Task-based navigation
Menus and homepage paths built around what your residents do, from paying bills to reporting a pothole.
The Problem
Residents Can't Find the Service They Came For
It shows up when a resident tries to pay a water bill, find an agenda, or check a road closure. They end up calling your city hall instead.
01 · Department maze
Services sit under department names your residents don't know.
Pages are grouped by resident task: pay, apply, report, and attend.
02 · Scanned agendas
Meeting agendas are scanned PDFs screen readers can't read.
Agendas get accessible pages, and remaining PDFs are flagged for fixing.
03 · Buried alerts
Road closures and notices sink under routine news posts.
An alert banner and notices page keep urgent updates on top.
04 · Mixed editing
Each of your departments edits pages its own way.
Department editors share templates, and drafts are approved before publishing.
A resident wants to pay a water bill before the late fee hits. Your homepage lists every department in alphabetical order, so they guess at Public Works, then Finance. The agenda for your Tuesday council meeting is a scanned PDF that a screen reader can't read. Last week's road closure notice is buried under a news post. Each of your departments edits its pages differently, and nobody owns the menu. So the calls come to your front desk all week.
We start with what residents come to do: pay, apply, report, and attend meetings. Your pages are organized by those tasks, so a bill or permit is only a few clicks from your homepage. Your agendas, minutes, and notices get their own templates, and an alert banner handles emergencies. Each page type passes WCAG 2.1 AA testing before launch. Your residents finish tasks online, and your front desk gets its phones back.
Pages built around tasks
Pay, apply, report, and find meetings: each task gets a direct path from your homepage.
Meetings and records in order
Agendas, minutes, and packets organized by meeting date and public body, in accessible formats.
Alerts that reach residents
An emergency banner and notices page your staff can update in minutes during storms or closures.
Our Government Website Design Process
From Access Review to Launch in Five Clear Steps
You approve the task map, review designs with department heads, and see the accessibility test results before the new site goes live.
We review your current site against WCAG 2.1 AA. Then we test your top resident tasks, such as paying a bill or finding an agenda. You get a short findings report and a fixed quote. If your current CMS only needs fixes, we'll tell you before we quote.
What's Included
What You Get With Local Government Website Design
Each project covers resident tasks, meetings and records, notices, department editing, accessibility testing, and launch. Your residents serve themselves, and your staff keep pages current.
Compare Options
DeveloperLook vs Gov CMS Vendor vs Generic Agency
Government-focused CMS vendors and general agencies both suit some cities, especially large ones with long contracts. Here's how each option handles website design for local government, from agendas to accessibility.
| Feature | DeveloperLookBest fit | Gov CMS vendor | Generic agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task planning | Resident tasks mapped first | The vendor's module structure | Brand-led page design |
| Meetings and records | Agenda and minutes templates | Built-in agenda modules | Often added late |
| Accessibility | WCAG 2.1 AA tested per template | The vendor's conformance claims | Varies by team |
| Department editing | Roles with draft approval | Mature permission tools | Usually one admin login |
| Upfront cost | From $1,450, fixed scope | Setup plus annual license | Higher agency rates |
| Ongoing cost | No license fees | A yearly subscription | Retainers for changes |
| Speed to launch | 4 to 12 weeks | Fast on standard modules | Depends on scope |
| Ownership | Your CMS and .gov domain | Tied to the vendor platform | Sometimes their hosting |
DeveloperLook
Gov CMS vendor
- Task planning
- DeveloperLook: Resident tasks mapped firstGov CMS vendor: The vendor's module structure
- Meetings and records
- DeveloperLook: Agenda and minutes templatesGov CMS vendor: Built-in agenda modules
- Accessibility
- DeveloperLook: WCAG 2.1 AA tested per templateGov CMS vendor: The vendor's conformance claims
- Department editing
- DeveloperLook: Roles with draft approvalGov CMS vendor: Mature permission tools
- Upfront cost
- DeveloperLook: From $1,450, fixed scopeGov CMS vendor: Setup plus annual license
- Ongoing cost
- DeveloperLook: No license feesGov CMS vendor: A yearly subscription
- Speed to launch
- DeveloperLook: 4 to 12 weeksGov CMS vendor: Fast on standard modules
- Ownership
- DeveloperLook: Your CMS and .gov domainGov CMS vendor: Tied to the vendor platform
Projects We've Built
Information-Heavy Website Projects We Have Built
A consulting firm, a news archive, an HR platform, and an education site from our team, each with many pages and clear paths. None of them is government work.
Armada AG Fiduciary and Consulting Services Website
- Finance
- Business
- Website
Deus News and Magazine Website Design and Development
- News & Media
- Website
Herile HR and Project Management Platform Website
- Business
- Dashboard
- SaaS Platform
Edutech E-Learning Web Design & Development
- Education
- Dashboard
- E-commerce
What Our Clients Say
What Clients Say After Launch
Feedback from teams we have designed and built websites for.
