How to Write an ADA Accessibility Statement for Government Websites [TEMPLATE INCLUDED]

An ADA accessibility statement is a public declaration that explains a government agency’s commitment to digital accessibility, outlines the standards it follows such as WCAG 2.1 AA, and provides a process for residents to report accessibility barriers.

Most public agencies do not have an accessibility statement. Of those that do, most have one that does not meet the requirements enforcement bodies actually look for. And of those that have a compliant statement, most have not updated it in years — which means it describes a compliance posture the agency no longer has, or never had.

An accessibility statement is not a legal formality. It is the public-facing documentation of your agency's commitment to digital accessibility and the entry point for residents who encounter barriers. It is one of the first things the Department of Justice looks for when an ADA Title II inquiry opens. It communicates to enforcement bodies, advocacy organizations, and the residents your agency serves that digital accessibility is being managed as an operational obligation — not ignored.

Writing one correctly takes about two hours. Not having one is an entirely avoidable compliance gap.

This guide covers everything you need to write, publish, and maintain a defensible ADA accessibility statement for a public agency website. It includes the required elements, a complete word-for-word template, a real example statement, complaint intake language, and the response workflow that turns your statement into a functioning compliance mechanism rather than a static page.

What is an ADA Accessibility Statement Is — and What It Is Not

An accessibility statement is a published document on your agency website that communicates three things clearly:

One — the standard your agency is working toward. 
Two — the current state of your compliance posture, including known limitations. 
Three — how residents can report accessibility barriers and what happens when they do.

What an accessibility statement is not: a guarantee of perfect accessibility. A legal disclaimer that protects the agency from liability. A substitute for an audit, a remediation program, or a governance structure. A document that can be published once and forgotten.

The statement is a living document. It needs to reflect the actual current state of the agency's accessibility program, be updated when that program changes, and include contact information that is real, monitored, and responsive. A statement that does not reflect reality — that claims WCAG 2.1 AA conformance when the agency has never conducted an audit, for example — is worse than no statement. It is a documented false claim.

Why the Accessibility Statement Matters for Enforcement

When a DOJ inquiry opens or an OCR complaint is received, the reviewing body typically begins by looking at the agency's public-facing digital presence for signals of how seriously the agency takes its accessibility obligations. The accessibility statement is the first signal.

An agency with a current, accurate, detailed accessibility statement that includes a working complaint contact and a described response process looks like an organization that is managing its obligations. An agency with no statement, an outdated statement, or a statement that is itself inaccessible looks like an organization that is not.

The statement also serves a practical function in enforcement proceedings: it documents the agency's own characterization of its compliance posture at a specific point in time. When the statement is updated regularly with honest descriptions of known limitations and ongoing remediation efforts, it creates a timeline of program progress. When it is never updated, it creates a static document that may contradict the current state of the site.

Update the statement every time the compliance posture changes. At minimum, review and update it annually with a new review date.

Required Elements of a ADA Accessibility Statement

A defensible accessibility statement for a public agency needs to include eight specific elements. Some of these are explicitly referenced in DOJ enforcement guidance. Others reflect the consistent documentation expectations established through enforcement proceedings.

Element 1: Agency Name and Statement Scope Identify the agency and specify what digital properties the statement covers. If the statement covers only the primary website and not departmental subdomains or affiliated portals, say so explicitly. If it covers the full digital ecosystem, say that. Enforcement bodies need to know what the statement is claiming to govern.

Element 2: The Governing Technical Standard Identify WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard the agency is working toward. Include a brief plain-language description of what WCAG is and why it matters. Do not use version language that implies WCAG 3.0 or other standards that are not currently required — specificity here demonstrates that the agency knows what it is doing.

Element 3: Current Conformance Status Be honest about where the agency actually stands. Options include: fully conformant (WCAG 2.1 AA with no known failures), partially conformant (WCAG 2.1 AA with some non-conforming content identified), non-conformant (does not meet WCAG 2.1 AA). Most agencies are partially conformant at best. Claiming full conformance without a completed audit is a documented false claim. Claiming partial conformance and describing the known limitations demonstrates honesty and structured effort.

