WCAG Compliance: What It Is, What It Requires, and How to Achieve It

WCAG compliance — conforming to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines — has become a legal requirement for many businesses and a best practice for all. The WCAG standards define how to make web content accessible to people with disabilities, and conformance with WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the benchmark most commonly required by ADA lawsuits, government procurement standards, and enterprise accessibility policies. Understanding what WCAG compliance actually requires — and what it takes to achieve it — is essential for any business with an online presence.

At Bryt Designs, WCAG compliance work is integrated into our development practice. This guide covers the WCAG framework, its requirements, and the practical steps to achieving and maintaining compliance on your website or eCommerce store.

Understanding the WCAG Framework

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are published by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) and provide a structured framework for making web content accessible. WCAG 2.1 — the current widely-adopted version — organizes its requirements around four principles, often abbreviated as POUR: Perceivable (content must be presentable in ways users can perceive), Operable (interface components and navigation must be operable), Understandable (content and operation must be understandable), and Robust (content must be interpreted reliably by assistive technologies).

Under each principle are guidelines, and under each guideline are specific, testable success criteria. Each criterion is assigned one of three conformance levels: A (minimum), AA (standard), or AAA (enhanced). WCAG 2.1 Level AA requires conformance with all Level A and Level AA criteria — a total of 50 success criteria. This is the level that most legal and regulatory frameworks reference when they require “WCAG compliance.” Understanding which WCAG standard applies to your specific compliance context is an important preliminary step.

Key WCAG 2.1 AA Requirements for Websites

While all 50 WCAG 2.1 AA criteria are required for full conformance, certain criteria address issues that are especially prevalent in commercial websites and eCommerce stores. Color contrast requirements — the text must have at least a 4.5:1 contrast ratio against its background for normal text, and 3:1 for large text — are one of the most commonly failed criteria and one of the most visible to users with low vision. Keyboard accessibility requirements — all functionality must be operable without a mouse — are critical for users who rely on keyboards or switch devices rather than a mouse or touchscreen.

Alternative text for images ensures users who can’t see images (including screen reader users and users who turn off images on slow connections) have access to the information those images convey. Form labels ensure users understand what information each form field requires. Focus indicators make it possible for keyboard users to see where they are on the page as they navigate. Error identification requirements ensure forms communicate errors clearly to all users, not just through color cues that colorblind users may not perceive. ADA compliance services address all of these requirements through systematic code-level remediation.

How to Test for WCAG Compliance

WCAG compliance testing requires a combination of automated tools and manual evaluation. Automated tools (like Axe, WAVE, or Lighthouse’s accessibility audit) can identify a significant portion of common accessibility failures quickly — roughly 30-50% of WCAG issues can be detected automatically. These tools are essential for efficient initial scanning and for catching regressions over time.

Manual testing addresses the issues that automated tools miss — particularly issues around screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation patterns, and the logical sense of content structure. Testing with actual screen readers (NVDA and JAWS on Windows, VoiceOver on Mac and iOS) is the only way to accurately evaluate how your site works for blind users. Many of the most impactful accessibility issues are only discoverable through this kind of assistive technology testing. Regular audits should include accessibility evaluation alongside technical SEO review.

Maintaining WCAG Compliance Over Time

Achieving WCAG compliance is not a one-time project — it’s an ongoing commitment. New content added to your website needs to meet the same accessibility standards as existing content. Design and development updates can introduce new accessibility issues if accessibility isn’t embedded in the development process. Third-party apps and widgets added to your Shopify store can introduce accessibility failures that weren’t present in your core theme.

Building accessibility into your development workflow — accessibility review as part of every design review, automated accessibility testing in your CI/CD pipeline, and periodic manual audits — is the only reliable way to maintain WCAG compliance as your site evolves. At Bryt Designs, we integrate accessibility standards into all of our development work. Learn about our WCAG compliance services or connect with our accessibility team.