government accessibility services

Government Accessibility Consulting for Public Sector Websites

State and local governments must meet WCAG 2.1 AA for websites and mobile apps under the ADA Title II rule by April 26, 2027 (50,000+ population) or April 26, 2028 (smaller entities and special districts). HalfAccessible audits and remediates public-sector sites, portals, forms, PDFs and apps, with Section 508 and VPAT support. Starting a project? Book a free 30-minute call. Need technical answers now? Book the $100 one-hour consultation.

start $500 quick audit book a free 30-min call
Start $500 Quick Audit Book A Free 30-Minute Call $100 Technical Consultation View Audit Pricing Sample Audit Report
Government Accessibility

Why Government Accessibility Matters

Government accessibility is part of public service delivery: residents use your websites, portals, forms and documents to pay taxes, apply for benefits, renew licenses, read public notices and take part in local decisions. For U.S. state and local governments, the DOJ ADA Title II web and mobile rule sets WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the standard, and the April 2026 interim final rule moved the compliance dates to April 26, 2027 and April 26, 2028. Federal agencies and many of their vendors follow Section 508.

HalfAccessible provides public sector accessibility services for agencies, municipalities, public institutions and government vendors: government accessibility consulting, WCAG 2.2 audits, Section 508 support, remediation, government PDF accessibility, VPAT reviews and screen reader testing with NVDA. Audits are founder-led by Mohammad Shadab Saifi (IAAP CPACC, WAS and CPWA) with 10+ years of accessibility work. See published audit pricing, start a $500 Quick Audit, or book a consultation.

ADA Title II Web Rule at a Glance

Get Started

Choose Your Next Step

Still scoping your program or need a quote? Start with the free call. Already have findings, a VPAT or a live issue to review? Book the technical hour.

  • Free

    Free 30-Minute Call

    Best for: agencies and vendors starting a Title II or Section 508 project

    Tell us your population size, deadline and which sites, portals or documents are in scope. We explain the options and send a quote. No technical prep needed.

    Book a free 30-minute call
  • $100

    One-Hour Technical Consultation

    Best for: IT teams and vendors who need technical answers now

    Walk through an existing audit or VPAT, talk directly with your developers or review a form, portal or PDF issue live, with a written summary within 24 hours.

    Book the $100 consultation
  • $500

    Quick Accessibility Audit

    Best for: one website or portal you need to check first

    Manual WCAG 2.2 review of up to 5 representative templates with automated checks and a top-10 issues report.

    Start a $500 Quick Audit
  • Quote

    Government Audit Request

    Best for: multi-site programs, RFPs and procurement

    Send your websites, portals, apps, documents and deadlines through the public sector intake form for a scoped proposal against WCAG 2.1 AA or Section 508.

    Request a government audit
WCAG 2.2 Specialists
Section 508 Expertise
Manual + Automated Testing
Screen Reader Validation
PDF Accessibility
VPAT & Procurement Support
Public Sector Programs

How We Deliver Government Accessibility Consulting

Title II and Section 508 deadlines, citizen portals and forms, public PDFs tested with NVDA, VPAT support for procurement, and how agencies get started.

ADA Title II Web and Mobile Deadlines

The DOJ ADA Title II web and mobile rule sets WCAG 2.1 Level AA for state and local government websites and apps. An April 2026 interim final rule moved the dates to April 26, 2027 (populations of 50,000 or more) and April 26, 2028 (smaller entities and special districts).

  • Standard: WCAG 2.1 AA is the legal floor; we also audit to WCAG 2.2 AA so new focus, authentication and help criteria are covered.
  • Who it covers: state and local agencies, special districts, public schools and universities, libraries, transit, courts and public hospitals.
  • Contractors count: content a government provides through vendors still has to meet the rule.
  • Exceptions: five limited exceptions (archived content, some preexisting documents, some third-party posts, password-protected individualized documents, preexisting social posts) — current service content still needs an accessible path.
Read the Title II deadline guide

Section 508 for Federal Agencies and Vendors

Section 508 requires federal agencies — and many vendors selling to them — to make ICT accessible. The Revised 508 Standards incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level AA. We map findings to both 508 and WCAG 2.2 AA so procurement packages stay usable. Start with the ADA and Section 508 audit or a government audit request.

