Albuquerque City Website Accessibility Standards

Civil Rights and Equity New Mexico 3 Minutes Read · published February 08, 2026 Flag of New Mexico

This guide explains how Albuquerque, New Mexico addresses accessibility for official city websites and digital services. It summarizes the local legal context, enforcement pathways, practical compliance steps for departments and contractors, and how members of the public can report barriers. The focus is on official municipal policies, code references, and the city offices that receive and resolve accessibility complaints. Readers will find a short checklist for common website problems, where to file a complaint, and how to request reasonable accommodations for city web content and online services.

Penalties & Enforcement

The City enforces digital accessibility through municipal policy instruments and civil-rights complaint procedures; specific enforcement authority and monetary penalties are governed by the City Code and administrative policies cited below.[2] Departments responsible for websites are expected to follow the Information Technology web standards and accessibility guidelines adopted by the City for its online services.[3] Complaints about inaccessible city websites are handled through the Civil Rights & Equity division complaint intake process.[1]

  • Fines: not specified on the cited page; municipal code pages should be consulted for any monetary penalties.[2]
  • Escalation: first, corrective notice to the department; repeat or continuing noncompliance procedures are not specified on the cited page.[2]
  • Non-monetary sanctions: departmental orders to remediate, corrective action plans, and possible referral to city legal counsel or court action; specific remedies are not listed verbatim on the cited pages.[2]
  • Enforcer and complaints: Civil Rights & Equity division receives accessibility complaints and coordinates remediation with Information Technology.[1]
  • Appeals and review: formal appeal routes and statutory time limits are not specified on the cited municipal pages and should be confirmed with the Civil Rights office or municipal code.[2]
If you encounter an inaccessible city web page, file a complaint promptly with the Civil Rights intake office.

Applications & Forms

The City publishes a complaint intake form for civil-rights and accessibility concerns; submitters must provide contact information, a description of the barrier, and the URL or screenshot when possible. The official complaint intake and submission method are available via the Civil Rights intake page.[1]

  • Complaint form: see Civil Rights & Equity complaint intake page for the official form and submission instructions.[1]
  • Required information: complainant contact, description of barrier, affected URL or document (if applicable); fee: none specified on the cited page.[1]

Common Violations and Typical Outcomes

  • Images missing alt text — typically requires remediation and a timeline to fix.
  • Poor keyboard navigation and focus order — departments are directed to update templates and scripts.
  • PDFs and forms not tagged for screen readers — remediation or alternative formats may be requested.
City staff and contractors must prioritize accessible design in procurement and updates.

FAQ

Who enforces website accessibility for Albuquerque city websites?
The Civil Rights & Equity division coordinates complaints and works with Information Technology to enforce accessibility requirements for city websites.[1]
How do I file a complaint about an inaccessible city web page?
Use the Civil Rights complaint intake form linked on the City website and provide the page URL, description of the barrier, and contact information.[1]
What standards should city websites follow?
The City refers to its Information Technology web standards and accessibility guidance; specific technical standards or version numbers should be confirmed with the IT web standards page.[3]

How-To

  1. Document the accessibility issue clearly with the page URL, screenshots, and steps to reproduce the problem.
  2. Submit the Civil Rights & Equity complaint form with the documented information and request remediation.
  3. Allow the City to acknowledge receipt and provide an estimated timeline for remediation; follow up if no response within the stated timeline.
  4. If unresolved, ask for escalation to the department head or request information about appeals or legal remedies.

Key Takeaways

  • Report barriers using the official Civil Rights complaint intake to start remediation.
  • Departments should follow IT web standards when publishing or updating city web content.
  • Keep records of reports and communications to support appeals or follow-up.

Help and Support / Resources


  1. [1] Civil Rights & Equity — File a complaint (City of Albuquerque)
  2. [2] Albuquerque Municipal Code (Municode)
  3. [3] Information Technology — Web standards (City of Albuquerque)