PDF Document Accessibility Checklist

PDF Accessibility Audit

PDF documents must be accessible when published on the web, especially for government agencies, educational institutions, and organizations subject to accessibility regulations. Accessible PDFs use tagged structure to enable screen reader navigation.

PDF Accessibility Requirements

Document Structure

• PDF is tagged (not a scanned image)
• Tags define headings, paragraphs, lists, and tables
• Reading order follows logical content sequence
• Language is specified in document properties
• Document title is set (not filename)

Text Content

• All text is real text (not images of text)
• Fonts support Unicode character extraction
• Text can be selected and copied
• Sufficient color contrast for all text

Images

• All images have alt text in the tag structure
• Decorative images are marked as artifacts
• Complex images have detailed descriptions

Tables

• Data tables have header cells identified
• Row and column headers are correctly associated
• Table summary is provided for complex tables

Forms

• Form fields have descriptive labels
• Required fields are identified
• Tab order follows logical sequence
• Instructions are provided before the form

Navigation

• Bookmarks are provided for documents over 20 pages
• Table of contents links to sections
• Page numbers match printed page numbers

Testing Process

1. Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro
2. Run the built-in Accessibility Checker
3. Review the Tags panel for correct structure
4. Test with a screen reader (NVDA + Adobe Reader)
5. Verify reading order in the Order panel
6. Check all images for alt text
7. Test all form fields for labels and tab order

Creating Accessible PDFs

The best approach is to create accessible source documents:

• In Microsoft Word: Use heading styles, add alt text, use built-in table tools
• In Google Docs: Use heading styles, add alt text to images
• In InDesign: Set up proper export tags and reading order
• Run accessibility checks before exporting to PDF