Accessibility Checklist for Every New Website

Building inclusive digital experiences starts with a solid plan. Before you dive into design or development, a quick‑reference checklist helps you catch the most common accessibility oversights early. Saving time, reducing rework, and ensuring compliance with WCAG standards. If you’re looking for concrete ways to validate those items, check out our earlier guide on essential accessibility testing tools, which walks you through solutions for auditing color contrast, screen‑reader behavior, keyboard navigation, and more. Use the checklist below as a companion to those tools, and keep accessibility front‑and‑center on every new project.

Semantic HTML
Use proper heading hierarchy (<h1>‑<h6>) so screen readers can convey page structure clearly. Employ landmark elements (<nav>, <main>, <footer>) and associate <label> tags with form controls for reliable navigation.

Keyboard navigation
Confirm every interactive component can be reached and activated using the Tab key alone. Ensure the focus order follows a logical visual flow and that a visible focus indicator (e.g., outline) appears on each element.

Color contrast
Verify that text‑to‑background contrast meets at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text according to WCAG. Use a contrast‑checking tool to test all UI states (default, hover, active, disabled).

Alt text for images
Provide concise, descriptive alt attributes for all meaningful images so users of screen readers understand their purpose. Mark decorative images with an empty alt="" to prevent unnecessary verbosity.

Resizable text
Test that the page layout remains functional and readable when the browser’s text size is increased up to 200%. Ensure no content is clipped, overlapped, or lost when scaling occurs.

ARIA usage
Apply ARIA roles, states, and properties only when native HTML cannot achieve the required behavior. Double‑check that ARIA attributes accurately reflect the element’s purpose and current state.

Form accessibility
Make sure every form control has an associated <label> and that error messages are programmatically linked (e.g., aria-describedby). Use live regions (aria-live) to announce validation feedback instantly to assistive technologies.

Media captions & transcripts
Include synchronized, accurate captions for all video content to serve deaf or hard‑of‑hearing users. Provide a full transcript for audio‑only material so it can be accessed by screen readers and indexed by search engines.

Skip navigation
Add a “Skip to main content” link at the top of each page that becomes visible when focused. This allows keyboard and screen‑reader users to bypass repetitive navigation menus quickly.

Responsive design
Verify that the layout adapts gracefully across a range of screen sizes and orientations without breaking accessibility features. Test that touch targets remain appropriately sized and spaced on smaller devices.

Language declaration
Set the lang attribute on the <html> element to indicate the primary language of the page. When sections switch languages, use lang on those elements to inform screen readers of the change.

Testing with assistive tech
Conduct quick checks using a screen reader such as NVDA (Windows) or VoiceOver (macOS/iOS) to confirm content is announced correctly. Perform keyboard‑only navigation tests to verify all interactive elements are reachable and operable.

Compliance check
Compare the site against WCAG 2.2 AA success criteria, documenting any gaps you discover. If higher compliance (AAA) is required for your audience, note additional checks needed.

Next Steps – Get a Professional Audit
Even with a solid checklist, an expert review can uncover hidden barriers and give you a roadmap for remediation. If you’d like a thorough, WCAG‑aligned evaluation of your site, our team offers comprehensive Website Accessibility Audits that combine automated scanning with manual testing by certified accessibility specialists. Schedule an audit today and turn compliance into a competitive advantage—your users (and search rankings) will thank you.