  • Federal sites and apps: manual WCAG testing plus keyboard and screen reader checks.
  • Vendor ICT: portals, SaaS tools and documents sold into federal contracts.
  • VPAT/ACR: we help produce or review Accessibility Conformance Reports for RFP responses.
  • Start here: the ADA and Section 508 audit service or a government audit request.
Section 508 testing guide

Citizen Portals, Forms and Service Journeys

Residents use government sites to apply for benefits, renew licenses, pay taxes, request records and book appointments. We test whole journeys — not only home pages — so keyboard and screen reader users can finish the same tasks. Scope options: $500 Quick Audit (up to 5 templates) or the $2,000 Complete Audit (up to 25) on pricing.

  • We check: login, multi-step forms, file upload, payments, status tracking, search and department navigation.
  • Common failures: missing labels, focus traps in modals, errors that are colour-only, unreachable CAPTCHA, broken skip links.
  • Typical fix: semantic labels, visible focus, status messages (WCAG 4.1.3), and keyboard-operable widgets.
  • Scope: a $500 Quick Audit covers up to 5 templates; the $2,000 Complete Audit covers up to 25.
Accessibility audit services

Government PDF Accessibility (NVDA Verified)

Agendas, budgets, policies, election notices and application PDFs are often where public services fail. We remediate to PDF/UA and verify every file with NVDA and a keyboard, not only an automated checker. Batch quotes: PDF document remediation.

  • We check: tags, reading order, headings, table headers, form fields, alt text and language.
  • Common failures: image-only scans, untagged tables, broken form fields.
  • Typical fix: PDF/UA tagging and NVDA retest before publish.
  • Volume: batch quotes for large document libraries via PDF document remediation.
PDF document remediation

VPAT, ACR and Procurement Support

Agencies buying software and vendors bidding on public contracts need current Accessibility Conformance Reports. We write and review VPAT/ACR packages mapped to WCAG, Section 508 and EN 301 549 editions. Next: VPAT and ACR documentation or a VPAT quote request.

  • We check: claim accuracy against a fresh manual audit, not a scan-only score.
  • Common failures: outdated VPATs, Partially Supports claims without remarks, missing WCAG 2.2 rows.
  • Typical fix: re-test the product, update the ACR, and document known limitations honestly.
  • Next step: VPAT and ACR documentation or a VPAT quote request.
VPAT and ACR documentation

How Agencies Get Started

Not sure which sites or documents are in scope? Start with a free 30-minute call. Already have findings or a live portal issue? Book the $100 one-hour technical consultation. Multi-site or RFP work: use the government accessibility audit request form. A free scan at AccessibilityScore.in is a starting point that complements a manual audit.

  • Exploring or need a quote: book a free 30-minute call — best for first discussions and scoping.
  • Technical answers now: the $100 one-hour consultation for audit walkthroughs, developer calls or live issue review.
  • Fixed packages: $500 Quick Audit or $2,000 Complete Audit on pricing.
  • Multi-site / RFP: use the government accessibility audit request form.
Request a government audit
Public Sector Organizations

Government Organizations We Audit for Accessibility

We run WCAG audits for local governments, counties, state agencies, federal teams, public schools and the vendors who serve them, then help your team fix what we find.

Diagram: tiles for a government building, a keyboard and a PDF connect to a browser window labelled Portal, showing a navy header, a form whose middle field has a green focus ring, a submit button with a visible focus outline and a public document beside it. Dashed lines lead to a headphones tile and a navy checklist with three green ticks, showing portals, forms and documents tested with a keyboard and screen readers.

  • Local Governments and Municipalities

    City and town websites on WordPress and other CMSs, council agendas and minutes, permits, public notices and online payments, tested against WCAG 2.1 AA for your Title II date.

  • County Governments

    Property records, permit and court portals, public health updates, election information and payment forms that residents depend on every day.

  • State Agencies

    Benefits applications, licensing, tax services and dashboards, including vendor tools embedded in your site, which the Title II rule still covers.

  • Federal Agencies

    Section 508 testing of public websites, applications and documents against the Revised 508 Standards, which incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level AA.

  • Public Universities and Schools

    Student portals, learning systems, admissions forms and documents for public colleges, universities and school districts, all covered by Title II.

  • Government Contractors and Vendors

    Testing, VPAT and ACR reports and code fixes for vendors, since Title II also covers web content and apps a contractor provides for a government.

