The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has extended the Section 504 digital accessibility compliance deadline to May 11, 2027, shortly after the extended ADA Title II digital accessibility compliance deadline of April 26, 2027. WCAG 2.1 Level AA remains the governing technical accessibility standard under the policy.

UC impacts

Across UC, locations have already laid important groundwork and built meaningful momentum towards meeting federal digital accessibility compliance. In alignment with these federal changes, UC has updated elements of the IT Accessibility Policy (ITAP) to align with federal compliance timelines.

Highlights as of June 4, 2026:

• UC’s IT Accessibility Policy (ITAP) remains in effect and continues to set expectations for digital accessibility across the University. Continued focus on high-impact content and services, in accordance with the ITAP Prioritization Plan elements (ITAP Section V.C.6), remains essential.
• The extended deadlines recognize the substantial time needed to meet the new standards and should be used to advance digital accessibility efforts and mature location ITAP Programs.
• UC-specific programmatic expectations and operational requirements remain in effect, and locations are expected to continue making measurable progress under the current policy.

This next phase is an opportunity to reinforce our foundational work, embedding accessibility more consistently into how digital content and services are created, maintained and delivered. By continuing this work, UC is honoring both the intent of the federal extensions and the University’s longstanding commitment to equitable access and inclusion.

Learn more about digital accessibility at the University of California.

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