If you've ever looked at a major website project and thought, "I've got plenty of time," you already know how this story usually ends.
The U.S. Department of Justice recently extended the ADA Title II web accessibility compliance deadlines. Public entities serving populations of 50,000 or more now have until April 26, 2027, to comply, while smaller public entities and special districts have until April 26, 2028.
At first glance, that sounds like a lot of time.
It isn't.
Because website accessibility isn't typically a one-and-done update. It's a process that often involves reviewing years of content, updating documents, fixing functionality issues and creating new workflows to ensure future content stays compliant.
In other words: this isn't a project you want to start six months before the deadline.
What Will Need to Change?
The goal of web accessibility is simple: make sure everyone can access and use your website, regardless of ability.
The reality? Most websites have more accessibility issues than their owners realize.
Common fixes include:
- Adding alternative text to images
- Improving color contrast for readability
- Captioning videos
- Making forms keyboard-friendly
- Cleaning up heading structures
- Updating PDFs and downloadable documents
- Improving button and link labels
- Ensuring mobile experiences work with assistive technologies
And here's the kicker: it's usually not just the website itself. It's the hundreds (or thousands) of files, forms, documents and resources hiding behind it.
That employee handbook from 2019? The PDF buried three clicks deep? The application form nobody has touched in years?
Yep. Those count, too.
Accessibility Isn't Just About Compliance
Let's be honest. Nobody wakes up excited about compliance requirements.
But accessibility is bigger than checking a box.
Accessible websites are easier for everyone to use. They help visitors find information faster, improve user experience, support aging populations and often align with SEO best practices.
That's a win whether you're trying to meet a federal requirement or simply serve your audience better.
The Cost of Waiting
We've all seen it happen.
A deadline seems far away until suddenly it's six months away. Then three months. Then everyone's scrambling, budgets are getting stretched and someone is asking why this wasn't addressed sooner.
Starting now gives you options.
You can audit your website, prioritize updates, spread costs over time and build accessibility into your content process moving forward. Instead of treating compliance like an emergency repair, you can approach it like a strategic improvement.
The deadline extension is a gift. It's not a permission slip to ignore accessibility for another year.
The organizations that will have the smoothest path to compliance are the ones that start planning now, while there's still time to be thoughtful about it.
How KMK Can Help
At KMK Media Group, we help organizations build websites that don't just look good—they work for the people who use them.
Whether you need a website audit, guidance on accessibility best practices or a complete website refresh, our team can help you identify potential issues and create a roadmap that makes sense for your organization.
Because when it comes to accessibility deadlines, "we'll get to it later" has a funny way of turning into "why didn't we start sooner?"
Let's make sure that doesn't happen.