We had a pretty specific idea of what we wanted our website to become, but I wasn’t sure how easily we could explain all of it to a development team. There were quite a few moving parts, and we were working toward a deadline, so I expected a few things to get lost along the way. That never really happened. They understood what we were trying to achieve, kept us updated throughout the process, and got everything ready within the agreed timeline. The final site feels much easier to navigate, works beautifully on mobile, and is noticeably smoother for our customers. It was a huge relief seeing the original idea actually turn into the website we had in mind.
The mobile experience is probably my favourite part of the new site. We had spent a lot of time making sure the desktop version looked right, and the team kept pushing us to think about how everything would actually feel on a phone too. They were right. The navigation is clean, the interactions feel natural, and everything we’ve tested so far works exactly as it should. They also went through the links, forms, integrations, and other details more than once before launch, which I really appreciated. And even after going live, we could still reach out when something came up. The whole process felt friendly, organised, and surprisingly straightforward.
What I appreciate most is that the website is actually easy for us to manage now. We can update content ourselves instead of sending a developer a message every time we need to change something small. They also paid attention to the technical SEO side, which mattered to us because we didn’t want a new website to create problems for the traffic we already had. I’ve probably asked more questions than I should have since launch, but every question has been handled patiently and without any fuss. The team is easy to work with, they explain things clearly, and when we need something changed, they focus on getting it done rather than making the process complicated.
1,250+
Projects shipped
10+
Years of experience
Top 3%
Upwork Top Rated Plus
5 stars
Average review score
Want results like these?
Tell us what you are building. You get a reply within 24 hours on business days, then a written estimate.
Work Culture
Why Local Governments Trust Us With Their Website
Your site answers to residents, councils, and auditors at once. These habits keep our government web design honest about rules, open about cost, and easy for departments to run.
No claims we can't back
We don't claim GSA schedules, certifications, or past .gov work we haven't done. You get honest answers about what we test, what we document, and what stays your responsibility.
Real assistive tech testing
We test with screen readers and keyboard-only navigation, not just automated scanners. Scanners catch some problems, but your residents using assistive tech find the rest.
PDFs treated as content
Your agendas, budgets, and forms often live in PDFs that fail accessibility checks. We list each one and help you turn the busiest into accessible pages.
Scope written for procurement
You get a written scope, fixed pricing, and a testing summary you can attach to council or procurement records. Changes are priced before they start.
Departments edit safely
Each of your departments edits its own pages through shared templates, and drafts go to your approver first. The menu and homepage stay consistent no matter who posts.
Public accounts stay public
The domain, hosting, CMS, and analytics are set up in your government's accounts. Your staff can remove our access at any time, and nothing depends on a vendor license.
Overview
Who does government website design for cities and counties?
DeveloperLook does government website design for cities, counties, and special districts that want residents to find services and records without calling. We organize pages by resident task, build agenda, notice, and alert templates, set up department editing, and test every template to WCAG 2.1 AA. Projects start at $1,450 and take 4 to 12 weeks.
DEVELOPERLOOK
Project facts · Government Website Design
- Service
- Government Website Design (resident services, meetings, notices, accessibility)
- Typical timeline
- 4 to 6 weeks for small sites, 8 to 12 weeks for cities
- Platforms
- Drupal or WordPress, on your hosting and .gov domain
- Built with
- Figma, NVDA and VoiceOver, Lighthouse, and GA4
- Experience
- 10+ years of development experience and 1,250+ shipped projects
- Post-launch support
- 30 to 90 days, depending on plan
- Communication
- Calls in US, UK, and AU business hours
- Starting price
- From $1,450 USD, fixed scope after a free access review
Reviewed 8 Oct 2026 by Saimul Islam
Good fit
Towns with one part-time web editor
Your town clerk posts agendas, minutes, and notices alone, and your current site makes each upload take most of an afternoon.
Counties facing ADA Title II dates
Your county is preparing for its ADA Title II compliance date and needs to know which templates and PDFs fail WCAG 2.1 AA.
Cities with many departments
Your city's departments each built pages on an old Drupal or WordPress site, so residents searching for a permit find three different answers.
Special districts moving to .gov
Your water, fire, or park district still uses a .com or .org address and wants a trustworthy .gov site for residents.
Agencies with public sector clients
Your agency won a local government contract and needs a government web design company to handle the build and accessibility testing under your name.
Not a fit
Federal agency contract
You're a federal agency that needs a vendor on a federal contract vehicle. We don't claim one, so a federal systems integrator is the better fit.
Public library website
You run a public library rather than a city or county office. Our Library Website Design page covers catalog search, branch hours, and programs.
Accessibility fixes only
Your site's structure works, and you only need accessibility issues fixed and watched. Our Website Accessibility Remediation and Accessibility Statement and Monitoring services fit better.
Budget under $1,450
Your budget is under $1,450. A template from your current CMS provider, set up by staff, may cover the basics until the next budget cycle.
Not sure we're the right fit?
Book a free call or message us. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right team.
Pricing
Transparent Starting Prices for Government Website Design
These are starting points in USD. Your final price depends on page count, departments and editors, and documents to migrate, and you get a fixed proposal after a free access review.