Request A Government AuditBook A Free 30-Minute Call

More Public Sector Organizations We Support

Public Healthcare Organizations

Public healthcare organizations need accessible patient information, portals, forms, location content, emergency notices, documents, and service scheduling.

  • Patient information
  • Forms
  • Emergency notices
  • Scheduling

Public Libraries

Libraries need accessible catalogs, events, calendars, account flows, digital resources, documents, location pages, and public service information.

  • Catalogs
  • Events
  • Digital resources
  • Account flows

Transportation Authorities

Transportation agencies need accessible route information, transit maps, alerts, trip planning, schedules, fares, service changes, and mobile experiences.

  • Route information
  • Transit maps
  • Alerts
  • Trip planning

Utility Providers

Public utilities need accessible billing, outage maps, payment systems, service requests, forms, notifications, account portals, and emergency updates.

  • Billing
  • Outage maps
  • Payments
  • Service requests

Public Institutions

Museums, commissions, authorities, boards, and public service organizations need accessible websites, documents, calendars, media, and public participation tools.

  • Calendars
  • Media
  • Participation tools
  • Documents

Public Safety and Emergency Services

Emergency services need accessible alerts, warnings, maps, public notices, instructions, contact information, and status updates that work across devices and assistive technologies.

  • Alerts
  • Emergency maps
  • Public notices
  • Status updates
Government Accessibility Services

Accessibility Services for Government

Our services cover WCAG audits, Section 508 consulting, remediation, PDF accessibility, VPAT documentation, procurement support, accessibility training, and long-term governance.

WCAG Accessibility Audit

We audit public sector websites, citizen portals, online applications, forms, PDFs, mobile apps, intranets, procurement portals, and service workflows against WCAG 2.2 AA. Testing includes automated testing, manual testing, screen reader testing, keyboard testing, and user journey review.

  • Citizen portals
  • Online applications
  • Multi-step forms
  • Search and navigation
  • Keyboard and screen reader testing

Section 508 and Public Sector Consulting

Section 508 applies to U.S. federal agencies and many vendors supplying digital products or services to them. Its Revised Standards incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level AA. We support accessibility roadmaps, procurement readiness, policy guidance, vendor reviews, documentation, and governance planning.

  • Section 508 mapping
  • Title II WCAG 2.1 AA
  • Procurement readiness
  • Vendor ICT review
  • Policy and governance

Accessibility Remediation

We support remediation for React, Angular, Next.js, ASP.NET, Drupal, WordPress, SharePoint, and custom government platforms. We help teams fix forms, dialogs, tables, maps, PDFs, navigation, focus management, ARIA, headings, and component patterns.

  • Portal fixes
  • Form repairs
  • Focus and ARIA
  • Retest included
  • Developer support

PDF Accessibility

We remediate government forms, annual reports, policies, regulations, budget reports, procurement documents, meeting agendas, notices, election documents, public records, and downloadable resources.

  • Agendas and minutes
  • Budgets and reports
  • Application PDFs
  • NVDA verification
  • PDF/UA tagging

VPAT and Accessibility Documentation

We provide VPATs, Accessibility Conformance Reports, accessibility statements, issue summaries, remediation documentation, and support for software procurement, vendor evaluation, and public-sector accessibility review.

  • VPAT/ACR drafts
  • Section 508 edition
  • WCAG edition
  • Remarks and evidence
  • RFP support

Accessibility Consulting

We provide accessibility strategy, governance, design reviews, developer support, accessibility training, QA support, document workflow guidance, procurement language, and ongoing accessibility partnership.

  • Program scoping
  • Deadline planning
  • Training workshops
  • Monitoring setup
  • Free 30-min call first
Public Sector Standards

WCAG, Section 508 and Accessibility Documentation

We help agencies and vendors align with WCAG, Section 508, PDF/UA, VPAT/ACR documentation, ADA context, and public-sector accessibility expectations.

WCAG 2.2 AA

Our recommended audit target for government websites, portals, forms, and applications. It includes every WCAG 2.1 AA criterion, so it covers the ADA Title II legal standard (WCAG 2.1 AA) and the Section 508 baseline (WCAG 2.0 AA).

Section 508

U.S. federal accessibility requirement for agencies and many vendors serving them. The Revised Section 508 Standards incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level AA.

ADA and Public Services

The DOJ ADA Title II rule requires state and local government websites and mobile apps to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA by April 26, 2027 (populations of 50,000 or more) or April 26, 2028 (smaller entities and special districts).

