A practical review
Five checks before you publish
Check 1
Start with a well-structured source document
When you create a document, use your editor’s built-in heading and list styles before exporting it to PDF. A larger or bold line may look like a heading, but it needs to be marked as one in the document structure too.
- Use a clear heading hierarchy and real list formatting for items such as intake instructions or a document checklist.
- Keep the page layout simple where you can. Columns, sidebars, footnotes, tables, and text boxes can need extra review after export.
Related sources: Create Accessible PDFs (opens in a new tab); Common PDF Tags and Their Usage (opens in a new tab)
Check 2
Check that the words and document properties are usable
Select or search a few words in the finished PDF. If a page behaves like a picture, it may be a scan without searchable text. OCR can create text from a scan, but it can misread names, dates, dollar amounts, case citations, addresses, or instructions.
- Compare OCR text against the source document, especially names, numbers, citations, and form instructions.
- Give the PDF a descriptive document title, set its primary language, and check that the file’s security settings allow assistive technology to access its content.
Related sources: Module 3: Remediating PDFs for Accessibility (opens in a new tab); PDF7: Performing OCR on a scanned PDF document to provide actual text (opens in a new tab)
Check 3
Review the tags, headings, lists, and images
A tag tree tells assistive technology how the document is organized. Review the structure, not just the visual page. Automatic tagging can be a starting point, but tags may need correction.
- Confirm headings follow the document outline, lists are tagged as lists, and meaningful images have useful alternative text.
- For data tables, check that rows and header cells are identified as table structure. Mark decoration so it is not announced as meaningful content.
Related sources: Module 3: Remediating PDFs for Accessibility (opens in a new tab); Common PDF Tags and Their Usage (opens in a new tab)
Check 4
Follow the reading order and keyboard path
Read each page in a logical order that matches its meaning. This matters in multi-column documents and where a page includes links, form fields, footnotes, or sidebars.
- Use a screen reader or read-aloud feature to listen to a representative page. Check that headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, and footnotes make sense in sequence.
- Press Tab through every link and form field. Confirm focus follows a sensible order and each field has an understandable name or instruction.
Related sources: Module 3: Remediating PDFs for Accessibility (opens in a new tab); PDF3: Ensuring correct tab and reading order in PDF documents (opens in a new tab)
Check 5
Run a checker, fix issues, then check the saved file again
A PDF accessibility checker can surface issues to investigate, but a clean checker result does not tell you whether every heading, reading order, image description, or instruction makes sense to a person.
- Use the checker in your PDF editor, then review each warning in the document rather than dismissing it automatically.
- Save the corrected PDF, reopen that exact file, and repeat the text, tag, reading-order, keyboard, and form checks that apply.
Related sources: Module 3: Remediating PDFs for Accessibility (opens in a new tab); PDF3: Ensuring correct tab and reading order in PDF documents (opens in a new tab); PDF7: Performing OCR on a scanned PDF document to provide actual text (opens in a new tab)
Further reading
Sources behind this guide
- Create Accessible PDFs (opens in a new tab)
U.S. General Services Administration, Section508.gov
Federal PDF authoring references, checklists, and training collected by Section508.gov.
- Module 3: Remediating PDFs for Accessibility (opens in a new tab)
U.S. General Services Administration, Section508.gov
Federal training covering document properties, tags, alternate text, reading order, tab order, and language settings.
- Common PDF Tags and Their Usage (opens in a new tab)
U.S. General Services Administration, Section508.gov
Explains common PDF tags for headings, lists, links, figures, tables, and form controls.
- PDF3: Ensuring correct tab and reading order in PDF documents (opens in a new tab)
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
Describes checking logical reading order and keyboard tab order. W3C techniques are examples, not the only required way to meet WCAG.
- PDF7: Performing OCR on a scanned PDF document to provide actual text (opens in a new tab)
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
Explains OCR for scanned PDFs and checking that converted text is complete and in the correct reading order. W3C techniques are examples, not the only required way to meet WCAG.