UNITED STATES FEDERAL · COMPLIANCE

Section 508 accessibility compliance,
on autopilot.

Section 508 requires US federal agencies — and the vendors they buy from — to ensure that information and communication technology (ICT) is accessible. The Revised 508 Standards adopt WCAG 2.0 Level AA as the web-content benchmark. AllyShield produces VPAT-ready evidence mapped cleanly to each 508 criterion.

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What Section 508 requires

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (as amended) — the short version.

  • 1Enforced since 1998 and modernised by the Revised 508 Standards in 2017, which harmonise with international EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.0 AA.
  • 2Applies to every federal agency, department, and the contractors who sell ICT products or services to them.
  • 3The GSA's Section508.gov maintains the official VPAT 2.x template for documenting conformance.
  • 4Contracting officers may reject bids that lack a current, complete VPAT — effectively making compliance a procurement gate.

How AllyShield maps to Section 508

Section 508 points to Revised 508 Standards → WCAG 2.0 Level AA. Every scan you run produces a jurisdiction-tagged report that separates Section 508 requirements from other frameworks you might also target.

Note: Automated scanning cannot guarantee legal compliance or prevent lawsuits. AllyShield identifies many WCAG issues automatically, but a complete accessibility programme also requires manual testing and independent legal review. Full disclaimer →
E205.4 · WCAG 1.1.1

Non-text content

All non-text content has text alternatives that serve the equivalent purpose.

✓Full site scan of images, icons, SVGs, and media elements.
E205.4 · WCAG 1.4.3

Contrast (Minimum)

Minimum contrast of 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text.

✓Per-node computed contrast including gradients and semi-transparent backgrounds.
E205.4 · WCAG 2.1.1

Keyboard

All functionality available from a keyboard.

✓Keyboard audit for focus traps, skip links, tab order, and focus visibility.
E205.4 · WCAG 2.4.7

Focus visible

Any keyboard-operable interface has a visible keyboard focus indicator.

✓Detects outline:none and missing :focus-visible styles.
E205.4 · WCAG 3.3.2

Labels or instructions

Labels or instructions are provided for user input.

✓Scans every form field for associated labels or aria-label fallback.
E205.4 · WCAG 4.1.2

Name, role, value

Custom components expose correct role, name, and state to assistive tech.

✓ARIA audit across all custom widgets.
TAMPER-EVIDENT

Download a signed Section 508 compliance certificate.

Every completed scan can produce a PDF certificate containing the scan date, AllyScore, and WCAG target level — HMAC-SHA256 signed and publicly verifiable via QR code. Attach it to vendor questionnaires, legal reviews, or customer RFPs.

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CERTIFICATE
Section 508 · Revised 508 Standards → WCAG 2.0 Level AA
92/100
sig: 7a3c…f091

Section 508 compliance FAQ

Do I need Section 508 compliance if I'm not a federal agency?+

Yes if you sell ICT products or services to the federal government — directly, via GSA schedules, or as a subcontractor. Your contracting officer will ask for a VPAT.

What's the difference between Section 508 and the ADA?+

Section 508 applies to federal ICT procurement (WCAG 2.0 AA). The ADA applies to places of public accommodation — which courts have extended to commercial websites — typically at WCAG 2.1 AA. Many organizations target both simultaneously.

Can AllyShield generate a VPAT?+

We're rolling out a VPAT 2.4 Rev generator that pre-fills conformance language from your latest scan results. In the meantime, you can export a detailed Section 508 report and paste findings into the official VPAT template.

Does Section 508 require WCAG 2.1?+

The current Revised 508 Standards (2017) reference WCAG 2.0. The Access Board has proposed updating to WCAG 2.1 but as of now WCAG 2.0 AA is the minimum. AllyShield scans against both so you're future-proof.

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Jurisdiction slug: section508 · API: /api/scans/[id]/compliance?jurisdiction=section508

Compliance in other jurisdictions

ADA (United States)
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The lawsuit driver for US web accessibility.
AODA (Ontario)
Ontario regulation 191/11. Penalties up to CA$100K/day for corporations.
EAA (European Union)
EN 301 549 under the EU Accessibility Act. Enforced June 28, 2025.
Section 508 (US Federal)
Federal agencies and contractors. WCAG 2.0 AA baseline with VPAT documentation.