EN 301 549 and EAA

For vendors selling into EU markets: the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) and the EN 301 549 standard, while EU public-sector bodies follow the Web Accessibility Directive. These are separate from US Title II and Section 508 rules.

PDF/UA

PDF/UA (ISO 14289) is the standard for accessible tagged PDFs. We test public documents, forms, budgets, agendas, notices and procurement files with PAC and the NVDA screen reader against PDF/UA and WCAG 2.2 AA, which covers the WCAG 2.1 AA level the Title II rule applies to documents.

VPAT / ACR

A VPAT is the Information Technology Industry Council template vendors use to report accessibility conformance, and the completed report is an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR). Its Section 508, EU (EN 301 549), WCAG and International editions let agencies compare vendors during procurement.

Government Digital Services

Government Digital Services We Audit

Websites, citizen portals, forms, payments, procurement, intranets, mobile apps and public documents — the surfaces residents and staff use every day.

  • Government Websites
  • Citizen Portals
  • Online Applications
  • Permit and Licensing Systems
  • Tax and Payment Portals
  • Procurement Portals
  • Employee Intranets
  • Mobile Apps
  • Digital Forms
  • Maps and GIS
  • Public Meeting Platforms
  • Public Documents and PDFs
Government Accessibility Issues

Common Accessibility Issues in Government Websites

The largest public-sector accessibility risks often appear in citizen service portals, online forms, PDFs, procurement portals, maps, search, navigation, emergency alerts, meetings, and governance.

Citizen Service Portals

Citizen portals handle benefits, permits, taxes, records and account dashboards — often the highest-stakes public journeys.

We check: login, dashboards, requests, notifications, messaging and multi-step transactions.

Common failures: unlabeled inputs, focus traps, status updates that are not announced.

Typical fix: semantic forms, visible focus and WCAG 4.1.3 status messages.

Online Government Forms

Permit, license, tax, benefit and public-comment forms must work with keyboard and screen readers end to end.

We check: labels, errors, required fields, file upload and review steps.

Common failures: missing labels, colour-only errors, inaccessible CAPTCHA.

Typical fix: programmatic labels, clear errors and accessible alternatives for challenges.

Public Documents and PDFs

Policies, budgets, agendas and election PDFs are a major Title II and Section 508 gap.

We check: tags, reading order, tables, forms and alt text; verify with NVDA.

Common failures: image-only scans, untagged tables, broken form fields.

Typical fix: PDF/UA tagging and NVDA retest before publish.

Procurement Portals

Vendor registration, bid upload and contract downloads must be usable by keyboard and AT users.

We check: registration, uploads, downloads, messaging and deadlines.

Common failures: file inputs without names, timed sessions without warnings.

Typical fix: accessible uploads, timing adjustable (2.2.1) and clear status.

Interactive Maps

Property, transit, emergency and polling maps need keyboard paths and text alternatives.

We check: keyboard navigation, labels, popups and alternate text lists.

Common failures: mouse-only markers, unlabeled controls, info only in the map image.

Typical fix: operable controls plus a text or table alternative for critical data.

Search and Navigation

Mega menus, directories and site search help residents find services across large agency sites.

We check: menus, search, breadcrumbs, language switchers and deep IA.

Common failures: flyouts that ignore Escape, skip links that fail, search results without headings.

Typical fix: keyboard menus, working skip links and structured results.

Emergency Alerts

Alerts must reach everyone — including screen reader and keyboard users — during incidents.

We check: live announcements, focus, colour independence and persistent access.

Common failures: alerts only as colour banners, no ARIA live region, dismissed with no recovery.

Typical fix: ARIA live regions, text plus icon, and an accessible archive of alerts.

Public Meetings and Media

Live streams, captions, agendas and minutes are core civic access.

We check: captions, transcripts, calendars, downloads and comment tools.

Common failures: uncaptioned video, inaccessible PDF agendas, chat that is mouse-only.

Typical fix: captions/transcripts, tagged agendas and keyboard-operable comment UI.

Citizen Services Accessibility

Benefits, licensing, taxes, permits, voter services and payments must be completable independently.

We check: full service journeys from landing page to confirmation.

Common failures: broken steps mid-flow, PDF-only instructions, phone-only fallbacks.

Typical fix: accessible HTML paths for every required step, with PDFs as supplements.

