WCAG Guidelines

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines - The Global Standard

What is WCAG?

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are international standards developed by the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). WCAG provides a framework for making web content accessible to people with disabilities.

WCAG is the foundation for accessibility laws worldwide, including ADA (USA), Section 508 (USA), EAA (EU), and many others.

WCAG Versions Comparison

WCAG 2.2 (Current - October 2023)

Latest version with 9 new success criteria focused on mobile accessibility, cognitive disabilities, and vision impairments.

WCAG 2.1 (2018)

Added 17 success criteria for mobile, low vision, and cognitive accessibility.

WCAG 2.0 (2008)

Original standard with 61 success criteria, still referenced in many laws.

WCAG 2.2 Level AA Requirements

Perceivable

Text alternatives for images
Captions for audio/video
Color contrast (4.5:1 minimum)
Resizable text

Operable

Keyboard accessible
Sufficient time to read/interact
No seizure-inducing content
Clear navigation

Understandable

Readable text
Predictable functionality
Input assistance and error prevention

Robust

Compatible with assistive technologies
Valid HTML
Proper ARIA usage

Common WCAG Violations

1. Missing or inadequate alt text on images
2. Insufficient color contrast
3. Missing form labels
4. Non-keyboard accessible functionality
5. Missing or improper heading hierarchy
6. Inaccessible PDF documents
7. Missing skip navigation links
8. Auto-playing media without controls

WCAG 3.0 Coming Soon

WCAG 3.0 (W3C Accessibility Guidelines) is in development, featuring a new scoring model, broader scope beyond web content, and more flexibility in conformance. Expected timeline: 2025-2026.

Find WCAG Compliance Jobs

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Last Updated: January 2025