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USA.gov accessibility policy

Learn about USA.gov's commitment to accessibility and find tools to help you access government information and services.

USA.gov strives to make our website as accessible and usable as possible. We do this by following Section 508 and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) produced by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C, the web's governing body).

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended in 1998, is a federal law that requires government agencies to provide people with disabilities equal access to electronic information and data comparable to those who do not have disabilities.

WCAG is a set of checkpoints and guidelines that help ensure that websites are designed and written properly. For example:

  • Images have alternative text so if you can't see the image you can still read the text.
  • Color contrast between the foreground and background is sufficiently strong.
  • Text resizes according to user preference.
  • Headings are correctly used and represent an accurate and logical outline of the content (they're not just ordinary text made to look big and bold).
  • Links make sense by themselves (no links that say "click here" or "more...").
  • Tables are used for laying out tabular information and have proper headings and summaries.
  • Lists items are defined as HTML bulleted lists to present items of equal status or value and as numbered lists if a particular order to the items is appropriate.
  • The content is fully accessible and operable with keyboard navigation only.

For those familiar with Section 508 and WCAG, we aim for A and AA compliance across our site. We also look for opportunities to meet AAA compliance.

Report a problem

If you have a problem using our site, you can report the issue to us online, or by calling us at 1-844-872-4681.

We will try to fix the issue, and we'll attempt to provide the information you're seeking in a format accessible to you.

Where to find accessibility tools

If you have any type of disability, we recommend that you visit the FCC Accessibility Clearinghouse and the Access Board website. You'll find expert advice such as alternative screen readers, screen magnifiers and other devices that can make using a computer easier and more enjoyable.

We also recommend that you visit AbilityNet's My Computer My Way, which provides advice on making your computer accessible.

LAST UPDATED: July 27, 2023

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