Accessibility Governance Framework

Title II and Section 508 need policy, procurement, training and monitoring — not a one-off audit.

We check: current policy, vendor requirements, design review and release checks.

Common failures: no owner, outdated VPATs, no retest after launches.

Typical fix: assign ownership, require ACRs in RFPs and schedule monitoring.

Testing Process

Our Accessibility Testing Process

  1. 01

    Scope Public Service Journeys

    Start with a $500 Quick Audit or book a consultation. We map priority journeys: service discovery, benefits and permit forms, payments, portals, notices and public meetings.

  2. 02

    Automated Scan

    Automated checks map templates, components and embedded vendor tools such as payment, scheduling and map widgets, which Title II still treats as your responsibility.

  3. 03

    Manual WCAG 2.2 AA Audit

    We manually test against WCAG 2.2 AA and map results to WCAG 2.1 AA for the DOJ Title II rule and WCAG 2.0 AA for Section 508.

  4. 04

    Screen Reader and Document Testing

    Specialists verify journeys with keyboard, zoom, NVDA, JAWS and VoiceOver, and test current PDFs, forms and public notices with NVDA.

  5. 05

    Compliance-Mapped Report

    Findings cite WCAG, Section 508 and, for EU-facing services, EN 301 549, with user impact, affected templates, reproduction steps and fix guidance.

  6. 06

    Remediation and Retesting

    Your team or vendors fix with our guidance, or we remediate hands-on. We then retest every fix to confirm barriers are resolved without regressions.

  7. 07

    Compliance Validation

    We document progress toward the April 26, 2027 or April 26, 2028 Title II compliance date for accessibility statements, VPATs and procurement reviews.

Validation, Benefits and Expertise

Why Choose HalfAccessible

Title II & Section 508 Ready

We align audits to WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA used by the ADA Title II rule and to Section 508 expectations for federal and vendor teams.

Manual + Assistive Technology Testing

We combine automated checks with keyboard, zoom, and screen reader testing — including NVDA — on real citizen journeys.

Developer-Friendly Findings

Reports show how to reproduce and fix barriers so agency IT, vendors, and contractors can remediate efficiently.

Sample Audit Report

See how we document issues, severity, and next steps before you buy — review our sample accessibility audit report.

Proven Public-Sector Case Work

Explore case studies covering WCAG audits, VPATs, remediation programs, and multi-phase accessibility engagements.

PDF, Portal & Procurement Support

We remediate public PDFs, audit citizen portals and forms, and support VPAT/ACR documentation for procurement.

Clear Published Pricing

Quick Audit, Complete Audit, and consultation packages are published on our pricing page — no invented or hidden fees.

Governance That Lasts

Beyond one-off fixes, we help build monitoring, training, and procurement practices so accessibility stays durable.

Founder-Led, IAAP-Certified Audits

Audits are led by Mohammad Shadab Saifi, IAAP certified (CPACC, WAS, CPWA) and a DHS Section 508 Trusted Tester, previously at Deque Software and Pivotal Accessibility, with 10+ years of audits, remediation and accessible development.

Keep Exploring

Use these resources and related industry hubs to strengthen accessibility across public services, procurement, documents, portals, and connected digital systems.

Related Resources

Related Industries

Need a Government Accessibility Audit?

Send your agency website, portal, forms or documents through our government accessibility audit request form and we follow up with a scoped proposal against WCAG 2.1 AA for Title II or Section 508. Prefer a fixed package? The Quick Audit is $500 and the Complete Audit is $2,000. Still scoping or need a quote? Book a free 30-minute call. Teams that need technical answers now can book the $100 one-hour consultation.

Request a Government Audit Book a Free 30-Minute Call

get in touch

Know where you stand. Know what to work on next.

Tell us what you’re working on and where you need support. Our accessibility specialists can help with audits, remediation, VPAT/ACR, accessible development, and ongoing compliance.

Free 30-minute consultation (opens in new tab)

Free 30-minute call: talk through where you stand, scope a project or get a quote.

Need technical answers now? Book the $100 one-hour consultation to walk through an audit, talk with a developer or review your site live.

Let’s find the barriers before your users do

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Public Sector Focus

Government Accessibility Programs We Support

Explore how we support Title II and Section 508 programs across consulting, forms, audits, documents and citizen portals. Start with a free 30-minute call, a $500 Quick Audit, a $100 technical consultation, or the government accessibility audit request form.

