guide
Section 508 for government: requirements, priorities, and audit checklist
Section 508 compliance for public-sector sites requires applying Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act to the specific failure points typical of the government industry — including inaccessible pdf forms and notices, inaccessible kiosks and ticketing terminals, outdated cms platforms.
Does Section 508 apply to public-sector sites?
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires US federal agencies, federal contractors, and recipients of federal funds to make their information and communications technology (ICT) accessible to people with disabilities, with conformance benchmarked against WCAG 2.0 Level AA via the 2017 Refresh.
Government accessibility — the lay of the land
Public-sector compliance is layered: technical standards (Section 508, EN 301 549), legal mandates (ADA, WAD, ACA), and procurement rules (VPAT/ACR requirements). State and local governments now face the April 2024 DOJ final rule with compliance dates of April 2026/2027.
Where Section 508 bites hardest in public-sector sites
• Inaccessible PDF forms and notices
• Inaccessible kiosks and ticketing terminals
• Outdated CMS platforms
• Procurement of inaccessible third-party services
• Lack of accessibility staff in smaller agencies
Remediation priorities
• Online services and benefits portals
• PDF forms and notices
• Tax, licensing, permitting flows
• Public meeting and election information
• Kiosks and self-service terminals
How to comply with Section 508 on a Government site
1. Complete a VPAT/ACR: Use the latest VPAT 2.5 template (or 2.5INT for international). Document conformance to WCAG 2.0 AA per chapter 5 of Section 508.
2. Test against WCAG 2.0 AA: Combined automated + manual + assistive-technology testing. AT-required: NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, ZoomText.
3. Cover all 508 surfaces: Web (chapter 5), software (chapter 4), hardware (chapter 4), and documentation/support.
4. Update annually: Federal contracts require current VPATs. Re-test after any significant product change.
Sources
- Section508.gov — GSA
- Section 508 Standards (ICT Refresh) — US Access Board
- Section508.gov — GSA
- ADA Title II Rule — US DOJ
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Cited answers. Sourced. Updated as standards and case law change.
Does Section 508 apply to government websites?
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires US federal agencies, federal contractors, and recipients of federal funds to make their information and communications technology (ICT) accessible to people with disabilities, with conformance benchmarked against WCAG 2.0 Level AA via the 2017 Refresh.
What are the most common Section 508 failures in public-sector sites?
Inaccessible PDF forms and notices Inaccessible kiosks and ticketing terminals Outdated CMS platforms
What conformance level should a government site target?
WCAG 2.2 Level AA is the consensus target for legal compliance and the level referenced by virtually every national accessibility law.
What does the DOJ Title II final rule require?
WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance for web content, mobile apps, kiosks, and self-service terminals operated by state and local government entities. Compliance deadlines: April 2026 for entities serving >50,000 residents; April 2027 for smaller.
How does Section 508 differ from ADA Title II?
Section 508 governs federal procurement of ICT and applies to vendors selling to federal buyers. ADA Title II governs state and local government services. Both reference WCAG. A federal contractor often complies with both simultaneously via a single VPAT.
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