Section 508 is the part of the US Rehabilitation Act that requires federal agencies' electronic and information technology to be accessible to people with disabilities. Its technical requirements closely match the WCAG guidelines.
Why it matters: For organisations selling to or working with US public bodies, Section 508 compliance can be a legal and contractual requirement. Because it aligns closely with WCAG, teams can usually meet it by testing against WCAG level AA.
In practice: Teams treat WCAG AA as their working standard, then check any Section 508 specifics their contract requires. Accessibility audits record which checkpoints pass or fail, giving evidence for procurement and compliance reviews.
Examples:
- A supplier to a US government agency auditing its web app against Section 508 before a contract renewal.
- A team choosing WCAG AA as its target so it meets Section 508 and other countries' requirements at once.
Common pitfalls:
- Assuming Section 508 only matters to US companies, when any supplier to US federal bodies is affected.
- Treating compliance as a one-off audit, rather than something every release can break.
Is Section 508 the same as WCAG? Not exactly, but they're closely aligned. Meeting WCAG level AA covers most of what Section 508 asks for.