For towns and special districts that need services, meetings, and notices in one clear place.
$1,450one-time, USD
- Up to 12 pages organized by resident task
- Agendas and minutes page with accessible document links
- Public notices page and an emergency alert banner
- WCAG 2.1 AA testing with a written summary
- Accessibility statement and feedback contact
- 30 days of post-launch support
Recommended
For cities and counties with several departments, regular meetings, and many documents.
$3,800one-time, USD
- Everything in Town and District Site
- Up to 40 pages with department templates
- Department editors with roles and draft approval
- Meeting calendar and searchable document library
- Site search and plain-language review of top pages
- 60 days of post-launch support
For larger governments moving a big older site, with forms and more than one language.
$7,400one-time, USD
- Everything in City and County Site
- Up to 100 pages, including content from your old site
- A redirect for every moved page
- Online forms routed to the right department
- Second-language pages for content you supply
- .gov domain move support and 90 days of support
For Agencies
White-Label Website Design for Government Clients
You own the client relationship. We supply the public sector design and build behind it: resident task maps, meeting and notice templates, department editing, and accessibility testing. The work carries your agency's name, and the client keeps its own accounts.
How the partnership works
White label: your client only ever sees your brand
- Your client
- You, the agency
- DeveloperLook
Share the RFP
Send the scope, departments, current site, and any accessibility requirements.
- Client needs
- You share the details
- Details received
We plan the build
You get a task map, a sitemap, and a fixed price for your bid.
- Scope and plan
- Proposal to resell
- Your quoteYOUR LOGO
Build under your name
Your team presents the site, the test summary, and editor training as its own.
- Done by our team
- Your brand on it
- Handed to your clientDone
Partner with DeveloperLookDelivered under your brand
Public sector focus
Task maps, meeting templates, and notices planned the way residents use them.
Documented accessibility
WCAG 2.1 AA test summaries your client can attach to its records.
Fixed, line-item quotes
Clear prices per site that fit public budgets and purchase orders.
Help at budget deadlines
Extra capacity when several public clients launch before fiscal year end.
The Right Technology for Your Project
Technology Stack
We build on open-source CMS platforms with no license fees, hosted in your government's own accounts and tested with real assistive technology.
Figma
Adobe XD- Google Fonts
- U.S. Web Design System
- Drupal
WordPress
PHP
MySQL
Cloudflare
AWS
Microsoft Azure- Let's Encrypt
Lighthouse
Chrome DevTools
Google Analytics
Google Search Console
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers on government website costs, .gov domains, accessibility rules, county sites, and choosing a partner.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
A DeveloperLook site for your town or special district starts at $1,450 for up to 12 pages with agendas, notices, and WCAG 2.1 AA testing. City and county sites with department editors and a document library start at $3,800. Full builds with up to 100 migrated pages start at $7,400. Hosting is billed by your provider, and .gov domains are free.
Small town and district sites usually launch in 4 to 6 weeks, and city or county builds take 8 to 12 weeks. Your council approvals and department content reviews set most of the pace, so we schedule them at the start. Your move to a .gov domain can run in parallel with the build.
No. Only verified US government organizations can register a .gov domain, including states, counties, cities, tribal governments, special districts, and school districts. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) runs the program at get.gov, checks each applicant, and charges no fee. Businesses, nonprofits, and contractors can't register one for themselves.
Yes, we can design and build it, but your government registers the .gov domain itself. Your staff apply through get.gov. Once CISA approves the request, we point the domain to your new site and redirect your old address. The domain stays in your government's name throughout.
Making a .gov website runs on two tracks: the domain and the site. Your government requests the domain through CISA's get.gov, while the site is designed, built, and tested on a staging address. When both are ready, DNS records point the .gov domain to your hosting, and your old URLs redirect to the new pages.
Design a government website around resident tasks, not your org chart. Put your most requested services, such as payments, permits, and meeting agendas, on the homepage. Use plain language, and test every template with screen readers. The best government website design examples share those habits more than any visual style.
Your county site serves more audiences than most city sites: residents, unincorporated areas, courts, and the cities inside your county. Design it with clear service areas, a plain guide to which office handles what, and department pages that share templates. The best local government website design labels county and city services clearly, so nobody calls the wrong office.
The Department of Justice's ADA Title II rule sets WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the standard for state and local government websites and mobile apps. After an April 2026 extension, governments serving 50,000 or more people must comply by April 26, 2027. Smaller ones and special districts have until April 26, 2028. We design and test to that standard, while your counsel decides legal questions.
Compare companies on how they test accessibility, how your departments will edit pages, and who owns your CMS and domain afterward. Ask for a sample test summary and a demo of the editor's view, not just finished screenshots. Also check which yearly license fees you'd keep paying after launch.
Your staff do, with templates and roles we set up for each department. Your training covers posting agendas, notices, and alerts, plus the approval step before pages go live. Support is included for 30 to 90 days, depending on plan. The CMS has no license fee, so later help is billed only when you ask for it.
Saimul IslamFounder & CEO, DeveloperLookStill have questions?
Send a message or book a call with the team.
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