Website Accessibility, ADA, and WCAG 2.1 AA

Olive Web Design helps government agencies, public organizations, nonprofits, and businesses improve website accessibility and reduce digital accessibility risk.

What organizations are expected to do

Accessibility obligations depend on the type of organization.

State and local governments

The U.S. Department of Justice has adopted WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical accessibility standard for web content and mobile applications provided or made available by state and local governments. This includes content provided through contractors, vendors, and other third parties. (ada.gov)

The current compliance deadlines are:

State and local governments with populations of 50,000 or more: April 26, 2027
State and local governments with populations under 50,000: April 26, 2028
Special district governments: April 26, 2028

After the applicable deadline, accessibility is an ongoing obligation. It is not a one-time website project. (ada.gov)

Private businesses and public accommodations

Businesses that serve the public, including retailers, restaurants, medical practices, hotels, gyms, theaters, private schools, and nonprofit service providers, must provide people with disabilities an equal opportunity to access their goods and services. The ADA does not establish one universal federal WCAG deadline for every private business. However, the Department of Justice has consistently taken the position that ADA obligations apply to services offered through websites, and inaccessible online features can create barriers to access. (ada.gov)

State laws, industry requirements, contracts, settlement agreements, and specific legal circumstances may create additional obligations or deadlines. Organizations should consult their attorney for legal advice.

The reality of website accessibility

No responsible web agency can honestly promise permanent, perfect, or legally guaranteed ADA compliance.

Accessibility can change whenever:

New pages, images, documents, or videos are added
Forms or interactive features are changed
Staff publish new content
Third-party tools or integrations change
Browsers, assistive technologies, or standards evolve

Automated accessibility tools are valuable, but they are not perfect. They can identify many technical issues, miss problems that require human judgment, and sometimes report false positives.

That is why Olive Web Design does not rely on a scanner alone.

How Olive Web Design reduces accessibility risk

For websites we design, build, or maintain, our process includes:

Building and maintaining to WCAG 2.1 Level AA as our design and development target
Automated server-side scanning for common accessibility issues
Manual review of scan results and potential false positives
Keyboard-navigation checks
Review of headings, landmarks, links, images, forms, and page structure
Accessibility checks when templates, content, or interactive features are updated
Remediation of issues within our control
Documentation of findings, fixes, and known limitations
A public accessibility statement and issue-reporting process

This approach helps organizations demonstrate an active, ongoing, good-faith effort to provide accessible digital services. It also helps identify and address issues before they become larger operational or legal problems.

Shared responsibility

Olive Web Design is responsible for the website work within our agreed scope. The organization remains responsible for its legal obligations, staff-uploaded content, documents, videos, third-party platforms, and providing effective communication or alternative access when necessary.

We cannot eliminate accessibility risk. We can provide a documented, repeatable system for building, testing, monitoring, reviewing, and improving website accessibility over time.

Request an accessibility review

If you are concerned about your website’s accessibility, Olive Web Design can review your current site, identify priority issues, and recommend a practical remediation and monitoring plan.

Request an Accessibility Review

This page provides general information and is not legal advice or a legal certification of ADA compliance. Organizations should consult qualified legal counsel regarding their specific obligations.