Standards and guidance
Technical standards and legal requirements
Technical standards describe how to make content accessible. Laws decide who must do it, by when, and which standard applies. We work to technical standards; we do not give legal advice.
Reviewed 28 October 2026 against the official sources linked below
Technical standards, by service
| Service | Default standard | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Document remediation | PDF/UA-1 (ISO 14289-1) and WCAG 2.2 AA | Word and PowerPoint files are checked against WCAG. |
| Website audit | WCAG 2.2 AA | If a contract or rule names WCAG 2.1 AA, we report against that as well. |
| Code fixes | WCAG 2.2 AA | Matches the audit the fixes come from. |
| Media accessibility | WCAG 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded), 1.2.5 Audio Description (Prerecorded) | Recorded video only. |
| Monitoring | WCAG 2.2 AA | Spot-check, not a full audit. |
| VPAT-based ACR | ITI VPAT® 2.5 edition chosen by the buyer | WCAG, Section 508, EU (EN 301 549) or International edition. |
Why WCAG 2.2 AA is our default
WCAG 2.2 became a W3C Recommendation in October 2023. It contains the WCAG 2.1 success criteria except 4.1.1 Parsing, which was removed, and adds new criteria. Content that meets WCAG 2.2 AA therefore generally meets WCAG 2.1 AA as well.
WCAG 2.2 AA is not the exact legal requirement everywhere. Several US rules name WCAG 2.1 AA, and Section 508 names WCAG 2.0 AA. We record which version each deliverable was tested against.
Sources: W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 (external site) · W3C WAI: What’s new in WCAG 2.2 (external site)
Legal requirements your clients may face
The summaries below are general information, not legal advice. Your client should confirm with their own advisers whether a rule applies to them.
ADA Title II · US state and local governments
26 Apr 2027 (population 50,000+) · 26 Apr 2028 (under 50,000 and special district governments)
The Department of Justice rule requires web content and mobile apps to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA. The dates above reflect the one-year extension in the DOJ interim final rule published 20 April 2026 (previously 24 April 2026 and 26 April 2027).
Sources: ADA.gov: First steps toward complying with the Title II web rule (external site) · Federal Register 2026-07663: DOJ extension of compliance dates (external site)
HHS Section 504 · recipients of HHS financial assistance
11 May 2027 (15 or more employees) · 10 May 2028 (fewer than 15 employees)
The HHS Section 504 rule uses WCAG 2.1 Level AA for web content and mobile apps. The dates above reflect the HHS interim final rule effective 7 May 2026 (previously 11 May 2026 and 10 May 2027).
Sources: Federal Register 2026-09266: HHS extension of compliance dates (external site)
European Accessibility Act · products and services in the EU
Applies from 28 June 2025, through each Member State’s national law
Covers specified products and services, including e-commerce, banking services, e-books and some transport services. Exemptions and transitional provisions exist and vary by situation, so the applicable national law should be checked.
Sources: AccessibleEU (European Commission): The EAA comes into effect in June 2025 (external site) · European Commission: The European Accessibility Act (external site)
Section 508 · US federal agencies
In effect
The US Access Board’s ICT standards apply to information and communication technology that federal agencies develop, buy, maintain or use. They incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level AA by reference.
Source: U.S. Access Board: ICT accessibility standards (Section 508) (external site)
VPAT® and ACRs
Template, not a law
The VPAT® is a template published by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI). A completed VPAT is an Accessibility Conformance Report. Buyers often ask for one; ITI does not certify products.
Source: ITI: VPAT® (external site)
What we do not claim
- We do not guarantee legal compliance, freedom from complaints or lawsuits, certification or regulatory approval.
- Our reports state the standard, scope, methods and date of testing. They are evidence of work done, not a legal opinion.
Regulatory dates on this page were checked against the linked official sources on 28 October 2026. Rules change; check the sources for later updates.