If you’ve heard the term “ADA compliance” or “WCAG” floating around in web design conversations lately and thought, “Great, another acronym to worry about”—you’re not alone. But here’s the thing: website accessibility isn’t just another box to check. It’s about making sure everyone can use your website, regardless of their abilities.
And if you’re a government entity or work with one, this just became a lot more urgent.
The Reality Check: Where We Stand
Here’s a stat that might surprise you: 96% of websites fail accessibility standards.[1] That’s not a typo. Despite all the talk about accessibility, lawsuits, and regulations, only about 4% of websites actually meet the requirements.
For government websites specifically, the Department of Justice issued new rules in April 2024 with actual deadlines. No more “we’ll get to it eventually.” For many state and local government entities, that deadline is April 2026—which, let’s be honest, is going to arrive faster than you think.[2]
What Does “Accessible” Actually Mean?
In the simplest terms, an accessible website is one that people with disabilities can use just as easily as everyone else. That includes:
- People who are blind or have low vision and use screen readers to hear what’s on the page
- People who are deaf or hard of hearing who need captions on videos
- People with mobility issues who can’t use a mouse and navigate with just a keyboard
- People with cognitive disabilities who need clear, predictable layouts
The guidelines everyone follows are called WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), and they’re based on four principles that are actually pretty straightforward: your website should be Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust.[3] (They call it the “POUR” model, which is at least easier to remember than most acronyms.)
The Most Common Issues (That You Might Not Even Know You Have)
According to recent studies, the same six types of accessibility errors show up on most websites, year after year.[4] Here are the big ones:
1. Missing Alt Text on Images
This is the most widespread issue. Screen readers can’t “see” images, so they rely on alternative text descriptions. Without alt text, users who are blind miss out on important information—or worse, on functional links represented by images.
2. Low Color Contrast
That beautiful light gray text on a white background? It might look sleek, but it’s nearly impossible to read for people with low vision. The guidelines require a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text.[5]
3. Forms That Don’t Make Sense
Forms without proper labels are nightmares for screen reader users. If your form fields aren’t clearly labeled in the code (not just visually), people using assistive technology won’t know what information goes where.
4. No Keyboard Navigation
If someone can’t use a mouse, can they still navigate your entire site using just the Tab key and Enter? Many websites overlook this, making them completely unusable for people with mobility impairments.
5. Broken Heading Structure
Using headings (H1, H2, H3) just to make text bigger instead of creating a logical document structure? Screen readers use those headings to help users navigate quickly through content. When they’re used incorrectly, it’s like removing all the chapter titles from a book.
6. PDFs and Documents That Aren’t Tagged
Just posting a PDF to your website doesn’t make it accessible. PDFs need to be properly tagged with structure, alt text, and reading order—otherwise, they’re just digital pictures of pages that screen readers can’t interpret.
Why This Matters Beyond Legal Compliance
Yes, there are legal requirements. Yes, there are potential lawsuits (web accessibility lawsuits have been increasing steadily).[6] But here’s something else to consider:
You’re potentially excluding a huge audience. According to the World Health Organization, about 2.2 billion people worldwide have some form of visual impairment. In the U.S., that’s millions of potential users, customers, constituents, or community members who might struggle—or give up entirely—when trying to access your content.[7]
And accessibility improvements often make websites better for everyone:
- Captions help people watching videos in noisy environments or on mute
- Clear navigation benefits people who are in a hurry or on mobile devices
- Searchable text in PDFs helps everyone find information faster
- Good color contrast makes sites easier to read in bright sunlight
The “Quick Fix” Trap
You might have seen ads for accessibility plugins or widgets that promise to make your site compliant with “one line of code.” Here’s the truth: these don’t work.
Automated tools—even the good ones—can only catch about 30% of accessibility issues.[8] The rest require human evaluation and, more importantly, proper coding from the start. Those overlay widgets can actually increase your legal risk, with 30% of accessibility lawsuits in 2023 involving websites that used them.[8]
Think of it this way: you can’t bolt accessibility onto a website after the fact any more than you can add wheelchair ramps to a building by installing a plugin. It has to be built in from the beginning.
For Government Entities: Your Timeline
If you’re working for or with a state or local government, here’s what you need to know:
- Populations 50,000+: Compliance deadline is April 24, 2026
- Populations under 50,000: Compliance deadline is April 26, 2027
- Special districts (ports, water districts, etc.): April 26, 2027 regardless of size[2]
After your deadline, any content posted or updated on your website must immediately meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. That’s not just new pages—it includes documents, images, videos, and yes, those fancy interactive elements like flipbooks.
How Artmil Can Help
This is where we come in. At Artmil, we understand that accessibility can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to figure out where to even start. Our approach is practical:
We help you understand what you have. Before you can fix anything, you need to know what needs fixing. We can evaluate your current website and identify accessibility issues—not just run an automated scan, but actually look at how your site works for people using different assistive technologies.
We help you prioritize. Not everything needs to be fixed at once. We can help you determine what’s most critical and create a realistic timeline that works with your resources and deadlines.
We build accessibility in from the start. Whether you’re creating a new website or updating an existing one, we make sure accessibility is part of the design and development process, not an afterthought.
We create accessible content. From properly tagged PDFs to accessible flipbooks with downloadable alternatives, we know how to create content that looks great and works for everyone.
We’re local. We understand the specific needs of government entities in the Pacific Northwest and the unique challenges of serving diverse communities in our region.
The Bottom Line
Website accessibility isn’t just about avoiding lawsuits or checking compliance boxes. It’s about doing right by the people you serve—whether they’re constituents, customers, or community members.
The good news? You don’t have to figure this out alone. The requirements are clear, the deadlines are set, and there are people (like us) who’ve navigated these waters before and can help you chart the course.
If you’re wondering where your website stands or what your next steps should be, let’s talk. We’re happy to have a conversation about your specific situation—no pressure, no jargon, just practical guidance on how to move forward.
Because at the end of the day, accessibility is about making sure everyone has a seat at the table. And that’s something worth getting right.
Need help navigating website accessibility requirements? Contact Artmil to schedule a consultation. We’ll help you understand where you stand and create a practical plan to get where you need to be.
References
[1] Accessibility.Works. “Study Finds Only 5.2% Websites Pass WCAG for ADA or EAA Compliance.”
[2] U.S. Department of Justice. “Fact Sheet: New Rule on the Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps.”
https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule
[3] W3C. “WCAG 2 Overview – Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.”
https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag
[4] WebAIM. “The WebAIM Million – 2025 Report on Website Accessibility.”
https://webaim.org/projects/million
[5] Martin Brothers ADA Compliance. “15 Common Website Accessibility Issues 2025.”
[6] Accessibility.Works. “2025 WCAG & ADA Website Compliance Requirements.”
https://www.accessibility.works/blog/2025-wcag-ada-website-compliance-standards-requirements
[7] Flipsnack. “PDF Accessibility – The Best Way to Make a PDF Accessible Today.”
https://blog.flipsnack.com/pdf-accessibility-a-complete-guide
[8] Accessibility.Works. “2025 WCAG & ADA Website Compliance Requirements.”
https://www.accessibility.works/blog/2025-wcag-ada-website-compliance-standards-requirements
This blog post provides general information about website accessibility requirements. For specific legal advice, consult with an accessibility compliance attorney.