Section 508 Checker

Section 508 is a federal accessibility standard that applies to websites, applications, and digital content used by U.S. government agencies. It ensures that people with disabilities can use and navigate digital systems effectively, whether through a screen reader, keyboard, or other assistive technologies.

The BrowserStack Section 508 Checker helps teams test against these requirements for free. It scans web pages for key accessibility issues based on WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA, which form the foundation of Section 508 compliance.

What is Section 508 Compliance?

Section 508 is a federal accessibility standard that requires digital content and technology to be usable by people with disabilities. It covers websites, web applications, software, documents, and other forms of digital content developed for use by federal agencies.

To meet Section 508 compliance, digital content must follow specific technical requirements based on WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA. These include:

• Alt text for images and icons
• Proper heading structure and reading order
• Keyboard access for all interactive elements
• Sufficient color contrast between text and background
• Clear labels for form fields and controls
• Correct use of ARIA labels and attributes

Who Should Comply With Section 508?

Section 508 applies to any organization that develops, procures, maintains, or uses digital content for a U.S. federal agency. This includes:

• Federal departments and agencies
• Contractors and vendors delivering websites, software, or digital services to the government
• Third-party teams involved in federal IT projects

In short, if a digital product is intended for use by a federal agency, it must meet Section 508 accessibility requirements, regardless of whether it is built in-house or by an external provider.

Legal and Business Risks of Section 508 Non-Compliance

Failing to meet Section 508 requirements can lead to legal, financial, and operational consequences. Here are some consequences of not complying with Section 508. 

• Fines for violations: Non-compliance can result in penalties of up to $55,000 for initial violations and up to $110,000 for subsequent violations.
• Contract and funding risks: Federal agencies may reject deliverables, withhold payment, or revoke project funding if Section 508 requirements are not met.
• Legal consequences: Non-compliance can lead to formal complaints, investigations, or lawsuits under federal civil rights law.
• Increased oversight: Repeated issues may trigger internal audits, compliance monitoring, and mandatory remediation plans, increasing project costs and timelines.
• Reputational damage: Accessibility violations can affect how agencies and procurement teams view your organization, impacting future eligibility and trust.

ICT Test Baseline for Section 508 Compliance

The ICT Test Baseline is a standardized set of accessibility test rules used to verify whether digital content meets Section 508 compliance requirements. “ICT” stands for Information and Communication Technology, which includes websites, web applications, documents, software, and other digital interfaces.

The baseline was developed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to support consistent, code-based testing across federal agencies and contractors. It outlines what needs to be tested, how to test it, and how to determine pass or fail outcomes.

Here’s what the ICT Test Baseline includes:

• Component-specific rules: The baseline breaks down content into components like links, buttons, form fields, images, headings, and tables.
• Test conditions: Each component has defined rules (called test conditions) that are based on WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA success criteria.

• Manual inspection steps: The baseline focuses on code-level inspection, rather than visual or usability testing. It checks whether accessibility features are correctly implemented in the HTML, ARIA, and DOM structure.
• Binary results: Each test condition has a clear pass or fail outcome. There are no partial scores or subjective interpretations.

However, it doesn’t cover:

• All WCAG criteria (some are too subjective or context-dependent)
• Non-HTML content like PDFs or native mobile apps
• Usability issues or actual user experience
• Full keyboard-only or screen reader testing

What is a Section 508 Compliance Checker?

A Section 508 compliance checker is a tool used to scan websites, web applications, or other digital content for accessibility issues that violate Section 508 standards. These tools help identify technical problems that may prevent people with disabilities from accessing or interacting with content.

Key Features of BrowserStack 508 Compliance Checker

BrowserStack’s free Section 508 Compliance Checker helps you test websites for accessibility barriers covered under Section 508 standards. Here are the key features of the BrowserStack 508 compliance checker. 

• WCAG Testing: Checks your website against the technical standard referenced by Section 508 to ensure it meets requirements for perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust content. 
• Unlimited website scans: Enter any public URL and scan it as many times as you need to uncover accessibility issues quickly and easily.
• Language Attribute Verification: Confirms that the page includes a valid lang attribute, which allows screen readers to pronounce content correctly and switch languages when necessary. 
• Keyboard navigation testing: Use the built-in assisted test to check tab order and keyboard accessibility across key interactive elements like forms, buttons, and links.
• Multi-page scanning in one run: Analyze up to 5 different pages per scan to catch layout-specific or page-specific accessibility issues across your site.
• Accessibility Tree Inspection: Shows how assistive technologies interpret your site’s structure so developers can spot missing ARIA roles or semantic HTML.
• Report comparison: Compare scans to track which accessibility issues have been fixed and which new ones have appeared since the last run.
• Centralized reporting dashboard: Access all your reports in one place. Sort and track scans by user, workflow, or timestamp for better visibility and version tracking.
• Auto-saved reports with 60-day access: All scans are saved to your account for 60 days, so you can return to them anytime without re-running or exporting manually.

How to Use BrowserStack 508 Compliance Checker?

You can check for Section 508 compliance in a few simple steps using BrowserStack. 

Step 1: Enter the URL of the website you want to test for Section 508 compliance

Step 2: Click “Generate Report” to start the automated scan

Step 3: Review the report that shows accessibility issues based on WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA (aligned with Section 508)

Step 4: See issue types, severity levels, affected elements, and recommended fixes

Step 5: Export the report to share with your team or use it for remediation tracking

What Does BrowserStack’s 508 Compliance Report Include?

After a scan, the BrowserStack 508 Compliance Checker generates a detailed report in the Accessibility Testing Dashboard. It includes: 

• Scan overview: Displays patterns from recent scans, showing total issue counts and trends over time. You can compare up to the last 8 scans to track progress and consistency.
• Issue summary: Lists the number of issues found and the number of unique components affected. Clicking the numbers takes you to a detailed breakdown for review and remediation.
• Scan run history: Logs each scan execution so you can view results from specific dates, workflows, or user actions. This helps track changes across versions or releases.
• Component-level issue grouping: Groups issues by page elements such as buttons, links, or form fields, and maps each to the relevant WCAG 2.0 success criteria under Section 508.
• Search and filtering: Lets users filter results by scan name, page owner, or user who ran the test. You can also switch views between personal scans and team-wide scans.
• Report sharing: Allows teams to generate a secure, shareable link. Reports can be shared internally or made public if needed for compliance tracking or client reviews.

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