Section 508 HHS Compliant PDF Checklist
Effective 1/18/2018
Section A: All PDFs
These checks should be performed on all PDFs no matter of what is present in the actual content:
| ID | Requirements | Traceability to 508 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Is the PDF tagged? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1 | |
| A2 | Is the Document Title filled out in the Document Properties? | WCAG 2.0 Success criterion 2.4.2 | |
| A3 | Is the correct language of the document set? | WCAG 2.0 Success | |
| A4 | Did the PDF fully pass the Adobe Accessibility Checker? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 4.1.1 | |
| A5 | Is the document free from content that flashes more than 3 times per second? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 2.3.1. | |
| A6 | Are accurate bookmarks provided for documents greater than 9 pages? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 2.4.5. | |
| A7 | Is the document free from review-related content carried over from Office or other editing tools such as comments, track changes, embedded Speaker Notes? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1 | |
| A8 | Is the order in the tag structure accurate and logical? Do the tags match the order they should be read in? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.2. | |
| A9 | Is all informational content contained in the tag structure? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1 | |
| A10 | Are all non-standard tags appropriately mapped to standard Adobe tags? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 4.1.2 | |
| A11 | Is all the text within the tags correctly formatted? (Free from line breaks and split words) Learn more about finding and fixing backend text errors. | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 4.1.1 | |
| A12 | Do paragraph tags accurately represent visual paragraphs? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1 | |
| A13 | Can text be resized and considered readable when magnified to 200%? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.4.4. |
Section B: PDFs containing Color
| ID | Requirement | Traceability to 508 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | Is information conveyed by methods other than color alone? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.4.1. | |
| B2 | Does all text (with the exception of logos) have a contrast ratio of 4.5:1 or greater no matter the size? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.4.3. (Size stipulation not considered by HHS) |
Section C: PDFs containing Links
| ID | Requirement | Traceability to 508 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Are links tagged correctly in the tag structure? (Contain visual link text and link OBJR within the Link tag) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| C2 | Are links distinguished by a method other than color? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.4.1, | |
| C3 | Can all link text be understood out of context? If not, does generic link have sufficient context? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 2.4.4, |
Section D: PDFs containing Images
| ID | Requirement | Traceability to 508 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Are all images conveying information tagged as figures and included in the tag structure? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| D2 | Do all images conveying information have alt text that provides the same level of understanding a visual user would gain? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.1.1. | |
| D3 | Are all decorative images tagged as artifact/background? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.1.1. | |
| D4 | Do complex images have an alternate accessible means of understanding? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.1.1. | |
| D5 | Is the document free from images of text? (Picture of an informational table, screenshot of text from another source, etc.) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.4.5 | |
| D6 | Are groups of related images tagged in a way assistive technology users would understand? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.1.1. |
Section E: PDFs containing Tables
| ID | Requirement | Traceability to 508 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| E1 | Does the document use table tags only for data tables?
| WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| E2 | Does the table structure in the tag tree match the visual table layout? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| E3 | Are all header cells tagged with the TH tag? Are all data cells tagged with the TD tag? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| E4 | Do all Header cells contain text? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| E5 | Are merged cells correctly spanned with Colspan and/or Rowspan? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| E6 | Do data tables with 1 set of both column and row headers appropriately use scope to associate to data cells? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| E7 | Do data tables with more than 1 set of column and/or row headers appropriately use id/headers to associate to data cells? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. |
Section F: PDFs containing Lists
| ID | Requirement | Traceability to 508 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Are all visual lists tagged correctly with the List, List Item (LI), and LBody tags? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| F2 | Does the number of items in the tag structure match the number of items in the visual list? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| F3 | Are nested lists appropriately nested in the tag structure? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. |
Section G: PDFs containing Headings
| ID | Requirement | Traceability to 508 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| G1 | Is text intended to act as a visual heading tagged with the heading tags (H1 through H6)? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| G2 | Do heading tags follow a logical hierarchical progression? (Do not skip heading levels) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| G3 | Are heading tags used only on text that defines a section of content? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| G4 | Does the Heading text accurately describe the sectional content? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 2.4.6 |
Section H: PDFs containing Forms
| ID | Requirement | Traceability to 508 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| H1 | Are all form fields correctly tagged? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 3.3.2 | |
| H2 | Do all form fields contain understandable labels and tooltips? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 3.3.2 | |
| H3 | Do tooltips contain all formatting requirements that will be automatically flagged as an error? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 3.3.2 | |
| H4 | Are required fields programmatically set? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 3.3.1 | |
| H5 | Is the tab order of the form fields logical? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.2. |
Section i: PDFs containing other common elements
| ID | Requirement | Traceability to 508 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| i1 | Is any nonstandard text (glyph) tagged in an accessible manner? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.1.1. | |
| i2 | Was OCR successfully performed on a scanned image document? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.4.5. | |
| i3 | Was the language appropriately set for all foreign words or phrases? | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 3.1.2 | |
| i4 | Is the table of contents tagged with appropriate tags? (TOC, TOC Item (TOCI)) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. | |
| i5 | Are all internal links/TOC entries functioning correctly (if linked)?
| WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 2.4.5. | |
| i6 | Are citations and footnotes/endnotes tagged with appropriate tags? (Reference, Note) | WCAG 2.0 Success Criterion 1.3.1. |
The following checklist was used by the Department of Health and Human Services (http://www.hhs.gov/web/508/accessiblefiles/checklistpdf.html) until Jan 2018. Documents that passed all applicable requirements on this list were considered to be in compliance with Section 508, as interpreted by HHS. Last updated by HHS March 2013.
