Section 508

Section 508 is a US federal law requiring federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities.

What is Section 508?

Section 508 is part of the US Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It requires federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities — both employees and the public. The US Access Board sets the technical standards, and compliance is enforced through procurement rules and complaints.^[1]

Who must comply with Section 508?

Section 508 applies directly to US federal agencies. But its reach extends much further:

Vendors and contractors selling technology to federal agencies must show their products meet Section 508 standards. This is usually documented through a VPAT.
Organizations receiving federal funding — state agencies, universities, hospitals, and nonprofits with federal grants — may also be subject to Section 508, depending on the terms of their funding.

Private companies with no federal ties are not legally required to comply. However, many use Section 508 as a benchmark, and enterprise buyers in healthcare, education, and banking routinely expect vendors to provide VPATs.

What changed in the 2017 refresh?

The Section 508 standards were significantly updated in January 2017. The biggest change: WCAG 2.0 Level AA became the technical baseline for web content and software. Before the refresh, the standards dated from 2000 and were badly outdated.^[2]

The 2017 refresh also aligned Section 508 with EN 301 549, the European standard behind the EU Web Accessibility Directive and European Accessibility Act. This means vendors building to WCAG can address both US and EU requirements with one set of technical criteria.

What does Section 508 cover?

The refreshed standards apply to six categories:

Web content — Websites, web apps, and intranet content
Electronic documents — PDFs, Word files, and other digital documents
Software — Desktop apps, mobile apps, and operating systems
Hardware — Computers, printers, kiosks, and terminals
Telecommunications — VoIP, video conferencing, and messaging systems
Multimedia — Audio and video content, including captions and audio descriptions^[3]

How does Section 508 relate to WCAG?

Since the 2017 refresh, Section 508 for web content is essentially WCAG 2.0 Level AA. There are two important nuances:

Section 508 references WCAG 2.0, not 2.1 or 2.2. Organizations that meet WCAG 2.1 AA exceed the Section 508 requirement.
Section 508 adds requirements for software, hardware, and telecom products that WCAG does not cover.

For IT teams building SaaS products or web apps for the US public sector, reaching WCAG 2.1 AA satisfies Section 508's web content rules and positions the product well for federal procurement.

How does Section 508 compare to EU accessibility law?

Section 508 and the European Accessibility Act share the same foundation: both point to WCAG as the technical standard for web content. The key differences:

Section 508 applies to federal agencies and their supply chain. The EAA applies to private companies selling in the EU.
Section 508 references WCAG 2.0. The EAA references WCAG 2.1 (through EN 301 549).
Section 508 uses VPATs for procurement documentation. The EAA requires accessibility statements.

Organizations selling globally — especially SaaS vendors and enterprise platforms — should plan for both. Building to WCAG 2.1 AA covers the technical requirements of each.

How is Section 508 enforced?

People who believe a federal agency has failed to meet Section 508 can file a complaint with that agency. If the complaint is not resolved, they may take it to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (for workplace issues) or to federal court. The Department of Justice reports to Congress on Section 508 compliance across the government.^[1]

For vendors, the main enforcement mechanism is procurement. An agency may refuse to buy a product that lacks a credible VPAT. Legal teams at vendor companies should treat VPAT accuracy as a risk management issue.

How Askem Helps

Organizations selling to US federal agencies benefit from continuous WCAG monitoring that exceeds the Section 508 baseline. Monitoring against WCAG 2.2 AA covers both US and EU technical requirements in a single setup. Tools like Askem provide continuous scanning and shareable reports that give procurement and legal teams documented evidence of ongoing compliance — the kind of evidence that supports a credible VPAT and holds up in federal procurement reviews. Scans cover websites, portals, and PDFs without needing any code installed on the monitored site.

Sources

US Access Board — Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act: https://www.access-board.gov/ict/
US Access Board — Final Rule: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Standards and Guidelines (2017): https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/01/18/2017-00395/information-and-communication-technology-ict-standards-and-guidelines
Section508.gov — IT Accessibility Laws and Policies: https://www.section508.gov/manage/laws-and-policies/