Government Accessibility Consulting for Title II and Section 508 Programs

Government accessibility consulting turns a compliance date into a plan your departments and vendors can follow. We start with an inventory of your websites, mobile apps, portals, documents and embedded vendor tools, then check which content falls under the five Title II exceptions (archived web content, preexisting conventional electronic documents, content posted by unrelated third parties, individualized password-protected documents and preexisting social media posts) and which does not. From there we build a prioritised roadmap to your April 26, 2027 or April 26, 2028 compliance date, write accessibility requirements into RFPs and vendor contracts, review supplier VPATs, train content editors and developers, and set up an accessibility statement and feedback route so residents can report barriers. Consulting starts with a $100 one-hour consultation (/book-a-consultation/) or a free accessibility needs assessment (/accessibility-needs-assessment/); see our accessibility consultation (/service/accessibility-consultation/) service for the full scope.

Section 508 and WCAG-Compliant Forms for Public Services

Forms are where residents apply for benefits, renew licenses, pay fees, request records and comment on public decisions, and they are where government accessibility audits find many of the most serious barriers. A form that meets Section 508 (WCAG 2.0 AA) and the Title II rule (WCAG 2.1 AA) needs visible labels and instructions tied to each field (success criteria 1.3.1 and 3.3.2), errors that are identified in text and explained with a suggested fix (3.3.1 and 3.3.3), a review or undo step before legal or financial submissions (3.3.4), session timeouts users can extend (2.2.1), autocomplete on personal details (1.3.5, added in WCAG 2.1) and controls that announce their name, role and state to screen readers (4.1.2). WCAG 2.2 (https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/new-in-22/) adds Redundant Entry (3.3.7), so multi-step applications do not ask for the same information twice, and Accessible Authentication (3.3.8), so sign-in does not depend on remembering or retyping a code or solving a puzzle unless users can paste, use a password manager or choose another method. When several agencies share one form builder or design system, we fix the shared component once so every agency form improves together. A fillable PDF application that residents still use is not covered by the preexisting-document exception, so it has to be accessible too.

WCAG Audits for Local Governments, Counties and Special Districts

Cities, counties, towns, school districts, public transit agencies, public libraries, publicly run utilities and special district governments are all covered by ADA Title II. Your compliance date depends on population: April 26, 2027 for a state or local government with 50,000 or more people, and April 26, 2028 for smaller governments and every special district government. Most governments use 2020 U.S. Census figures, and a department such as a city police department or library uses the population of the government that runs it (ADA.gov fact sheet (https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/)). Our WCAG audits for local governments test the content residents use most: the homepage and navigation, service and payment pages, permit, license and records request forms, meeting agendas and minutes, emergency and service alerts, and the calendars, maps, scheduling and payment tools your vendors supply, which Title II treats as your responsibility once you post them. A $500 Quick Audit covers up to 5 page templates with a top-10 issues report, and the $2,000 Complete Audit covers up to 25 templates or key user flows with full manual testing and a re-test of fixed issues. Multi-department programs can use our government accessibility audit request (/government-accessibility-audit-request/) form.

Accessible Documents in the Public Sector

Public bodies publish thousands of PDFs, Word files, slide decks and spreadsheets, so documents need a plan of their own. Under the Title II rule, documents posted before your compliance date can be exempt as preexisting conventional electronic documents, but not if residents still use them to apply for, access or take part in a service, such as a license application or benefits form. Anything posted or updated after the compliance date, including new agendas, minutes, budgets and notices, must meet WCAG 2.1 AA. Older content counts as archived only if it was created before the compliance date, is kept only for reference, research or recordkeeping in a dedicated archive area and has not been changed since. Even exempt content usually has to be provided in an accessible format when someone asks for it. We remediate and test documents against PDF/UA (ISO 14289) and WCAG 2.2 AA with PAC and the NVDA screen reader, and fix the Word and InDesign templates behind them so new documents start accessible. See PDF document remediation (/service/pdf-document-remediation/) and document accessibility testing (/document-accessibility-testing/).

