The ADA Is Changing in 2026: What Businesses Need to Know

In April 2026, digital accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will become more clearly defined and enforceable for public-sector digital services in the United States. While the rule change directly applies to state and local governments and other public entities, its implications extend to businesses that provide digital products, platforms, content, and services used by those organizations.

It’s important to understand what the ADA previously required, what is changing under the new rule, who is directly affected, and what steps businesses should take now to prepare for increased accessibility expectations ahead of key compliance deadlines.

A Brief Overview of the ADA: What It Was and What Is Changing

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was designed to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities across employment, public services, transportation, and access to programs and activities. Because the law predates the modern internet, it did not originally define technical requirements for digital accessibility.

Over time, courts and federal agencies increasingly interpreted the ADA to apply to websites, mobile applications, digital documents, and online services. However, the absence of a single enforceable technical standard led to inconsistent implementation and uncertainty for organizations responsible for digital delivery.

What’s New in the 2026 Update

In April 2024, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a final rule under Title II of the ADA establishing explicit technical requirements for digital accessibility for state and local governments and other public entities.

Under this rule:

• Covered digital content must conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA, a globally recognized accessibility standard
• Requirements apply to websites and mobile applications, as well as many related digital assets, including:
  • Online forms and portals
  • PDFs and digital documents
  • Embedded media and interactive tools

For the first time, public entities have a clear, enforceable benchmark for digital accessibility, replacing years of interpretation-driven compliance.

While the rule applies directly to public entities, it significantly shapes expectations for businesses whose digital products or services are used to deliver public programs, services, or activities.

Who This Update Affects

Although the rule change is focused on Title II entities, its impact reaches far beyond government agencies alone.

Federal, State, and Local Government

The updated rule applies directly to public entities such as:

• State, county, and municipal government agencies
• Public libraries
• Police, fire, and emergency response departments
• Public-facing portals and internal service systems

All digital services these entities provide or make available must meet accessibility requirements by the applicable compliance deadline.

Organizations That Receive Federal Funding

Many public institutions that receive federal funding, particularly in education, are also covered as public entities under Title II, including:

• Public universities and colleges
• Public K–12 school systems
• Community colleges
• Publicly operated educational platforms and services

Because digital content is central to education delivery, accessibility obligations extend to learning platforms, course materials, student portals, and administrative systems.

Businesses That Support or Serve These Organizations

While private businesses are not directly regulated by the Title II rule, accessibility compliance increasingly becomes a shared responsibility when businesses provide digital tools or content used by covered public entities.

Your products must enable customers to meet their ADA obligations if your business:

• Provides websites, platforms, or applications used by government or public institutions
• Supplies digital documents, e-learning content, or media used in public programs
• Maintains or supports digital services on behalf of public-sector clients

In practice, this means WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance is becoming a baseline expectation in procurement, contracting, and renewals.

The Deadline: April 24, 2026

The DOJ rule establishes phased compliance deadlines based on population size:

• April 24, 2026–Public entities serving populations of 50,000 or more must have web and mobile content compliant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
• April 26, 2027–Smaller public entities and certain special district governments have an additional year to comply.

For many large institutions, including public universities, major municipalities, and statewide agencies, April 24, 2026 is the operative deadline.

Although that date may seem distant, accessibility remediation is rarely fast. Businesses and institutions with years of accumulated content—applications, documents, videos, and legacy systems—often need 12–18 months to inventory, remediate, test, and operationalize accessibility at scale.

What Businesses Should Do Now

1. Assess Your Current Digital Environment

The first step is understanding what exists today. Many organizations lack visibility into the full scope of their digital footprint.

Recommended actions include:

• Inventory customer-facing websites and applications
• Identify mobile apps, portals, and interactive tools
• Catalog backlogged PDFs, documents, and media assets
• Review third-party tools and integrations that affect accessibility

A formal accessibility audit provides a clear baseline against WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements.

2. Build Accessibility into Ongoing Workflows

Accessibility cannot be treated as a one-time remediation project.
Businesses should ensure that:

• Product, design, and development teams understand accessibility requirements
• Accessibility is incorporated into design and development standards
• QA and testing processes include accessibility validation
• Content teams are trained to create accessible documents and media

Embedding accessibility into workflows reduces long-term costs and prevents new compliance gaps from forming.

3. Prepare for Increased Customer and Procurement Scrutiny

Public-sector organizations are already updating RFPs, contracts, and vendor qualification processes to reflect the new ADA rule.

Businesses that act now will be better positioned to:

• Demonstrate accessibility readiness
• Reduce friction during procurement and renewals
• Shorten onboarding and implementation timelines
• Position accessibility as a competitive advantage rather than a risk

How TransPerfect Can Help

You don’t have to navigate the ADA’s updated digital accessibility requirements alone.

TransPerfect provides comprehensive accessibility services, including:

• Accessibility audits and gap analysis
• Website, application, and document remediation
• Accessibility QA testing
• Ongoing compliance support and validation

Learn how we can support your accessibility strategy ahead of the 2026 deadline. Visit our website or contact us today.