PDF Accessibility Standards & Laws

Understanding ADA, Section 508 & WCAG for Your Organization

Accessibility standards are more than guidelines—they’re essential for ensuring that people with disabilities can fully engage with your digital documents. Whether you're a compliance professional, educator, or executive, understanding ADA Title II/III, Section 508, WCAG 2.2, and PDF/UA is critical for avoiding costly compliance risks and enhancing universal access.

With upcoming ADA Title II deadlines (April 2026/27), U.S. organizations must now ensure their PDFs meet WCAG 2.2 AA and PDF/UA standards, or potentially face significant legal and financial risks (average lawsuit costs over $100,000).

The 3 PDF Accessibility Standards Every Organization Must Understand

WCAG 2.1 Level AA

Globally recognized guidelines ensuring digital content is perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. If your PDFs meet WCAG 2.2 AA, you're compliant with most international regulations and prepared for ADA & 508 compliance audits.

PDF/UA (ISO 14289)

The international standard that defines accessible PDFs for assistive technologies. Meeting PDF/UA means your PDFs can be reliably accessed by screen readers, enhancing your compliance posture globally.

Section 508 & Intl. Laws

Section 508 mandates digital accessibility compliance in the U.S., but similar requirements exist worldwide: Europe's EN 301 549, Canada's AODA, Australia's DDA, and others. All standards align closely with WCAG 2.2 AA and PDF/UA guidelines.

AoD™ Supports Global PDF Accessibility Standards

By remediating to WCAG 2.1 AA and PDF/UA standards , AoD™ helps you meet or exceed the technical requirements referenced by major accessibility laws worldwide.*

European union

EN 301 549

canada

aoda

australia

dda

United kingdom

p.b.s.a.r.

france

rgaa

germany

bitv 2.0

international

wcag & pdf/ua

*Local requirements and enforcement may vary. Our compliance engine is mapped to the globally recognized technical standards referenced by these laws.