United States · Federal
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
Section 508 governs the accessibility of electronic and information technology developed, procured, or used by U.S. federal agencies. It is enforced through procurement — vendors must demonstrate conformance to win federal contracts.
At a glance
- Enacted in 1973; applied to electronic and information technology in 1998.
- The 2017 refresh (effective January 2018) replaced the original technical provisions with WCAG 2.0 Level AA, aligning Section 508 with the international standard.
How TrustScans covers Section 508
- WCAG 2.2 scanning is fully backward compatible with the WCAG 2.0 AA criteria that Section 508 adopts.
- Every finding is tagged with the WCAG Success Criterion behind each 508 requirement, making it straightforward to assemble a VPAT or ACR.
- Exported reports provide the per-page evidence needed for federal procurement packages.
Primary citation
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended — Information and Communication Technology Standards and Guidelines (36 CFR Part 1194, 2018 refresh)
TrustScans is not a law firm. This summary is a plain-language overview — consult counsel for legal advice.