Resources for Municipal and County Record-Keepers
Local governments across the United States are beginning to review digital accessibility requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II.
In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published a rule addressing the accessibility of state and local government digital services, including websites and mobile applications.
Many municipal and county clerk offices maintain documents that are published on government websites. As a result, clerks are often involved in conversations about how meeting materials and public records are presented online.
This article shares authoritative resources that local governments are reviewing as they prepare for the rule’s compliance timelines.
ClerkBase provides information and resources to support local government operations. This article is informational only and is not legal advice.
The Rule and Official Guidance
The Department of Justice rule is published in the Code of Federal Regulations under Title II of the ADA.
You can read the rule and supporting materials here:
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DOJ ADA Title II Final Rule (2024)
https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/ -
Federal Register publication of the rule
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/24/2024-07745/nondiscrimination-on-the-basis-of-disability-accessibility-of-web-information-and-services-of-state
The regulation references the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA as the technical accessibility standard used for compliance.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are maintained by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
Technical guidance on WCAG is available here:
https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
Compliance Timelines
The Department of Justice rule establishes phased compliance timelines based on population served.
The DOJ summary of the rule explains the deadlines here:
According to DOJ guidance:
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State and local governments serving 50,000 or more residents must comply by April 24, 2026.
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Governments serving fewer than 50,000 residents must comply by April 26, 2027.
Local governments often review the DOJ materials directly or consult their legal counsel when determining how these timelines apply to their operations.
Why Clerk Offices Are Part of the Conversation
Municipal and county clerk offices frequently manage records that appear on government websites, including:
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meeting agendas
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meeting packets
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minutes
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ordinances and resolutions
Because these documents are commonly published online, many local governments are reviewing how their document workflows interact with accessibility standards.
Organizations that support local government professionals have begun publishing guidance on this topic, including:
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National Association of Counties
https://www.naco.org/resource/naco-tech-brief-digital-accessibility-ada-compliance-guide -
National League of Cities
https://www.nlc.org/article/2026/02/18/is-your-city-ready-for-website-accessibility-requirements/ -
International City/County Management Association
https://icma.org/blog-posts/countdown-compliance
These organizations regularly publish guidance for local government practitioners and may be helpful starting points for further research.
Questions Local Governments Are Exploring
As governments review the DOJ rule, common operational questions include:
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Which documents on government websites fall within the scope of the rule
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How accessibility standards apply to newly published materials
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How older or archived records are handled
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How accessibility interacts with records retention schedules
Because these questions can depend on local practices and state law, many governments are reviewing the rule alongside their records management authorities, legal counsel, and IT departments.
Records Retention and Accessibility
Records retention requirements for local governments are generally established by state statutes and records management schedules.
Accessibility standards and retention requirements serve different purposes:
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Records retention schedules determine how long records must be preserved.
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Accessibility standards address how information is made available to the public when it is provided digitally.
State records management offices often provide guidance on retention schedules. Clerks may find their state archives or records administration office to be a useful resource when reviewing these topics.
Reviewing Current Publishing Practices
As local governments review the rule and related guidance, many are evaluating how documents are created and posted online.
Common areas of review include:
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document templates used for agendas and minutes
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how PDFs are generated
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whether document structure is preserved when files are converted
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how archived records are organized on municipal websites
Accessibility guidance published by the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative includes practical explanations of accessible document practices:
A Practical Starting Point
The DOJ compliance timeline provides several years for governments to review their digital content and publishing workflows.
For many clerk offices, the first step is simply becoming familiar with the rule and the resources available from the organizations listed above.
Clerks already manage many of the records that help residents understand how local government works. The same attention to clarity and organization that supports public transparency can also support digital accessibility.