PDF Accessibility Checklist
A step-by-step checklist to help you meet ADA Title II, Section 508, and WCAG requirements.
All the Standards in One Place…
This curated checklist includes digital accessibility regulations and standards that help you meet PDF accessibility compliance requirements for ADA Title II, Section 508, and WCAG 2.1 AA.
It includes:
- A checklist to ensure compliance for PDFs
- How to comply
- Applicable WCAG and Section 508 links to fully define compliance
- Links to informative articles
- A glossary of terms
Ready to get started with PDF accessibility?
Download the free checklist!
Download the Checklist
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the easiest way to make PDFs accessible?
Using purpose-built PDF remediation software is typically faster and easier than manually editing PDF tags. Modern tools like Equidox Software use AI-assisted features to simplify tagging, reading order, table remediation, OCR, and alt text creation while allowing users to review the final document.
2. What are the ADA Title II digital accessibility deadlines?
State and local government entities serving 50,000 or more people must comply with the ADA Title II web accessibility rule by April 26, 2027.
Public entities serving fewer than 50,000 people, along with special district governments, have until April 26, 2028.
The rule requires websites, mobile apps, and many PDFs to conform to WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
3. Does the Title II deadline extension mean we can wait?
No. While the DOJ extended the compliance deadlines, organizations are still responsible for providing effective communication under ADA Title II. Starting remediation now helps reduce risk, spread out the workload, and avoid last-minute compliance challenges.
4. Which PDFs should we remediate first?
Start with high-priority documents that people use most often, including forms, applications, public notices, meeting agendas, reports, policies, course materials, and frequently downloaded documents.
5. Can AI-powered PDF accessibility tools make PDFs ADA compliant?
AI can significantly speed up PDF remediation by identifying document structure, tables, lists, images, and text. However, human review is still recommended to ensure accessibility, accuracy, and compliance with WCAG and PDF/UA.
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