Section 508 compliance checklist for government websites. The Section 508 checklist for government websites.
A plain-English checklist for making a government or public-sector website Section 508 compliant — what the law requires, how it maps to WCAG 2.1 AA and the ADA, and every checkpoint that actually matters.
Written by a registered federal contractor who builds 508-compliant government websites. UEI JN2VF5LTSE83 · CAGE 23U33.
What is Section 508?
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that electronic and information technology built, bought, or used by the federal government be accessible to people with disabilities. For websites, that means a person using a screen reader, a keyboard instead of a mouse, captions, or high-contrast text can access the same information and services as everyone else.
The Revised 508 Standards adopted the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level A and AA as the technical benchmark. Most current projects target WCAG 2.1 AA, which adds mobile, touch, and low-vision requirements. Section 508 is the federal rule; the ADA is the civil-rights law that extends the same expectation to state and local governments, school districts, and publicly funded organizations.
Who this checklist is for
City and county managers, school district communications and IT staff, and anyone procuring or building a public-sector website. Work through the four sections below — Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust — and you’ll have covered the criteria that matter for a 508/WCAG 2.1 AA-conformant site.
The Checklist
Section 508 compliance checklist.
Grouped by the four WCAG principles. If your site passes all of these — and a real screen-reader test — you’re in strong shape for Section 508 and the ADA.
1. Perceivable
Users must be able to perceive the information — nothing important is available only in a way some people can’t access.- Every meaningful image has a text alternative (alt text); decorative images are marked empty so screen readers skip them.
- Videos have accurate synchronized captions; audio-only content has a transcript.
- Color is never the only way information is conveyed (e.g., “required fields are red” also has a label or icon).
- Text contrast is at least 4.5:1 against its background (3:1 for large text and UI components).
- Text can be resized to 200% without loss of content or function, and content reflows on small screens without horizontal scrolling.
- Images of text are avoided except for logos — real, selectable text is used instead.
2. Operable
Every function has to work for people who don’t use a mouse — keyboard, switch, and screen-reader users included.- All functionality is available from the keyboard alone, with no keyboard traps.
- A visible focus indicator shows where you are as you tab through the page.
- A “skip to main content” link lets keyboard users bypass the navigation.
- Pages have unique, descriptive titles and a logical tab/reading order.
- Link text describes its destination (“Apply for a permit,” not “click here”).
- There are multiple ways to find pages (menu, search, or sitemap).
- No content flashes more than three times per second (seizure safety).
- Users get enough time to read and use content; any time limits can be turned off or extended.
3. Understandable
Content and interactions have to be predictable and clear — especially forms, which is where most government transactions happen.- The page language is set in the HTML (lang attribute) so screen readers pronounce content correctly.
- Navigation and components are consistent from page to page.
- Every form field has a visible, programmatically associated label.
- Errors are identified in text, the specific field is named, and a correction is suggested.
- Instructions and required formats are given before the user submits, not only after an error.
- Behavior is predictable — nothing changes context automatically on focus or input without warning.
4. Robust
The code has to be clean enough that current and future assistive technologies can interpret it reliably.- HTML is valid and well-formed, with correctly nested, properly used elements.
- Headings (H1–H6) and landmarks describe the page structure in order, not chosen for visual size.
- Custom controls expose a correct name, role, and value (proper ARIA where native HTML isn’t enough).
- Status messages and dynamic updates are announced to assistive technology.
- The site is tested with an actual screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver), not just an automated scanner.
How to make your government website compliant
Accessibility is far cheaper to build in than to retrofit. The practical path:
- Start in the code. Semantic HTML — real headings, lists, labels and landmarks — gets you most of the way before any ARIA.
- Fix contrast and keyboard access early. These two account for a large share of failures and are cheapest to handle up front.
- Caption every video and add transcripts for audio — this is a common government-content gap.
- Test with a real screen reader. Automated scanners catch roughly a third of issues; the rest needs keyboard and NVDA/VoiceOver testing.
- Keep it compliant. Accessibility isn’t one-and-done — every new page, PDF, and form has to meet the same bar.
That last point is the hard part for most agencies: a site launches compliant, then drifts. Building on a clean, maintainable foundation — and having someone accountable for it — is what keeps you compliant instead of exposed.
We build 508-compliant government websites.
Hey Aaron! Marketing is a registered federal contractor (UEI JN2VF5LTSE83, CAGE 23U33) that builds fast, accessible, WCAG 2.1 AA government and municipal websites — compliant from the first line of code, not bolted on after an audit. Text me and I’ll walk your site through this checklist.
Straight Answers
Section 508 questions.
Is Section 508 the same as the ADA?+
No. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act sets accessibility requirements for federal agencies’ electronic and information technology, while the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a broader civil-rights law that courts increasingly apply to websites of state and local governments and businesses. In practice they point to the same technical standard — WCAG — so a site built to Section 508 generally also meets what the ADA expects.
Think of 508 as the federal procurement rule and the ADA as the civil-rights backstop. Build to WCAG 2.1 AA and you satisfy both in almost every case.
What WCAG level does Section 508 require?+
The Revised Section 508 Standards (in effect since 2018) incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level A and Level AA as the technical baseline. Most agencies and modern projects now target WCAG 2.1 Level AA, which adds mobile and low-vision criteria on top of 2.0.
Aim for WCAG 2.1 AA. It covers the 508 baseline and the newer mobile/touch requirements, and it’s the level courts and agencies reference today.
Does Section 508 apply to state and local governments?+
Section 508 itself directly binds federal agencies. But state and local governments are frequently required to meet the same WCAG standard — through the ADA, through state laws, and as a condition of federal grant funding. A city or school district website almost always needs to meet WCAG 2.1 AA, whether the rule is called 508 or ADA.
If you take federal money or serve the public, assume the same technical bar applies. The safe answer is WCAG 2.1 AA.
How do I make my government website 508 compliant?+
Work through the four WCAG principles — Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust: add text alternatives and captions, ensure 4.5:1 color contrast, make everything keyboard-operable with a visible focus indicator, label every form field with clear error handling, set the page language, and use valid, well-structured HTML. Then test with a real screen reader, not just an automated scanner.
Run the checklist on this page, fix what fails, and confirm with a screen-reader pass. Automated tools catch maybe a third of issues — the rest is keyboard and screen-reader testing.
Who has to comply with Section 508?+
Federal agencies and, in effect, the contractors and vendors that build or supply their websites and software. Through the ADA and grant conditions, state and local governments, school districts, and many publicly funded organizations face the same WCAG requirement.
If you’re building a website for any government body — federal, state, county, city, or school district — accessibility isn’t optional, and it’s far cheaper to build in than to retrofit.
Need a 508-compliant
government website?
Text me your site and I’ll run it through this checklist — or build you a new one that’s WCAG 2.1 AA from day one.