Accessibility requirements for Florida government procurement
Florida does not stop at requiring its own websites to be accessible — its rules reach the technology it buys, which puts a vendor's conformance report inside the requirement.
What binds a Florida purchase
ADA Title II — WCAG 2.1 Level AA
Applies to the web content and mobile apps of every state and local government entity in Florida, whoever built the software. Compliance dates:
- 26 April 2027 — entities serving 50,000 or more
- 26 April 2028 — entities serving under 50,000, and special district governments
Software bought today will still be in service on those dates, which is what makes this a procurement question rather than an IT one.
Section 508 — where federal funds are involved
Governs federal procurement and reaches a great deal of Florida spending through federal funding, including most public universities. It incorporates WCAG 2.0 Level AA, and adds chapter requirements that WCAG does not cover — functional performance, software, and support documentation.
If your solicitation cites Section 508, a WCAG-edition conformance report does not answer it. The editions explained.
Florida Statutes §282.603
Fla. Stat. § 282.603
State agencies must meet Section 508 and its technical standards at 36 C.F.R. part 1194 when developing, procuring, maintaining or using electronic information or information technology. The statute names no penalty — enforcement runs through procurement rather than fines.
Read Florida’s own pageWhat Florida names, and what the ADA now requires
Florida’s own standard
Section 508 and 36 C.F.R. part 1194
ADA Title II, from 26 April 2027
WCAG 2.1 Level AA
The state standard is the lower bar
A vendor can satisfy what Florida names and still not satisfy what ADA Title II will require of you. If your solicitation cites only the Florida rule, the conformance report you get back is scoped to the Florida rule — and the federal gap becomes yours to close after award. Cite both.
Beyond the website
Florida regulates the technology it buys
What the rule requires of a purchase
The obligation attaches at the point of competitive procurement, not only to what the agency builds itself.
Fla. Stat. § 282.603
Why this changes the review
A requirement that binds only your own website is satisfied by fixing your own website. A requirement that binds the purchase is satisfied by the vendor, and the only evidence you will hold is the conformance report they hand over — so whether that report is accurate stops being a technical question and becomes a contractual one.
How the review worksWhat this means when a vendor sends you a report
- Name the standard in the solicitation. The edition a vendor sends back is chosen to match what you asked for. Ask for nothing specific and you will get the edition that flatters the product.
- Ask during evaluation, not after award. Before the contract your leverage is the award itself; after it, your leverage is a change order.
- Keep the record. What you required, what the vendor disclosed, what you challenged and when. If conformance is ever questioned, that record is the useful artifact — not the software.
Section508.gov — State-level Accessibility Law and Policy does not list Florida. The entry above was researched from Florida’s own statute, regulation or policy page in August 2026 and links to it directly. General guidance for procurement planning, not legal advice — verify against the statute or policy that applies to your entity, and check the current status of any pending legislation named above.