Accessibility deadline tracker
Compliance dates for the three regulatory regimes agencies and in-house teams ask about most: the EU's European Accessibility Act, the US ADA Title II web rule for state and local government, and HHS's Section 504 web rule for recipients of federal health assistance.
Last verified August 25, 2026.
This page tracks publicly announced regulatory deadlines for general awareness. It is not legal advice. Confirm applicability and current status with qualified counsel or the primary source linked on each entry before making compliance decisions.
European Accessibility Act (EAA)
In forceEuropean Union · Technical standard: EN 301 549 (harmonized with WCAG 2.1 AA)
Applies to: Businesses selling certain products and services (e-commerce, banking, e-books, transport ticketing/booking, telecoms) to consumers in the EU, regardless of where the business is based.
- Obligations took effect
- June 28, 2025
All 27 EU member states have transposed the directive into national law. Enforcement approach varies by country — France and Italy combine inspections with preventive outreach, the Netherlands and Sweden have focused on systematic e-commerce review, and Spain built a dedicated coordination body (UTAC). Penalty ceilings range from roughly €5,000 (Estonia) to around €1 million (Spain).
Recent change: The first EAA lawsuits were filed in France in November 2025 after formal notices to major retailers went unanswered. As of mid-2026, real enforcement activity — investigations and litigation — is underway in several member states, but no fine has yet been issued under any national transposition.
ADA Title II Web & Mobile App Accessibility Rule
UpcomingUnited States — state and local government · Technical standard: WCAG 2.1 AA
Applies to: State and local government entities: their websites, mobile apps, and digital content used to deliver public programs, services, or activities.
- Entities with population ≥ 50,000
- April 26, 2027
- Entities with population < 50,000, and special district governments
- April 26, 2028
DOJ's April 2024 final rule set the technical standard at WCAG 2.1 AA for the first time under Title II. The scope — government websites, apps, and digital content — is unchanged by the 2026 extension; only the compliance dates moved.
Recent change: On April 20, 2026, DOJ published an interim final rule pushing both deadlines back by one year — from April 24, 2026 to April 26, 2027 for larger entities, and from April 26, 2027 to April 26, 2028 for smaller entities and special districts. DOJ cited resource constraints, slower-than-expected remediation tooling, and litigation risk. Public comment on the interim rule was open through June 22, 2026; the extension does not remove Title II's underlying nondiscrimination obligations in the meantime.
Section 504 Web & Mobile App Rule (HHS)
UpcomingUnited States — recipients of HHS financial assistance · Technical standard: WCAG 2.1 AA
Applies to: Healthcare and human-services organizations that receive financial assistance from HHS — hospitals, community health centers, primary care practices, and similar recipients — for their websites and mobile apps.
- Recipients with ≥ 15 employees
- May 11, 2027
- Recipients with < 15 employees
- May 10, 2028
HHS's May 2024 final rule amended its Section 504 regulations to require WCAG 2.1 AA conformance for covered recipients' web content and mobile apps — the first time a specific technical standard was written into Section 504's implementing regulations.
Recent change: On May 7, 2026, HHS published an interim final rule extending both compliance dates by one year — from May 11, 2026 to May 11, 2027 for recipients with 15 or more employees, and from May 10, 2027 to May 10, 2028 for smaller recipients — citing concerns that community health centers and hospitals of all sizes would not otherwise be able to meet the original timeline.