Accessible Portals for Benefits, Licensing and Immigration Services

Citizen portals combine sign-in, identity checks, long applications, file uploads, payments, status tracking and secure messages, which makes them some of the most complex public services to test. Portals run by federal agencies, such as immigration, tax and benefits services, follow Section 508. Portals run by states, counties and cities follow ADA Title II. Vendors that build or host either kind need test evidence, usually a VPAT or Accessibility Conformance Report, to win and keep the contract. We test each user role and journey end to end with a keyboard, 200% and 400% zoom, NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver and TalkBack, including the signed-in steps automated scanners cannot reach, and hand your team or vendor developer-ready fixes. See our ADA and Section 508 accessibility audit (/service/ada-section-508-accessibility-audit/) and VPAT and ACR documentation (/service/vpat-acr-documentation/).

Government Accessibility FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about government website accessibility, government accessibility consulting, ADA Title II deadlines and exceptions, Section 508, accessible government forms, WCAG audits for local governments, vendor tools, portals, PDFs, VPATs and pricing.

What is government website accessibility?

Government website accessibility means residents, visitors, staff, and vendors can use public-sector websites, portals, forms, documents, mobile apps, and digital services with assistive technology, keyboard navigation, zoom, captions, and accessible content. For state and local governments, the ADA Title II rule covers web content and mobile apps, with compliance dates of April 26, 2027 (50,000+ population) or April 26, 2028 (smaller entities and special districts). Start with a $500 Quick Audit or book a consultation.

What are the ADA Title II web accessibility deadlines?

Under the DOJ Title II rule (as extended by the April 2026 interim final rule), state and local government entities with a total population of 50,000 or more must meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA by April 26, 2027. Entities with fewer than 50,000 people and special district governments must comply by April 26, 2028. See the ADA.gov fact sheet and our Title II deadline guide.

What is Section 508 and how does it differ from Title II?

Section 508 is a U.S. federal accessibility requirement for federal agencies and many vendors supplying digital products or services to them. The Revised Section 508 Standards incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA. The DOJ ADA Title II rule for state and local governments uses WCAG 2.1 Level AA. We audit to WCAG 2.2 AA, which covers both baselines. Learn more on our Section 508 audit page.

How much does a government accessibility audit cost?

Our packages are published on the pricing page: a $100 one-hour technical consultation (audit walkthrough, developer Q&A or live issue review), a $500 Quick Audit of up to 5 page templates, and a $2,000 Complete Audit of up to 25 templates or key user flows with full manual testing and a re-test of fixed issues. Larger programs covering several websites, portals, mobile apps, documents or VPAT work are quoted after a free accessibility needs assessment or a government accessibility audit request, so you see a fixed price before work starts. Start a Quick Audit or book a free 30-minute call to get a quote.

Can you audit government portals, forms, and mobile apps?

Yes. We audit citizen portals, service portals, tax and procurement portals, multi-step application forms, employee intranets, and public-sector mobile apps (iOS and Android), including keyboard access, labels, focus order, timeouts, and screen reader behavior. Preview our approach in the sample audit report.

Do you provide VPATs and procurement support?

Yes. We prepare VPATs / Accessibility Conformance Reports and support accessibility requirements in RFPs, vendor evaluation, and procurement readiness for agencies and contractors. Request documentation support via our VPAT / ACR service or VPAT quote request.

Can you make government PDFs accessible?

Yes. We remediate government forms, annual reports, policies, regulations, budget reports, procurement documents, meeting agendas, notices, election materials, and public records so they work with assistive technology. Pair PDF work with a site accessibility audit when portals and documents both need attention.

Do you remediate accessibility issues after the audit?

Yes. Our accessibility remediation service helps agency IT teams and vendors fix barriers in React, Angular, Next.js, ASP.NET, Drupal, WordPress, SharePoint, and custom stacks, then retest so regressions are caught early.

Which screen readers do you use for government testing?

We test with NVDA, JAWS and VoiceOver on desktop, VoiceOver on iOS and TalkBack on Android, plus keyboard-only navigation and 200% and 400% zoom. NVDA is the screen reader we use for PDF testing. Findings are written so agency IT teams and vendors can reproduce and fix each barrier.

What does government accessibility consulting include?

Government accessibility consulting covers an inventory of your websites, apps, portals and documents, a check of which content the Title II exceptions cover, a prioritised roadmap to your compliance date, accessibility clauses for RFPs and vendor contracts, VPAT reviews, staff training and an accessibility statement with a feedback route for residents. It can start with a free 30-minute call to understand where your program stands, or a $100 one-hour technical consultation with founder Mohammad Shadab Saifi (IAAP CPACC, WAS and CPWA), followed by a written summary within 24 hours. See accessibility consultation for the full scope.

