Regulation
Section 508 Compliance Guide
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires all federal agencies to ensure their electronic and information technology (ICT) is accessible to people with disabilities. This includes websites, software, documents, and hardware. In 2017, the standard was refreshed to incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level AA as the benchmark.
Standard
WCAG 2.0 Level AA (with agencies increasingly adopting WCAG 2.1/2.2)
Deadline
Already in effect
Enforcement
Active
Key requirements
Applies to all federal ICT
Every federal website, intranet, document, video, and software application must meet Section 508 standards.
WCAG 2.0 Level AA is the baseline
The 2017 refresh aligned Section 508 with WCAG 2.0 AA. Agencies are increasingly adopting WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 as best practice.
Extends to contractors and vendors
Any company selling ICT products or services to the federal government must demonstrate conformance via a VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template).
Procurement requirements
Federal procurement officers must include accessibility requirements in RFPs and evaluate vendor VPAT documentation.
Who must comply
All federal government agencies
Federal contractors and vendors selling ICT
Federally funded organizations (including universities receiving federal grants)
State agencies receiving federal funding (in some cases)
Penalties for non-compliance
Non-compliance can result in formal complaints to the agency, GAO protests for procurement violations, and loss of federal contracts. The DOJ can investigate under Section 504.
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