ADA Title II Updates: What does it mean for us?

The US Department of Justice has issued new rules for Title II of the ADA. These changes add new requirements for websites, web content, and web-based systems and applications. 

Learn more: ADA Fact Sheet: New Rule on the Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps

What is changing? 

Updated Accessibility Standard 

Digital content must meet WCAG 2.1 AA. WCAG 2.1 builds on WCAG 2.0 with additional success criteria. Many of the new requirements in WCAG 2.1 relate to interactive elements and mobile displays.

Updated Scope 

New types of content are required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA. These include:

  • Websites and web content including browser-based platforms, software, and applications, 
    • regardless of audience (public, student, or employee facing) and, 
    • regardless of password protection;
  • Academic technologies and instructional digital content;
  • Digital documents like PDFs, presentations, word processing files, and spreadsheets;
  • Mobile apps;
  • Social media; and
  • Third-party supplier goods and services. 

Deadline: April 24, 2026 

All content on UC Berkeley websites, or content hosted on other websites under the UC Berkeley name, must meet WCAG 2.1 AA by April 24, 2026.

Are there any exceptions to these requirements? 

Learn more: ADA Fact Sheet: Summary of the Exceptions

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Archived Web Content

Learn more about archiving web content. 

Archived web content is not required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA. 

For your content to count as ‘archived,’ the Department of Justice says it must meet four conditions:

  1. The content was created before April 24, 2026, AND
  2. The content is kept only for reference, research, or recordkeeping, AND
  3. The content is kept in a special area for archived content, AND
  4. The content has not been changed since it was archived.

If any one of these conditions are not met, the content must meet WCAG 2.1 AA. 

Preexisiting Digital Documents 

Learn more about preexisiting digital documents. 

A digital document is not required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA, if: 

  1. It was made available prior to April 24, 2026 AND
  2. It is only kept for research, reference, or recordkeeping. 

Any digital documents people use to apply for, gain access to, or take part in your services, programs, or activities must be accessible and meet WCAG 2.1 AA by April 24, 2026. 

Content Posted by a Third Party

Content posted by a third party on a UC Berkeley website or app would not need to meet WCAG 2.1 AA. 

A 'third party' is considered a member of the public, or someone who is not posting content due to contractual, licensing, or other arrangements with UC Berkeley. 

Individualized, Password-Protected Documents 

A document is not required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA , if: 

  1. The document is a word processing, presentation, PDF, or spreadsheet file, AND
  2. The document is about a specific person, property or account, AND
  3. The document is  password-protected or otherwise secured. 

IMPORTANT: If a person with a disability requests an accessible version of the document, it must be remediated.

Preexisting Social Media Posts

Social media posts made prior to April 24, 2026 are not required to meet WCAG 2.1 AA.