Adobe Commerce Section 508 Checker

Section 508 for Adobe Commerce Sites

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies to make the information and communication technology they develop, buy, maintain or use accessible. The Revised 508 Standards, in effect since January 2018, incorporate WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA for web content, electronic documents and software.

Private businesses are not directly covered, but agencies must buy accessible technology, so vendors are often asked for an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) based on the VPAT. This checker runs the scan with the WCAG 2.0 AA preset that Section 508 uses.

A Adobe Commerce store is rarely a federal site, but vendors on GSA schedules or selling to agencies may be asked for an ACR covering their ordering portal. Scan the catalog, cart and checkout, and record the results for the report.

Who Should Run the Adobe Commerce Section 508 Checker

• Federal agencies running a site or microsite on Adobe Commerce.
• Contractors and vendors whose Adobe Commerce site or portal is part of a federal contract.
• Agencies and vendors preparing a VPAT or Accessibility Conformance Report.
• State bodies and universities whose policies adopt Section 508.

Section 508 Checks That Matter for Adobe Commerce Sites

• 1.1.1 Non-text Content

  Every image, icon and chart needs a text alternative, or must be marked as decorative.

• 1.3.1 Info and Relationships

  Headings, lists, tables and form labels must be marked up so assistive technology can read the structure.

• 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)

  Text needs a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1, or 3:1 for large text.

• 2.1.1 Keyboard

  Every function must work with a keyboard alone.

• 2.4.1 Bypass Blocks

  Provide a way to skip repeated navigation, such as a skip link.

• 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value

  Custom controls need a name, role and state that assistive technology can read.

Where Adobe Commerce Sites Usually Fail Section 508

These problems come up again and again on Adobe Commerce sites, and each one fails Section 508. The Adobe Commerce accessibility checker explains how to fix them in Adobe Commerce.

• Page Builder content. Rows, banners and tabs built with Page Builder are easy to make visually, but heading levels get skipped, images lack alt text and buttons are styled links with unclear names.
• B2B account pages. Company users, quote requests, requisition lists and quick-order forms are data-heavy tables and forms where labels, headers and error messages are easy to miss.
• Multi-store and language variants. Each storefront view can have its own theme and content. A missing page language or wrong lang attribute on a translated store view makes a screen reader read in the wrong voice.
• Search and product recommendations. Live search overlays, autocomplete and recommendation carousels often lack names, roles and announcements for results.
• Custom checkout and payment integrations. Agency-built checkouts and payment or financing widgets frequently add unlabeled fields and iframes without titles.

Worried about ADA claims as well? The Adobe Commerce ADA compliance checker covers the Adobe Commerce risks behind most complaints.

What to Test by Hand on Adobe Commerce

Automated testing finds many, but not all, Section 508 failures. Check these yourself after the scan:

1. Test every page with a keyboard only, including menus and dialogs (2.1.1).
2. Check documents and PDFs separately, since Section 508 covers them too.
3. Record results per criterion if you need to complete a VPAT or ACR.
4. Rescan after each fix. Continuous monitoring rescans up to 500 URLs per domain daily and keeps a dated record in the Compliance Vault.

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Related Guides

• Section 508 CheckerThe Section 508 standard in full, for any website.
• The European Accessibility Act: Technical Aspects of ComplianceThe European Accessibility Act for technical teams: who it covers, EN 301 549 and WCAG requirements, exemptions, national rules and a compliance checklist.
• 5 Best ADA Compliance Software for Small Businesses (Updated 2026)The 5 best ADA compliance software for small businesses in 2026: AccessBell, AccessibilityChecker.org, AudioEye, UserWay and accessiBe, by price and features.
• WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value explained simply: give every control a name, role and state with native HTML and ARIA, with code examples and how to test.
• WCAG Success Criteria LibraryLook up any criterion the scan flags, in plain language.

Adobe Commerce Section 508 Checker: Frequently Asked Questions