Element 4: Known Limitations and Remediation Status Describe specific known accessibility limitations and what the agency is doing about them. This is the section most agencies omit, and it is one of the most important. Known limitations described with remediation context — "we are currently remediating PDF accessibility across our document library with priority on active service forms, targeted for completion by [quarter]" — demonstrate active program management. Vague statements like "we are working to improve accessibility" demonstrate nothing.

Element 5: Technical Specifications List the technical environment the statement applies to — web browsers, assistive technologies, and operating systems tested. Common combinations: Chrome and Firefox with NVDA on Windows, Safari with VoiceOver on macOS and iOS. This demonstrates that the agency tested its site with actual assistive technology rather than relying solely on automated scanning.

Element 6: Accessibility Contact Information A specific email address, phone number, or online form for accessibility feedback, questions, and complaints. This contact must be monitored and responsive. A generic info@ address that routes to a general inbox with a multi-day response lag is not sufficient. The contact should reach a person or team with the ability to investigate and respond to accessibility issues.

Element 7: Complaint Intake Process A description of what happens when someone contacts the agency through the accessibility contact. How long will it take for them to receive a response? Who will investigate the issue? What can they expect in terms of resolution? Residents who submit accessibility complaints deserve a transparent description of the process, not silence.

Element 8: Review Date The date the statement was last reviewed and updated. This is the signal that tells enforcement bodies and the public whether the statement is current or stale. A statement with a review date from three years ago is not a functioning compliance document. Update the date every time you review the statement — even if the content has not changed — to document that the review occurred.

The Complete Accessibility Statement Template

This is a word-for-word template your agency can adapt and publish. Replace all bracketed fields with your specific information. Review every section for accuracy before publishing.

[Agency Name] Digital Accessibility Statement

Last reviewed: [Month Year]

Commitment to Accessibility

[Agency Name] is committed to ensuring that our digital services are accessible to all residents, including individuals with disabilities. We work to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA, the technical standard adopted by the U.S. Department of Justice under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Accessibility is an ongoing operational commitment. We actively audit, remediate, and monitor our digital services to identify and address barriers to access.

Scope of This Statement

This statement applies to the following digital properties operated by [Agency Name]:

• Primary website: [website URL]
• [List any additional subdomains, portals, or properties covered]

[If some properties are not covered, note them here: "This statement does not currently cover [specific property]. We are working to extend accessibility governance to that property by [target date]."]

Current Conformance Status

[Agency Name]'s primary website is [select one]:

• Fully conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. All success criteria at Levels A and AA are satisfied.
• Partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. Some content does not fully conform to the standard. Known limitations are described below.
• Not conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. We are actively working to improve conformance and have established a remediation program with the following priorities.

[Most agencies should select "partially conformant" unless a recent comprehensive audit has confirmed full conformance.]

Known Accessibility Limitations

We have identified the following accessibility limitations and are actively working to address them:

We are committed to resolving these limitations and will update this statement as progress is made.

Technical Specifications

[Agency Name]'s website is designed to be compatible with the following assistive technologies and browser combinations:

• NVDA screen reader with Chrome and Firefox on Windows
• JAWS screen reader with Chrome and Edge on Windows
• VoiceOver with Safari on macOS and iOS

Our site content is developed using standard HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. We follow WCAG 2.1 Level AA guidelines in our development and content publishing practices.

Reporting an Accessibility Barrier

If you experience an accessibility barrier on any [Agency Name] digital property — or if you find content that is not accessible in a format that meets your needs — we want to know.

