Webflow Section 508 Checker

Section 508 for Webflow 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.

If a federal program or contractor runs a site on Webflow, the builder’s templates and widgets must meet WCAG 2.0 AA. Check that you can edit the parts that fail; if you cannot, document them in your ACR.

Who Should Run the Webflow Section 508 Checker

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

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

• Styled divs instead of real headings. Text boxes styled with heading-sized fonts, instead of an actual Heading element, look identical visually but are invisible to screen reader navigation.
• Empty alt text fields. Webflow prompts for alt text on every image, but it is optional, and images imported or duplicated quickly often keep it blank.
• Custom interactions and animations. Webflow’s interactions panel makes it easy to build scroll and click animations that move focus unpredictably or hide content from keyboard users.
• Embedded custom code. Custom code embeds and third-party widgets (booking tools, chat, video players) bring their own accessibility issues that Webflow’s Designer has no control over.
• Color contrast in the style guide. Brand color palettes chosen for visual design are not automatically checked against WCAG contrast ratios anywhere in the Designer.

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

What to Test by Hand on Webflow

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.
• What Is a Website Accessibility Checker? How Automated Testing WorksA plain-English guide to website accessibility checkers: what they test, how they map results to WCAG, what they miss, and how to choose one.
• Automated vs Manual Accessibility Testing: Where Each FitsWhat automated accessibility testing catches, what needs a human, and how to combine both into a repeatable process for finding and fixing WCAG issues.
• WCAG 2.2 Checklist: What Changed and How to Test Each CriterionA practical WCAG 2.2 AA checklist: the nine new success criteria, the one that was removed, and how to test your website against each requirement.
• WCAG Success Criteria LibraryLook up any criterion the scan flags, in plain language.

Webflow Section 508 Checker: Frequently Asked Questions