From WCAG 2.1 to the ADA and Section 508: the rules for an internet accessible to all.
Three references define digital accessibility in the United States today: the ADA, Section 508, and the WCAG technical standard they point to. Which obligations apply to your organization depends on the type of entity, the sector, and the service: with our in-house tools and human auditors, we help you identify and fix technical barriers, following WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA.
WCAG 2.1 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) are part of a set of international recommendations developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) within the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These guidelines define the technical criteria for making web content accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Title II covers state and local governments, while Title III applies to businesses open to the public. In 2024, the Department of Justice issued a final rule setting WCAG 2.1 AA as the technical standard for Title II web content and mobile apps. Do you also serve customers in the European Union? There, Directive (EU) 2016/2102 (Web Accessibility Directive) requires public-sector bodies in the Member States to make their websites and apps accessible, and Directive (EU) 2019/882 (European Accessibility Act), applicable since June 28, 2025, extends accessibility requirements to certain products and services offered to consumers, including by private companies (for example e-commerce, banking, transportation, and electronic communications), with exemptions for microenterprises that provide services. The common technical reference in Europe is the EN 301 549 standard, based on WCAG.
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies — and the vendors that sell to them — to make their information and communication technology accessible, using WCAG as the reference standard. On top of federal law, state statutes such as California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act attach monetary damages to violations, fueling thousands of web accessibility lawsuits and demand letters every year.
Each country adopts its own standards, almost always based on WCAG: here is the international regulatory landscape.
ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act · Section 508 (federal agencies)
WCAG 2.0/2.1 AA (Section 508; 2024 DOJ rule for state and local government entities)
DDA – Disability Discrimination Act
WCAG 2.0 AA
WZG – BaFG (EAA)
WCAG 2.1 AA
Transposition of WAD (EU) 2016/2102
WCAG 2.1 AA
ACA – Accessible Canada Act / CHRA
WCAG 2.0 AA
WAA – Web Accessibility Act
WCAG 2.1 AA
Digipalvelulaki (306/2019)
WCAG 2.1 AA
Loi 2005-102 (art. 47) – RGAA 4.1 · EAA transposition (French Consumer Code, art. L.412-13)
WCAG 2.1 AA
BITV 2.0 (public sector) – BFSG (EAA)
WCAG 2.1 AA
Law 4727/2020 – Digital Governance
WCAG 2.1 AA
RPD Act – Rights of Persons with Disabilities
WCAG 2.0 A
Disability Act + WAD (EU) 2016/2102
WCAG 2.1 AA
IS 5568 – Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities
WCAG 2.0 AA
Law 4/2004 (“Stanca Act”) – Legislative Decree 82/2022 (EAA) – AgID guidelines
WCAG 2.1 AA
UU-forskriften for IKT
WCAG 2.0/2.1 AA
Web Accessibility Standard
WCAG 2.1 AA
Besluit digitale toegankelijkheid – Implementatiewet EAA
WCAG 2.1 AA
Decree-Law No. 83/2018 – Decree-Law No. 82/2022 (EAA)
WCAG 2.1 AA
Equality Act 2010 + PSBAR 2018
WCAG 2.1 AA
RD 1112/2018 – Ley 11/2023 (EAA)
WCAG 2.1 AAWe’d rather tell you up front, in plain terms:
Audits and remediation are based on WCAG 2.1 and 2.2, level AA (cited in Europe by the EN 301 549 standard). Specific national standards are applied only if expressly agreed in writing.
The audit tests the pages and features agreed upon (the base audit includes up to 20 pages). Anything outside the scope is not tested.
Automated tools detect only some of the barriers: that is why our audits include manual testing by human auditors.
The widget is a complementary tool for your visitors: it does not fix code or content and, on its own, does not make a site accessible or compliant.
Any later change to code, content, or features can introduce new barriers. Maintaining accessibility requires new testing (optional service): it is not automatic.
Meeting WCAG is a technical requirement and does not, by itself, mean you meet every legal obligation. Those depend on the country, the type of organization, the sector, and the service (for example the ADA and Section 508 in the United States, or Directive (EU) 2019/882, its national transpositions, and the public-sector rules in Europe) and may include additional requirements. We do not provide legal advice or certifications.
We work to reach WCAG level AA within the audited scope. The result also depends on your platform, your content, and the fixes you decide to implement: we do not guarantee any legal outcome.
More details in our Terms and conditions.
We analyze your site with in-house tools and human auditors, following WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA, and tell you what needs to be fixed, with access to the Suite Accessibi.
We offer a free, no-obligation consultation: fill out the form and one of our experts will get back to you within 24 business hours to guide you toward the solution that best fits your needs.
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