ADA TITLE II Muniway Access
ADA Title II website accessibility, built in.
Wondering what the ADA Title II rule means for your website, and by when? It makes WCAG 2.1 AA, a set of tests for whether people with disabilities can use a site, the standard for your pages and PDFs. Muniway Access comes with every new site we build, and you can add it to the website you have now.
- Built to meet WCAG 2.1 AA
- No overlay toolbar
- Works on any website
The ADA Title II rule
One standard, two dates. The work is the same either way.
In April 2024 the Department of Justice made WCAG 2.1 AA the standard for state and local government web content and mobile apps, including PDFs, online forms and meeting video. Your date depends on the population you serve.
The deadlines explained- APRIL 2024
Rule published
WCAG 2.1 AA becomes the standard for state and local government websites.
- APRIL 26, 2027
50,000 or moreLarger governments
Governments serving 50,000 people or more.
- APRIL 26, 2028
Under 50,000Smaller governments
Smaller governments and all special districts.
- The rule may still change. DOJ has said it plans more rulemaking, and the dates have already moved once. The duty to make public services accessible applies today either way.
What you get with Muniway Access.
The website gets fixed at the source, then checked on a schedule so it stays fixed as your staff add pages.
An accessible build
Your pages and forms are built to meet WCAG 2.1 AA and tested with a keyboard and a screen reader, not only an automated scan.
Ongoing monitoring
Every page on the website is scanned on a schedule. Each issue comes with a clear explanation, so your staff know what to fix and where.
PDFs turned into web pages
Your agendas, minutes and other documents get an accessible web version next to the original file.
Staff training
Short sessions for your staff on alt text, headings, accessible documents and checking their own work before they post.
Works on your current site
Not ready to switch? Add a script to the website you have now to find issues and track fixes.
A public accessibility statement
A dated statement on the website that names the standard you build to and tells residents how to report a problem.
PDFs
Most of your meeting packets are PDFs. Is that a problem?
It can be. Agendas, minutes, budgets, ordinances and forms are usually PDFs, and many are scans. A scanned page is a picture to a screen reader, and a fillable PDF form is hard to use on a phone.
Under the rule, PDFs you post after your compliance date have to meet WCAG 2.1 AA. Older files can be exempt, but not if people still use them to apply for or access a service, like a permit application.
With Muniway Access, each agenda and document on the website gets an accessible web version next to the original file, and every new upload is checked before residents see it.
Which PDFs to fix first- A scanned agenda PDFA picture of text. Screen readers can't read it, and it's hard to use on a phone.
- Checked on uploadEvery new file is checked for problems before residents see it.
- An accessible web versionReal headings and text next to the original file, readable on any device.
Why overlay toolbars aren't enough.
If a vendor has offered you a toolbar as an ADA fix, here's the catch. An overlay changes how a page looks in the visitor's browser but leaves the code, PDFs and videos underneath as they were, and the rule measures the website itself.
Do overlays meet ADA Title II?An overlay toolbar
- Changes the page in the browser, not the site
- Leaves PDFs, meeting video and third-party portals as they were
- Can clash with the screen reader a visitor already uses
- Often sold as "compliance"
Fixing the source
- Fixes templates, content and forms themselves
- Gives agendas and documents an accessible web version
- Works with the tools visitors already use
- Checked by a person, not only an automated scan
In 2025 the FTC finalized an order requiring an overlay company to pay $1 million over claims that its widget could make any website WCAG compliant.
Find out where your website stands, free.
Not sure where to start? The free ADA website checker scans your homepage for common WCAG 2.1 AA problems and explains each one in terms your staff can act on. Automated checks catch only some issues, so treat it as a starting point.
What happens after launch.
Your staff post new pages and documents every week, so the checking keeps going long after launch day.
Read our own accessibility statementMonitoring
Scheduled scans of every page, with new issues flagged for your staff and explained in clear terms.
Your statement
A dated public accessibility statement that we help you keep current as the website changes.
Resident feedback
A clear way for your residents to report a barrier or ask for an accessible version of a document.
Your ADA Title II questions, answered.
Short answers. For your specific situation, check with your attorney.
What is ADA Title II and when are the website deadlines?
ADA Title II covers state and local governments. The Department of Justice's 2024 rule makes WCAG 2.1 AA the standard for their websites and apps. Governments serving 50,000 people or more have until April 26, 2027, and smaller governments and special districts have until April 26, 2028. The rule may still change. Read more in the deadlines explained.
Does ADA Title II apply to small local governments?
Yes. The rule covers every state and local government, whatever its size. Size changes only the date: governments under 50,000 people have until April 26, 2028.
Do PDFs on our website have to meet WCAG 2.1 AA?
PDFs posted after your compliance date do. Older documents are generally exempt unless people still use them to apply for or access a service, and an exempt file may still need an accessible version when a resident asks. See which PDFs to fix first.
Is an accessibility overlay enough to meet ADA Title II?
No. An overlay changes the page in the visitor's browser but leaves the code, PDFs and videos underneath as they were, and the rule measures the site itself. Read what the FTC's order against an overlay company means for you.
Can we add Muniway Access to the website we already have?
Yes. A script on the site you have now finds issues and tracks fixes, and the PDF and training parts work the same on any website. You can start there and switch websites later, or not at all.
Can an automated scan tell us if our site meets ADA Title II?
Not on its own. Automated checks catch only some issues. Others, like whether alt text makes sense or a form works with a keyboard, need a person. Use a scan to see where to start, then test key pages by hand. Try the free ADA website checker.
Find out where your website stands.
Run the free checker on your homepage, or book a 30-minute call and we'll walk through the results with you.