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508 compliance: what Section 508 requires and how to show you meet it
Section 508 obliges US federal agencies to buy and build technology that people with disabilities can use. If you sell to an agency or build for one, the requirement reaches you through the contract. Here is what it asks, in terms a web team can act on.
Who Section 508 applies to
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act applies to federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain or use information and communication technology. Agencies must give employees and members of the public with disabilities access comparable to what others get.
The law binds the agency, not the vendor directly. It reaches vendors through purchasing: agencies have to assess whether products meeting the standards are available and put the accessibility requirements in their solicitations. So if you want the contract, your product has to meet the standards, and you have to show it.
The technical standard: WCAG 2.0 A and AA
The Revised 508 Standards were issued by the US Access Board on January 18, 2017 and took effect on January 18, 2018. For websites, web applications and electronic documents they incorporate the WCAG 2.0 Level A and Level AA success criteria.
That is 38 criteria. WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 added more on top, so a site that meets WCAG 2.2 AA meets the web requirements of Section 508 with room to spare. Testing against the newer version is the practical choice: agencies and their contractors increasingly write 2.1 or 2.2 into statements of work.
Paste your address and see what fails WCAG 2.2 AA, where, and the code that fixes it. Starter $39/mo · Pro $129/mo. Refund within 14 days if it misses.
Check my siteHow agencies check
- Before buying: they ask for an Accessibility Conformance Report, the filled-in VPAT. The 508 edition of the template maps your product to the Revised 508 Standards.
- During evaluation: many agencies test the product themselves. The Department of Homeland Security's Trusted Tester process is a common method, and federal contractors hire certified testers for it. One contractor's post in our data pays $80 to $100 an hour for that role.
- After award: defects found in testing come back as items to fix before acceptance, with a retest.
A report that matches what the agency's own testers then find is worth more than a flattering one that does not.
Testing your own site for 508
- Pick the pages and flows the agency's users will touch.
- Test each against the WCAG A and AA criteria: rule checks, keyboard-only operation, visible focus, contrast, zoom, form labels and errors, names and roles of controls.
- Record a result per criterion with evidence, and the method used.
- Fix, retest, and date the log.
- Fill in the report from the results.
Our monthly audit does steps 2 to 4 for the public pages of your site or web product and, on the Pro plan, drafts the report in VPAT 2.5 format. It does not replace a Trusted Tester or a person testing with JAWS or NVDA, and it does not cover PDF documents or screens behind a login. The report lists what still needs a human check so that session is short. Check one page free.
Questions
Is Section 508 the same as WCAG?
No. Section 508 is a US federal law; WCAG is a W3C standard. The Revised 508 Standards incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA for web content, so meeting those criteria is how a website meets 508.
Does Section 508 apply to private companies?
Not directly. It applies to federal agencies. Companies meet it because agencies must buy accessible technology and write the standards into contracts.
What is the difference between ADA and Section 508?
Section 508 covers federal agencies and what they buy. The ADA covers state and local governments (Title II) and businesses open to the public (Title III). Title II now names WCAG 2.1 AA for web content.
Do I need a VPAT for 508 compliance?
If you sell to a federal agency, expect to be asked for an Accessibility Conformance Report, which is the completed VPAT. It is the usual way to document how your product meets the standards.
Paste your address and see what fails WCAG 2.2 AA, where, and the code that fixes it. Starter $39/mo · Pro $129/mo. Refund within 14 days if it misses.
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Sources (checked 2026-11-11): www.section508.gov/manage/laws-and-policies/ · www.access-board.gov/ict/ · www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat