Shopify Section 508 Checker

Section 508 for Shopify 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 Shopify 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 Shopify Section 508 Checker

• Federal agencies running a site or microsite on Shopify.
• Contractors and vendors whose Shopify 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 Shopify 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 Shopify Sites Usually Fail Section 508

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

• Missing or generic product alt text. Alt text failures are consistently the single most common issue on e-commerce sites; a store with 500 products and 4 images each has 2,000 separate places it can go wrong.
• Keyboard traps in cart and checkout. Customers who cannot use a mouse are frequently unable to complete a purchase because the cart drawer or checkout flow does not support keyboard navigation.
• Broken heading structure on collection pages. Product collection and category pages often skip heading levels or use styled text instead of real headings, confusing screen reader navigation.
• Unaudited third-party apps. Reviews, upsell, chat and marketing apps inject their own HTML and JavaScript that can silently break keyboard access or screen reader labeling on every page they run on.
• Mobile menu apps. Apps that replace Shopify’s default navigation with a custom mobile menu often lose the keyboard and screen reader support the original theme had.

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

What to Test by Hand on Shopify

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.
• ADA Website Compliance: What Businesses Need to KnowHow the ADA applies to websites, which WCAG level courts and regulators reference, the Title II rule for public entities, and practical steps to reduce risk.
• WCAG Success Criteria LibraryLook up any criterion the scan flags, in plain language.

Shopify Section 508 Checker: Frequently Asked Questions