How do you make government forms Section 508 and WCAG compliant?

We test every field, error message, timeout and submit step with a keyboard and screen readers against WCAG 2.2 AA, which covers both Section 508 (WCAG 2.0 AA) and Title II (WCAG 2.1 AA). The usual fixes are visible labels linked to inputs, text error messages with suggested corrections, a review step before legal or financial submissions, extendable timeouts, autocomplete on personal details and sign-in steps that do not rely on puzzles or retyping codes. When agencies share a form builder, we fix the shared components so every form benefits. Start with a $500 Quick Audit of your busiest forms.

Do you do WCAG audits for local governments and special districts?

Yes. We audit city, county, town, school district, library, transit and special district websites, apps and documents against WCAG 2.1 AA for Title II and report them against WCAG 2.2 AA. Governments with 50,000 or more people must comply by April 26, 2027, and smaller governments and all special district governments by April 26, 2028, based in most cases on 2020 Census population (ADA.gov fact sheet). Send your URL through the government accessibility audit request form for a scoped proposal.

Which content is exempt under the ADA Title II web rule?

The rule has five exceptions: archived web content, preexisting conventional electronic documents, content posted by third parties who are not acting for the government, individualized password-protected documents and preexisting social media posts. Each comes with conditions. An old PDF application that residents still use to apply for a service is not exempt, for example, and content created after your compliance date cannot count as archived. The government usually still has to provide exempt content in an accessible format when someone asks. We map your content against each exception during scoping; see our Title II deadline guide.

Does ADA Title II cover vendor tools and contractor content?

Yes. Content a vendor or contractor posts for a state or local government, and third-party tools the government adds to its site, such as calendars, scheduling, maps, reservations and payment systems, generally must meet WCAG 2.1 AA. The same applies to a mobile app a private company runs for the government, like a parking payment app. Only content posted by unrelated members of the public, such as comments on a message board, is exempt. Ask vendors for a current VPAT or ACR and include their tools in your audit.

Does Section 508 apply to state and local governments?

Section 508 itself applies to federal agencies when they develop, buy, maintain or use information and communication technology, and federal buyers pass its requirements on to vendors through procurement. State and local governments follow ADA Title II and its WCAG 2.1 AA standard, and some states also have their own IT accessibility laws or policies that reference Section 508 or WCAG, so we check your state’s policy during scoping. A WCAG 2.2 AA audit covers both baselines. See Section 508 testing and our ADA and Section 508 audit.

How do we get started on a Title II or Section 508 program?

Most teams start with a free 30-minute call to map population deadlines and scope, a $100 technical consultation when IT staff or vendors need hands-on answers, a $500 Quick Audit for a focused property, or a Complete Audit for broader programs. Dedicated public-sector intake is also available on our government accessibility audit request page. Related reading: Title II deadlines and case studies.

Should our agency book the free 30-minute call or the $100 consultation?

Book the free 30-minute call if this is your first conversation with us. We learn which websites, portals, apps and documents you run, your population size and Title II compliance date (or your Section 508 obligations), then recommend a package or send a quote. It is the right first step for most agencies and vendors. Book the $100 one-hour consultation when you need a hands-on technical session now, for example walking through an existing audit or VPAT, talking with your developers or vendor about specific fixes, or reviewing a form, portal or PDF issue live.

Who leads your government accessibility audits?

Every government audit is led by founder Mohammad Shadab Saifi, who holds the IAAP CPACC, WAS and CPWA certifications, is a DHS Section 508 Trusted Tester and has 10+ years of accessibility audits, remediation and accessible development, including work at Deque Software and Pivotal Accessibility. He scopes the work, tests key journeys by hand with NVDA, keyboard and zoom, and reviews every finding before the report reaches your team. Read the founder profile or check the format first in our sample audit report.

Can you review a vendor's portal or software before we buy or renew it?

Yes. Under the ADA Title II rule, content that a vendor or contractor posts for a state or local government, and tools such as calendars, maps, payment and reservation systems that the government adds to its site, usually still need to meet WCAG 2.1 AA. We can review the vendor’s VPAT or Accessibility Conformance Report, test a demo or staging version of the portal against WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA, and suggest accessibility clauses for your RFP or contract renewal. See VPAT and ACR documentation, or send the details through the government accessibility audit request form.