Accessibility requirements for North Dakota government procurement
North Dakota maintains its own IT accessibility standard in addition to the federal requirements that bind every jurisdiction.
What binds a North Dakota 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 North Dakota, 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 North Dakota 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.
North Dakota digital accessibility (NDIT)
North Dakota Information Technology runs a statewide initiative to bring digital services to WCAG 2.1 Level AA and WAI-ARIA by the extended Title II date of 26 April 2027, grounding the obligation in the Century Code, the ADA, Section 504 and Title II. NDIT offers agencies website scanning and consulting against the standard.
Read North Dakota’s own pageWhat North Dakota names, and what the ADA now requires
North Dakota’s own standard
WCAG 2.1 Level AA, with WAI-ARIA
ADA Title II, from 26 April 2027
WCAG 2.1 Level AA
The two line up
North Dakota names the same conformance level the ADA will require, so one question answers both. That makes the remaining risk evidentiary rather than definitional: not which standard applies, but whether the vendor’s report against it is accurate.
What 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 North Dakota. The entry above was researched from North Dakota’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.