WCAG 2.1 AA ADA Title II
ADA Web Compliance, built in.
This page is written to be shared. Send it to your IT director, ADA coordinator, or county counsel — it documents how the OpenCivic portal conforms to WCAG 2.1 Level AA, and how that maps to your obligations under the Department of Justice's ADA Title II web accessibility rule.
The rule, in plain English
In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice finalized a rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act: the web content and mobile apps that state and local governments provide must conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA — the internationally recognized accessibility standard. That includes zoning maps, permit lookups, agendas, forms, and payment portals.
It applies whether you build services in-house or provide them through a vendor or contractor — outsourcing a GIS portal doesn't outsource the obligation. That's why the accessibility of the tools you procure now matters as much as your own website.
The rule took effect April 24, 2026. On April 17, 2026 the DOJ issued an interim final rule extending both compliance dates below by one year — the dates shown here are the current ones.
This page is a plain-English summary for planning purposes, not legal advice. For the authoritative text, see the DOJ's final rule, the interim final rule extending these dates, and the small-entity compliance guide at ADA.gov.
What WCAG 2.1 AA actually asks
Fifty testable criteria, organized around four principles. Here's what they mean for a planning department's digital services.
Perceivable
Information can't depend on a single sense. Maps need text alternatives, status colors need labels, and text must hold a 4.5:1 contrast ratio against its background.
Operable
Everything works without a mouse. A resident using only a keyboard — or a switch device — can search a parcel, read results, and submit a form.
Understandable
Pages behave predictably and forms explain their errors. No surprise navigation, no "invalid input" with no clue what to fix.
Robust
Content works with assistive technology — screen readers, magnifiers, voice control — not just the browser it was demoed in.
How OpenCivic helps you comply
- An accessible front door to GIS. Traditional map portals are among the hardest services to make accessible. Our conversational interface gives every resident a text-first path to parcel, zoning, and permit answers — the same information the map shows, readable by screen readers.
- Built to WCAG 2.1 AA. Accessibility is an engineering requirement in our portal — semantic structure, keyboard operability, visible focus, reduced-motion support — not a retrofit.
- Documentation for procurement. We maintain an Accessibility Conformance Report (VPAT® 2.5, WCAG edition) your legal and IT teams can put straight into the contract file — request it below.
- A partner, not just a product. We audit continuously as the product evolves and treat accessibility regressions as bugs, because your compliance obligation doesn't end at go-live — and neither does our work.
Want to learn more?
Tell us where your jurisdiction stands and we'll walk you through what the rule means for your planning and GIS services — no obligation.
Or email us directly at info@opencivic.net
Request our VPAT
A VPAT® (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) is the standard document procurement teams use to evaluate a vendor's accessibility. Ours reports conformance criterion-by-criterion against WCAG 2.1 Level AA — including where we're strong and what we're still improving. We share it on request rather than posting it publicly, so tell us where to send it and a member of our team will get it to you.