Section 508 Policy Template

The foundation of any ICT accessibility program is a comprehensive Section 508 policy that applies across the entire agency and its missions. Your policy should outline how the agency will ensure ICT accessibility compliance in all aspects of technology—including acquisition, development, authoring, configuration, deployment, and maintenance—and should be explicitly referenced in other policies across these agency functions. (See Policy Framework for examples).

The purpose of this document is to provide example language you can use when developing your agency’s Section 508 policy. The following policy template includes standard language organized across key sections:

Purpose: Describes the purpose of the document, which is to establish the agency's policy for ensuring access to ICT and compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. It should include links to relevant rules that support the mandate.
Scope: Outlines to whom this policy should apply, including the agency's employees and contractors who develop, procure, maintain, or use ICT. It should reference the various forms of ICT and integrate with other relevant agency directives, including IT governance, records management, cybersecurity, privacy, and employee training policies to ensure consistency and compliance.
Authority: Includes a list of the relevant laws and regulations. Refer to IT Accessibility Laws and Policies as well as your own agency policies.
Policy: Includes the actions required to uphold the directive regarding accessible information and communication technologies, including development, maintenance, procurement, acquisition, etc. (See Policy Framework for examples). Also includes exceptions, documentation, remediation, reporting, and conformance with standards.
Roles and Responsibilities: Contains a list of your agency's stakeholders who are responsible for upholding Section 508 compliance. Describes the roles they play, collaboration, oversight, reporting, and guidance delivery.
Definitions: Provides definitions of core terms used throughout your policy, including agency-specific and Section 508 implementation terms and acronyms.
Resources: Includes relevant offices and contacts for further support.

Download: Notional Best Practice Section 508 Policy Template (DOCX)

Agency Examples

Checklist for Section 508 Policy Creation

Use this checklist as a supplement to the Section 508 Policy Template to ensure your agency’s Section 508 or ICT Accessibility Policy includes all relevant information for Section 508 conformant digital content and services. Your policy should comprehensively address ICT accessibility compliance throughout the technology lifecycle, encompassing acquisition, development, authoring, configuration, deployment, and maintenance and should be explicitly cited in other relevant agency policies pertaining to these functions.

Development or Updating Policy:

Table 1: Purpose
Item	Actions
	Includes documentation of purpose of the policy which is to establish policy and responsibilities for Section 508 compliance
	Includes reference to 794d of Title 29, United States Code (USC), also known as Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 508); Part 1193 and 1194 of Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR); Subpart 39.2 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and associated regulations; and Section 508 Standards set by the United States Access Board
	Includes links to relevant rules and provisions that support the mandate

Table 2: Scope
Item	Actions
	Includes applicability and scope for all ICT that the agency develops, procures, maintains and uses
	Includes various forms of ICT to which the policy applies
	Integrated with and references other relevant agency directives, including IT governance, records management, cybersecurity, privacy, and employee training policies
	If applicable, statement that this policy supersedes any previous policy
	Includes statement that this Policy does not supersede any other applicable laws or conflicting terms of an existing labor management agreement in effect as of the effective date of this Section 508 Policy

Table 3: Authority
Item	Actions
	Includes a list of the relevant laws and regulations
	Refers to IT Accessibility Laws and Policies
	Refers to your own agency policies

Table 4: Policy
Item	Actions
	Includes specific actions required by business function for Section 508 compliance: Acquisition and Procurement Design Development Technology Lifecycle Testing
	Includes exceptions and required documentation
	Includes expectations regarding ICT accessibility conformance, including testing methodologies, reporting requirements and remediation prioritization

Table 5: Roles and Rresponsibilities
Item	Actions
	Contains a list of your agency’s stakeholders who are responsible for upholding Section 508 compliance
	Details specific responsibilities of each stakeholder in your agency
	Includes the role each stakeholder plays in policy implementation, who they collaborate with, which areas they oversee, what they report on and guidance or assistance they provide

Table 6: Definitions
Item	Actions
	Provides relevant definitions of terms used throughout your policy
	Defines acronyms specific to your agency and Section 508 implementation
	See Section 508 glossary of terms

Table 7: Resources
Item	Actions
	General information or Section 508 program information
	Alternative Formats
	Assistive Technology or Reasonable Accommodations
	Captioning or American Sign Language services
	ICT accessibility testing
	Training

Post Development Checklist

Table 7: Post Development Steps
Item	Actions
	Finalize Policy which may include stakeholder review
	If your agency requires signature, submit for formal approval
	Follow your agency’s processes for implementing new or updated policies
	Include references to the Section 508 or ICT Accessibility Policy in all other relevant policies, processes, and business functions in your agency

Reviewed/Updated: September 2025