Please contact us through one of the following:

• Email: [accessibility@agencyname.gov or similar dedicated address]
• Phone: [phone number] (voice) | [TTY number if available]
• Online form: [URL of accessible feedback form if available]

When contacting us, please include:

• A description of the accessibility barrier you encountered
• The URL or location where you encountered it
• Your preferred contact method for our response
• Any assistive technology you were using (optional but helpful)

What to Expect After You Contact Us

We take all accessibility reports seriously. Here is what happens after you submit a report:

1. You will receive an acknowledgment of your report within [3 business days].
2. A member of our web accessibility team will investigate the reported issue within [10 business days].
3. We will contact you with our findings and the steps we are taking to address the barrier.
4. If we cannot resolve the issue immediately, we will provide an estimated timeline for resolution and offer alternative means of accessing the information or service in the interim.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division at www.ada.gov or call 1-800-514-0301.

Formal Complaint Process

If you believe you have experienced discrimination based on disability in accessing [Agency Name]'s digital services, you may file a formal ADA complaint by contacting:

[Agency Name] ADA Coordinator [Title] [Mailing Address] [Phone] [Email]

You may also file a complaint directly with the U.S. Department of Justice Disability Rights Section by visiting www.ada.gov/complaint or calling 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY).

Ongoing Accessibility Efforts

[Agency Name] maintains an active digital accessibility program that includes:

• Annual comprehensive accessibility audits of our primary website and digital services
• Ongoing remediation of identified accessibility barriers in order of impact
• Monthly automated monitoring of our web properties
• Accessible document creation standards for all staff who publish digital content
• Regular training for content editors and web staff on accessibility requirements
• Quarterly executive reporting on our accessibility compliance posture

This statement was last reviewed on [Month Year] and will be reviewed again by [Month Year].

A Real Example Statement

Here is what a completed accessibility statement looks like with real content filled in rather than placeholders. This example is for a fictional county agency.

Larimer County Digital Accessibility Statement

Last reviewed: March 2026

Commitment to Accessibility

Larimer County is committed to ensuring that our digital services are accessible to all residents, including individuals with disabilities. We work to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at Level AA, the technical standard adopted by the U.S. Department of Justice under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Accessibility is an ongoing operational commitment. We actively audit, remediate, and monitor our digital services to identify and address barriers to access.

Scope of This Statement

This statement applies to the primary Larimer County website at larimerco.gov, the county permits portal at permits.larimerco.gov, and the public records request system. Our parks and recreation reservation system and online payment processing are managed by third-party vendors; their accessibility posture is described in the Known Limitations section below.

Current Conformance Status

Larimer County's primary website is partially conformant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA. We have completed an accessibility audit of our primary website templates and core transactional workflows. A portion of our document library and two third-party integrated tools have known accessibility limitations, which are described below.

Known Accessibility Limitations

Technical Specifications

Larimer County's website is tested for compatibility with the following assistive technologies:

• NVDA with Chrome and Firefox on Windows 10 and 11
• JAWS with Chrome and Edge on Windows 10 and 11
• VoiceOver with Safari on macOS Ventura and iOS 17

Reporting an Accessibility Barrier

If you experience an accessibility barrier on any Larimer County digital property, please contact us:

• Email: accessibility@larimerco.gov
• Phone: 970-498-7000
• Online: larimerco.gov/accessibility-feedback

When contacting us, please describe the barrier, the URL where you encountered it, and your preferred contact method for our response.

What to Expect After You Contact Us

You will receive acknowledgment of your report within 3 business days. A member of our web team will investigate within 10 business days and will contact you with findings and next steps. If the issue cannot be resolved immediately, we will provide an alternative means of accessing the information or service and an estimated resolution timeline.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice at www.ada.gov or call 1-800-514-0301.

Ongoing Accessibility Efforts

Larimer County maintains a digital accessibility program that includes annual audits, monthly automated monitoring, a remediation log tracking all identified issues, accessible document creation standards for publishing staff, and quarterly accessibility reporting to county leadership.

This statement was last reviewed on March 2026 and will be reviewed again by September 2026.

Find the template and example above here: Hounder's Accessibility Statement Template

The Complaint Intake and Response Workflow

The accessibility statement introduces the complaint process. The process itself needs to be documented internally so that when a complaint arrives, the response is structured and consistent rather than improvised.

Here is the complete complaint intake and response workflow your agency should have in writing.

