April 26, 2027. Governments under 50,000 and all special district governments must comply by April 26, 2028. Both dates come from the Department of Justice’s April 20, 2026 interim final rule.
Does the rule cover pages a vendor builds for a government?
Yes. It applies to web content a state or local government provides or makes available, including through an arrangement with someone else, such as a web design company that builds or updates its pages.
Is an automated accessibility scan enough?
No. Automated tools such as axe-core catch only part of the WCAG failures. Keyboard use, screen reader output, focus order, form errors and meaningful alt text need a person to test them.
Who does Current Layer Intelligence do accessibility work for?
Florida cities, counties and special districts preparing for the DOJ deadlines, and private businesses that want a site anyone can use. The Florida Keys Cleaning site it built scored 100 for accessibility on all 8 tested pages at launch.