What this ADA compliance checker tests
The scan has two parts. First, Google PageSpeed Insights loads the page in a real Chrome browser and runs the accessibility audit from Lighthouse, which uses axe-core, the most widely used accessibility rule engine. It checks color contrast, image alt text, form labels, link and button names, heading order, page language, ARIA attributes, tables and more, and it points to the exact elements that fail. Each problem is mapped to the WCAG 2.1 success criterion it breaks, so your web team knows what standard it falls under.
Second, the checker reads the page itself and looks for the things that matter most on government websites and that general-purpose scanners skip: linked PDFs and Office documents (and whether a sample of those PDFs is tagged for screen readers), an accessibility statement with a way to report problems, embedded videos and maps, vague link text such as "click here", autoplaying media, zoom blocking, and accessibility overlay widgets.
Choose Key pages to scan the homepage plus up to seven of the pages it links to that residents rely on most, such as agendas and minutes, bill pay, permits and contact. The site report shows which problems repeat across pages, since those usually live in the template and take one fix, along with every document found and a full report for each page.
ADA Title II deadlines for cities and towns
In 2024 the Department of Justice adopted a rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act that sets WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the standard for state and local government websites and mobile apps. An interim final rule in April 2026 moved the compliance dates: April 26, 2027 for governments serving 50,000 people or more, and April 26, 2028 for those serving fewer than 50,000 and for special district governments. The rule covers content you provide through vendors as well, such as online bill pay, agenda software and permit portals. Our guide to ADA Title II for small towns covers the exceptions and a practical plan.
Why PDFs are the biggest gap
On most town websites the HTML pages are in decent shape and the documents are not. Agendas, minutes, budgets, ordinances and permit forms are usually posted as PDFs exported without tags, or as scans with no text at all. A screen reader can't read a scanned page, and an untagged PDF reads as one long jumble. The checker lists every document linked from the page and tests up to five PDFs: tagged means the file has a structure tree that assistive technology can follow; not tagged means it needs remediation; scanned image means there's no text layer, so it needs OCR and tagging, or an HTML version. If your agenda software can publish an HTML version alongside the PDF, the checker counts it as the accessible alternative.
What automated checks can't tell you
Automated testing catches a meaningful share of accessibility problems, but not all of them. It can tell that an image has alt text, not whether the text describes the image. It can't confirm that every menu and form works with a keyboard alone, that focus stays visible, that captions match what's said in a council meeting video, or that a document reads in the right order. The report lists these manual checks so you can do them yourself in an afternoon. Treat a clean scan as a strong start, not a certificate. No tool, badge or widget can certify a website as ADA compliant.
How to use the results
Fix problems that appear on every page first, since they usually live in the site template and one fix clears them everywhere: header and footer contrast, the main menu, the search box and the skip link. Then work through the pages people need to complete a task, like paying a bill, applying for a permit or finding a meeting. For documents, set a rule that everything posted from now on is accessible, and fix older documents that people still use. Check text and button colors with the Contrast Checker, and see how fast the same pages load with the Website Speed Test. When you're done, publish an accessibility statement that names a contact, so residents can report anything you missed.
Frequently asked questions
Will this checker make my website ADA compliant?
No automated tool can. Automated checks reliably find problems like missing alt text, low contrast, unlabeled form fields and untagged PDFs, but many WCAG requirements need a person: whether alt text is accurate, whether the site works with a keyboard alone, whether videos have correct captions. Use the scan to find and fix the clear problems, then do the manual checks listed in the report or get a full audit.
What accessibility standard does ADA Title II require?
The Department of Justice rule for state and local governments adopts WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard for websites and mobile apps. That covers content a city or town provides directly and content provided through contracts, such as payment portals, agenda software and other vendor tools.
When do small towns have to comply?
Under the Department of Justice interim final rule published in April 2026, governments serving fewer than 50,000 people and special district governments have until April 26, 2028. Governments serving 50,000 or more have until April 26, 2027. A lawsuit challenges the extension, so confirm the current dates before relying on them.
Do accessibility overlay widgets make a website compliant?
No. Overlays add a toolbar or script on top of the existing site, but they do not fix the underlying code, documents or media, and they can interfere with the screen readers and settings disabled people already use. Disability organizations have spoken against them, and sites using overlays continue to face accessibility complaints. Fixing the site itself is the path that holds up.
Do old PDFs on our website have to be fixed?
The Title II rule has an exception for documents posted before the compliance date, unless they are currently used to apply for, access or take part in a service, such as a permit application or a current fee schedule. Documents you post after the compliance date, including new agendas and minutes, must be accessible. Archived content kept only for reference in a clearly marked archive is also excepted.