Step 1: Receipt and Acknowledgment (within 3 business days)

When an accessibility report is received through any channel — the dedicated email, the contact form, phone, or any other means — it gets logged immediately in the complaint intake record. The log entry captures: date received, contact method, name and contact information of the person reporting, the specific barrier described, the URL or location, and the assistive technology mentioned if any.

An acknowledgment is sent within 3 business days confirming receipt and providing the complainant with a reference number and a timeline for the investigation.

Step 2: Investigation (within 10 business days)

The program owner or designated web staff member investigates the reported barrier. Investigation includes: replicating the reported issue using the relevant assistive technology if possible, confirming whether the barrier exists, assessing the severity and WCAG criterion affected, and determining whether an interim alternative means of access is needed while the fix is developed.

The investigation findings are documented in the complaint log.

Step 3: Response to Complainant (within 10 business days of receipt)

A response is sent to the complainant that includes: confirmation of whether the reported barrier was found, what the agency is doing to address it, the estimated timeline for resolution, and what alternatives are available in the interim if the barrier cannot be resolved immediately.

The response is logged in the complaint record.

Step 4: Remediation and Validation

The confirmed barrier is added to the remediation log as a new issue entry — or matched to an existing entry if it was already identified. It is assigned an owner, classified by severity and WCAG criterion, and given a remediation timeline. Once resolved, the fix is validated using the appropriate testing method and the validation is documented.

Step 5: Closure Communication

When the barrier is resolved and validated, a closure communication is sent to the original complainant notifying them that the issue has been addressed. The complaint log entry is updated with the resolution date and the validation confirmation.

Step 6: Pattern Analysis

Monthly, the program owner reviews all complaints received in the period for patterns. Multiple complaints about the same surface, workflow, or document type indicate a systemic issue that the audit and remediation program should address proactively rather than reactively.

Common Accessibility Statement Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Claiming full conformance without a completed audit. This is the most dangerous mistake. A statement that claims WCAG 2.1 AA conformance creates a documented assertion that can be directly contradicted by an audit or a screen reader test. Only claim conformance you can demonstrate.

Using generic boilerplate with no agency-specific content. Statements copied from templates or other agencies with no customization provide almost no compliance value. They signal that no one at the agency has actually reviewed the digital environment and made an honest assessment of its current state.

Publishing a statement that is itself inaccessible. An accessibility statement that fails WCAG 2.1 AA is a specific kind of irony that enforcement bodies notice. Test the statement page itself before publishing it.

Listing a contact that is not monitored. If the accessibility email address in the statement is not checked regularly and responded to promptly, the complaint intake process described in the statement does not actually exist. Test the contact before publishing and monitor it consistently after.

Never updating the statement. A statement with a review date from three years ago is not a functioning compliance document. Set a calendar reminder to review and update the statement every six months at minimum and every time there is a significant change in compliance posture.

Describing the complaint process without having one. The statement describes a process. The process needs to exist in documented form internally. The intake log, the investigation protocol, the response timeline, the escalation path — these need to be written down somewhere other than the public statement so that when a complaint arrives, the response is consistent.

Where to Publish the Accessibility Statement

The statement must be reachable from the homepage of every agency website it covers. Standard placement is in the footer — a text link labeled "Accessibility," "Accessibility Statement," or "Website Accessibility" in the footer navigation. The link should be on every page that inherits the global footer.

For agencies with multiple subdomains or departmental sites covered under the same statement, either link to the primary statement from each property's footer or publish a property-specific statement on each site that references the primary institutional statement.

The statement page URL should be simple and persistent — something like agencyname.gov/accessibility — so that it can be referenced in correspondence, vendor contracts, and compliance documentation without breaking when the site is redesigned.

Maintaining the Statement as a Living Document

The accessibility statement is part of the compliance documentation record. It should be treated like the remediation log and the monitoring records — as a document that evolves with the program and creates a timeline of progress.

Review the statement whenever: a new accessibility audit is completed and findings change the conformance status, a major remediation milestone is reached and known limitations can be updated to reflect resolution, a significant new accessibility barrier is identified through monitoring, new digital properties come under the agency's governance scope, or the responsible contact or ADA coordinator changes.

