Accessibility Standards & Legislation

Introduction

Accessibility standards and legislation define the requirements organizations must meet to ensure digital documents are usable by people with disabilities. These standards apply across public-sector, private-sector, and regulated organizations and are often enforced through procurement rules, audits, or legal action.

For PDF documents, compliance typically requires meeting specific technical standards such as WCAG and PDF/UA, as well as regional accessibility laws and regulations.

WCAG 2.2 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines)

WCAG 2.2 is the current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines published by the W3C. It defines success criteria for making digital content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for users with disabilities.

Although originally written for web content, WCAG 2.2 is widely applied to PDF documents, particularly where PDFs are used for public communication, compliance reporting, or essential services.

WCAG conformance is typically evaluated at Level A, AA, or AAA, with Level AA being the most commonly required standard for legal and regulatory compliance.

Most accessibility laws reference WCAG indirectly, making it the de facto standard for compliance.

PDF/UA (ISO 14289)

PDF/UA is the international ISO standard specifically designed for accessible PDF documents. Unlike WCAG, which is platform-agnostic, PDF/UA defines precise technical requirements for PDF structure and tagging.

PDF/UA compliance ensures that PDF documents are fully usable with assistive technologies such as screen readers by requiring:

• Proper document structure and tagging
• Logical reading order
• Accurate text alternatives for non-text content
• Accessible forms and interactive elements

In many cases, PDF/UA compliance is required in addition to WCAG conformance to meet procurement, audit, or publishing standards.

Section 508 & ADA (United States)

In the United States, accessibility requirements for digital documents are governed primarily by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Section 508 applies to federal agencies and organizations doing business with the U.S. government. It requires electronic content, including PDFs, to conform to accessibility standards aligned with WCAG.

The ADA applies more broadly to public-facing organizations and has been used to enforce accessibility requirements through litigation and settlement agreements. While the ADA does not specify technical standards directly, WCAG is widely used as the benchmark for compliance.

AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act)

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) establishes accessibility requirements for organizations operating in Ontario, Canada.

Under AODA, organizations are required to make public-facing documents accessible upon request and, in many cases, proactively. PDF documents distributed to the public must meet accessibility standards aligned with WCAG.

Non-compliance with AODA requirements can result in audits, penalties, and enforcement actions, particularly for public-sector and large private-sector organizations.

How Accessibility Standards Apply to PDF Documents

Accessibility standards and legislation are often enforced through real-world use cases such as procurement reviews, compliance audits, public complaints, or legal actions. In these contexts, PDFs are frequently scrutinized for accessibility failures.

Meeting accessibility requirements for PDFs typically requires more than automated testing. Human review and remediation are necessary to ensure documents are properly structured, navigable, and usable by assistive technologies, which is why many organizations rely on PDF accessibility remediation services.

Organizations are responsible for ensuring that PDFs distributed internally or publicly meet applicable standards and legal obligations.

When Accessibility Compliance Is Required

You may be required to meet accessibility standards and legislation if:

• You distribute PDFs to the public or customers
• You operate in a regulated or public-sector environment
• You respond to accessibility audits or complaints
• You participate in government or enterprise procurement
• You publish reports, forms, or essential documents online

Accessibility compliance helps reduce legal risk, improves usability, and ensures equal access to information.

If you are unsure whether your documents currently meet accessibility requirements, you can start with free PDF accessibility testing to identify issues before remediation.

Keeping Up With Accessibility Requirements

Accessibility standards and legislation continue to evolve. Organizations should regularly review their documents and workflows to ensure ongoing compliance with current requirements such as WCAG 2.2 and PDF/UA. For practical guidance and explanations of common requirements, see our Resources Section.

Understanding the applicable standards is a critical first step toward producing accessible, defensible PDF documents.