Section 508 · WCAG 2.0 AA
Section 508 checker
Check web pages against WCAG 2.0 AA, the standard the refreshed Section 508 rules point to for US federal agencies and the technology they buy.
Check a page now
Free, no account needed.
How the check works
Paste the address of any public page.
We load it in a real browser at desktop and phone size and run more than 40 automated checks.
You get a score, every problem grouped by type, and the exact fix: code before and after, steps for your platform and a prompt for AI tools.
What Section 508 asks of websites
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires US federal agencies to make their information and communication technology accessible. Since the refresh of the standards, which took effect in January 2018, web content is measured against WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
Companies that sell software or services to federal agencies are often asked how their product meets Section 508, usually with an Accessibility Conformance Report based on the VPAT format.
WCAG 2.2 builds on 2.0, so the checker tests the newer version and marks which problems concern WCAG 2.0 AA. On full scans it also checks linked PDF documents.
What the checker tests
Each check links to a guide that explains the problem, who it affects and how to fix it.
Images and media
Links and buttons
Forms
Page structure
- Page language not declared
- Page language code is invalid
- Declared language does not match the content
- Page has no title
- No way to skip repeated navigation
- Heading levels skipped
- Empty headings
- Page has no main heading (H1)
- More than one H1 heading
- No main landmark
- Content outside landmark regions
- Landmarks that cannot be told apart
- Lists with invalid structure
- List items outside a list
ARIA and code
Visual and interaction
PDF documents
What an automated checker cannot tell you
Automated tests can check whether an image has a text alternative, but not whether the text describes the image well. They cannot judge keyboard flow or how a screen reader announces a complex widget. Every report includes a manual checklist for these parts.
Questions and answers
Which standard does Section 508 use for websites?
WCAG 2.0 Level AA, since the refreshed Section 508 standards took effect in January 2018.
Can I create a VPAT or an Accessibility Conformance Report with this tool?
Not by itself, because a conformance report needs manual testing as well. The WCAG evaluation report export lists every A and AA criterion with what the automated scan found, which gives you a starting point.
Does the checker test PDF documents?
Yes. On full scans, PDFs linked from your pages are checked for tags, real text, a title, the document language, bookmarks and security settings that block assistive technology.
Is the checker free?
Yes. Checking one page is free and needs no account. A one-time audit of a whole site costs $19, and monitoring plans start at $19 a month.
Check the whole site, not just one page
A one-time audit for $19 scans up to 300 pages and unlocks every fix, the PDF report and the WCAG evaluation report. Monitoring plans rescan on a schedule and tell you when new problems appear.
See pricesThis page is an overview for orientation, not legal advice. Laws, deadlines and exemptions change and depend on your situation. Automated testing detects only a portion of WCAG issues. Manual testing is required to assess full conformance.