| ID | 1.0.Master Requirements for all Documents | Yes (Pass) | No (Fail) | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Does the document file name not contain spaces and/or special characters? | |||
| 1.2 | Is the document file name concise, generally limited to 20–30 characters, and does it make the contents of the file clear? | |||
| 1.3 | Have the Document Properties for Title, Author (an HHS OpDiv, StaffDiv, or Program Office—not an individual’s names), Subject (AKA Description), Keywords, and Language been filled out? | |||
| 1.4 | Does the document utilize recommended fonts (i.e., Times New Roman, Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, or Calibri)? | |||
| 1.5 | Have track changes been accepted or rejected and turned off? | |||
| 1.6 | Have comments been removed and formatting marks been turned off? | |||
| 1.7 | Does the document refrain from using flashing/flickering text and/or animated text? | |||
| 1.8 | Do all URLs contain descriptive hyperlinks (i.e., avoid generic phrases like “Click here” and, instead, use phrases that let users know about the content of the linked page prior to selecting it)? | |||
| 1.9 | Are all URLs linked to correct Web destinations? | |||
| 1.10 | Are all internal links/TOC entries functioning correctly (if linked)? | |||
| 1.11 | Are links (including e-mail addresses) keyboard accessible? | |||
| 1.12 | Has a separate accessible version of the document been provided when there is no other way to make the content accessible? | |||
| 1.13 | Is the color contrast ratio between foreground text and background color at least 4.5:1? | |||
| 1.14 | Has the document been reviewed in Print Preview for a final visual check? |
| ID | 2.0. General Layout and Formatting Requirements | Yes (Pass) | No (Fail) | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Is the document free of scanned images of text? | |||
| 2.2 | Have bookmarks been included in all PDFs that are more than 9 pages long? And, if bookmarks are present, are they logical? | |||
| 2.3 | Are decorative images marked as background/artifact? | |||
| 2.4 | Have all scanned signatures been removed from the PDF? (see http://webstandards.hhs.gov/standards/41) | |||
| 2.5 | If there is an automated accessibility checker in the program used to create the PDF, has that been run and does it pass? | |||
| 2.6 | Is the document free of layout tables? | |||
| 2.7 | Do images/graphics appear crisp and legible? | |||
| 2.8 | If a table of contents (TOC) is present, are the page numbers correct, and, if linked, does the TOC function correctly? |
| ID | 3.0.Accessibility Tagging and Reading Order | Yes (Pass) | No (Fail) | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | Have PDF tags been added to the document? | |||
| 3.2 | Does the order of the PDF Tags match that of the order that the content should be read in? | |||
| 3.3 | Has the PDF been formatted using Style elements (i.e., the title of the document as Heading 1, the first-order heading as Heading 2, etc.?) | |||
| 3.4 | Are heading styles organized in a hierarchal and logical fashion, with consecutive headings (i.e., no missing heading levels). | |||
| 3.5 | If nonstandard/custom tags are used, have they been mapped correctly in the Document Roles dialogue box and verified as working via assistive technology testing: (e.g., JAWS, Window Eyes, NVDA, and Dragon)? | |||
| 3.6 | Have documents with multicolumn text, tables, or call-out boxes been checked for correct reading order? | |||
| 3.7 | Are any footnotes or references tagged with standard Note and Reference tags and placed in the proper logical reading order? |
| ID | 4.0. Document Images Requirement | Yes (Pass) | No (Fail) | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Is the document free of background images or watermarks? | |||
| 4.2 | Are multiple associated images on the same page (e.g., boxes in an organizational chart) grouped as one object? | |||
| 4.3 | Have all multilayered objects been flattened into one image and does that image use one alternative text description for the image? | |||
| 4.4 | Do all images, grouped images, and nontext elements that convey information have meaningful alternative-text descriptions? | |||
| 4.5 | Do complex images (i.e., charts and graphs) have descriptive text near the image (perhaps as a caption)? |
| ID | 5.0. Lists and PDF Tables | Yes (Pass) | No (Fail) | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | Have lists been tagged completely, making use of all four of the following tags: L, LI, Lbl, and LBody tags? | |||
| 5.2 | If the document has a tabular appearance, was that tabular structure made using the table option (as opposed to manual tabs and/or spaces)? | |||
| 5.3 | Are blank cells avoided? | |||
| 5.4 | Do all tables have a logical reading order from left to right, top to bottom? | |||
| 5.5 | Do all data tables in the document have Row and/or Column headers? | |||
| 5.6 | Do header rows repeat across pages if the table is multiple pages? | |||
| 5.7 | Are all table cells, with the exception of those in the Header Rows or columns, designated as data cells? | |||
| 5.8 | Are data cells set so they do not split across pages? | |||
| 5.9 | If the table is a simple table, does it have scoping applied to the appropriate Row/Column Headers? | |||
| 5.10 | If the table is a complex table, does it have id and header attributes to associate the data cells with the column/row headers? | |||
| 5.11 | Are all tables described and labeled (where appropriate)? Note: In some cases naming/numbering of tables may not be appropriate. For example, a small data table in a presentation may not need a reference. |
| ID | 6.0. Form Fields | Yes (Pass) | No (Fail) | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | Do all form fields have correct labels and markups:
| |||
| 6.2 | Are all form fields keyboard accessible? | |||
| 6.3 | Are all multiple-choice answers keyboard accessible and grouped together as form-field sets?
|