At a minimum, review and re-date the statement every six months regardless of whether content has changed. The review date tells enforcement bodies and the public that the statement is actively maintained — which is itself evidence of an active compliance program.

The Statement Is the Beginning, Not the End

Publishing a well-written, accurate, regularly updated accessibility statement is a meaningful step. It demonstrates public commitment, creates an intake pathway for residents who encounter barriers, and establishes a compliance signal that enforcement bodies see immediately.

But the statement works only as well as the program behind it. A statement that describes a complaint process needs the process to actually exist. A statement that describes ongoing auditing and monitoring needs those activities to actually be happening. A statement that lists known limitations and remediation timelines needs those timelines to be met.

The statement is the public face of the compliance program. What it describes, the program needs to deliver.

Now, since we are on the topic of Templates, I have more for you: 

How to Conduct a WCAG 2.1 AA Audit for a Public Agency [Template Included Now]

How to Build an Accessibility Remediation Log That Protects Your Agency (Template Included Now]

Coming Soon: ADA Title II website compliance checklist

FAQ: ADA Accessibility Statements for Government Websites

Are public agencies required to publish an accessibility statement? While no federal statute specifically mandates the exact format of a published accessibility statement, DOJ enforcement proceedings and resolution agreements consistently require them as a component of a defensible ADA Title II compliance program. They are among the first items enforcement bodies look for when evaluating an agency's compliance posture. Agencies without a published, current accessibility statement are missing a foundational governance element that is straightforward to implement and creates meaningful compliance signal.

What should a government accessibility statement include? A complete government accessibility statement should include: the name of the agency and the scope of digital properties covered, the governing technical standard (WCAG 2.1 Level AA), the current conformance status with an honest assessment of known limitations, technical specifications including assistive technologies tested, accessibility contact information with a monitored channel for reporting barriers, a clear description of the complaint intake and response process including expected timelines, and a review date that documents when the statement was last updated.

How often should a government accessibility statement be updated? At minimum, an accessibility statement should be reviewed and re-dated every six months. It should also be updated whenever: an audit changes the conformance status or known limitations, a major remediation milestone is completed, new digital properties come under the agency's governance scope, or the accessibility contact information changes. A statement with a review date more than 12 months old signals to enforcement bodies that the compliance program may not be actively maintained.

What is the difference between an accessibility statement and an accessibility policy? An accessibility policy is an internal governance document — formally adopted by the relevant authority — that defines the agency's commitment, assigns governance responsibilities, establishes the governing standard, and sets the scope of the compliance program. It is the organizational foundation of the program. An accessibility statement is the public-facing document that communicates the agency's current compliance posture, known limitations, and complaint intake process to residents and the public. Both are required components of a complete ADA Title II governance program. The policy governs internally. The statement communicates externally.

What complaint intake language should a government accessibility statement include? The complaint intake section should describe: how to report an accessibility barrier (specific email, phone, or online form), what information to include in a report (description of the barrier, URL, preferred contact method), the expected acknowledgment timeline (typically within 3 business days), the investigation and response timeline (typically within 10 business days of receipt), what the complainant can expect in terms of follow-up, and what alternatives are available if a barrier cannot be resolved immediately. The section should also reference the formal complaint pathway through the DOJ for complainants who are not satisfied with the agency's response.

Can an accessibility statement protect an agency from ADA complaints or lawsuits? A published accessibility statement does not prevent complaints or lawsuits and does not constitute a legal defense in itself. What it does is demonstrate that the agency has publicly committed to accessibility, has established a complaint intake process, and is treating accessibility as an ongoing operational obligation. This demonstration — combined with the audit documentation, remediation log, and monitoring records behind it — is what constitutes defensible compliance. The statement is one component of that defensibility, not a substitute for the others.

Required Elements of an ADA Accessibility Statement

• Accessibility commitment
• WCAG standard referenced
• contact method for reporting barriers
• alternative access options
• remediation commitment
• monitoring and review process
• date of last update