Free Section 508 Compliance Checkers — Test Federal Websites (2026)
🏛️ What is Section 508?
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities. The technical standard is WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
If you're a federal agency, federal contractor, or organization receiving federal funds — you need to be Section 508 compliant.
✅ Free Section 508 Compliance Checker
Test your federal website against WCAG 2.1 Level AA — required for Section 508.
Check Section 508 Compliance →Top Free Section 508 Compliance Checkers
🛠️ AccessiTool Section 508 Checker
Free • No signup • Instant results
Tests your website against WCAG 2.1 Level AA — the standard required for Section 508 compliance. Get a detailed report with violations, warnings, and fixes.
Try AccessiTool Section 508 Checker →🛠️ WAVE (WebAIM)
Free browser extension & web tool
WAVE provides visual feedback on accessibility issues directly on your web page. Great for understanding issues visually.
🛠️ axe DevTools (Deque)
Free browser extension
axe is highly accurate for developers. It integrates with Chrome DevTools and provides detailed technical feedback.
🛠️ Lighthouse (Chrome DevTools)
Built into Chrome • Free
Lighthouse audits accessibility, performance, SEO, and more. Run it directly from Chrome DevTools (F12 → Lighthouse).
Comparison — Free Section 508 Checkers
| Tool | Ease of Use | Accuracy | No Signup | PDF Testing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AccessiTool | ✅ Easy | ✅ High | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| WAVE | ✅ Easy | 🟡 Medium | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| axe DevTools | ⚠️ Developer | ✅ High | ❌ Signup | ❌ No |
| Lighthouse | ⚠️ Developer | 🟡 Medium | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
What Section 508 Requires — WCAG 2.1 Level AA Checklist
- ✅ Alt text for all images (WCAG 1.1.1)
- ✅ Keyboard accessibility (WCAG 2.1.1) — no mouse required
- ✅ Color contrast 4.5:1 for normal text (WCAG 1.4.3)
- ✅ Visible focus indicators (WCAG 2.4.7)
- ✅ Captions for videos (WCAG 1.2.2)
- ✅ Form labels (WCAG 3.3.2)
- ✅ Proper heading structure (WCAG 1.3.1)
- ✅ Accessible PDFs (tagged documents)
🔍 Test Your Federal Website for Section 508 Compliance
Run Free Section 508 Scan →Section 508 Testing Best Practices
- Run automated tests — Use a free Section 508 checker first
- Manual keyboard testing — Tab through your entire site
- Screen reader testing — Test with NVDA or VoiceOver
- Test PDFs — Use AccessiTool's PDF checker
- Document everything — Keep records for compliance audits
Internal Links — More Section 508 Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
🚀 Ensure Your Federal Website is Section 508 Compliant
Start Free Section 508 Scan →No signup. Instant results.
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