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The WCAG 2.1 AA Checklist: All 50 Required Checkpoints in Plain English
WCAG 2.1 contains 78 success criteria across three levels. The ADA Title II web rule, 28 CFR 35.200, requires the Level A and Level AA sets together: 30 Level A checkpoints plus 20 Level AA checkpoints, 50 in all. Every one of them is listed below in plain English, with the 28 Level AAA criteria included for completeness even though no regulation requires them.
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Key takeaways
- What the rule requires: conformance with the WCAG 2.1 Level A and Level AA success criteria together, 50 checkpoints in all.
- Level A (30): the floor; the barriers that shut people out entirely.
- Level AA (20): the barriers most users with disabilities hit day to day, color contrast among them.
- Level AAA (28): the strictest tier. No regulation requires it, and the W3C itself does not recommend requiring it for whole sites.
- One technicality: the W3C's current WCAG 2.1 text says criterion 4.1.1 Parsing "should be considered as always satisfied" for HTML and XML content.
Which levels does the ADA Title II rule require?
Level A and Level AA together. The regulation's words: web content must "comply with Level A and Level AA success criteria and conformance requirements specified in WCAG 2.1" (28 CFR § 35.200). The rule names WCAG 2.1 specifically; WCAG 2.2 adds nine newer criteria that the rule does not require. Deadlines are 04-26-2027 for entities serving 50,000 or more people and 04-26-2028 for smaller entities and special districts, as covered in our deadline guide.
What are the 30 Level A checkpoints?
The minimum. These are the barriers that keep people with disabilities out entirely: images with no text alternative, content a keyboard cannot reach, media with no captions. The W3C is blunt that no conformance is possible without Level A.
The full Level A list
| # | Criterion | Name | What it requires, in plain English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.1.1 | Non-text Content | Give images and other non-text content a text alternative that describes them. |
| 2 | 1.2.1 | Audio-only and Video-only (Prerecorded) | Provide a transcript for audio-only content, and a transcript or audio description for video-only content. |
| 3 | 1.2.2 | Captions (Prerecorded) | Add accurate captions that capture all spoken words and sounds. |
| 4 | 1.2.3 | Audio Description or Media Alternative (Prerecorded) | Provide either a text transcript or an audio description for video. |
| 5 | 1.3.1 | Info and Relationships | Use correct HTML (headings, lists, labels, table headers, landmarks) so structure is readable by assistive tech. |
| 6 | 1.3.2 | Meaningful Sequence | Keep the reading order for screen readers the same as the visual order. |
| 7 | 1.3.3 | Sensory Characteristics | Instructions must not rely only on color, shape, size, position or sound. |
| 8 | 1.4.1 | Use of Color | Do not use color as the only way to show meaning or tell links from text. |
| 9 | 1.4.2 | Audio Control | Auto-playing audio over 3 seconds can be paused or its volume controlled. |
| 10 | 2.1.1 | Keyboard | Everything works with a keyboard alone. |
| 11 | 2.1.2 | No Keyboard Trap | Keyboard focus can always move out of any element. |
| 12 | 2.1.4 | Character Key Shortcuts | Single-key shortcuts can be turned off, remapped, or only work on focus. |
| 13 | 2.2.1 | Timing Adjustable | Time limits can be turned off, adjusted or extended. |
| 14 | 2.2.2 | Pause, Stop, Hide | Moving, blinking, scrolling or auto-updating content can be paused, stopped or hidden. |
| 15 | 2.3.1 | Three Flashes or Below Threshold | Nothing flashes more than 3 times per second (seizure risk). |
| 16 | 2.4.1 | Bypass Blocks | Provide a skip link or similar way past repeated blocks such as menus. |
| 17 | 2.4.2 | Page Titled | Every page has a title that describes its topic or purpose. |
| 18 | 2.4.3 | Focus Order | Keyboard focus moves in a logical order; pop-ups take and hold focus. |
| 19 | 2.4.4 | Link Purpose (In Context) | Link text (with its context) makes the destination clear. |
| 20 | 2.5.1 | Pointer Gestures | Multi-finger or path gestures also work with a single tap or click. |
| 21 | 2.5.2 | Pointer Cancellation | Actions fire on release (up-event) or can be aborted or undone. |
| 22 | 2.5.3 | Label in Name | The accessible name of a control contains its visible label text. |
| 23 | 2.5.4 | Motion Actuation | Features triggered by shaking or tilting also work from a control and can be disabled. |
| 24 | 3.1.1 | Language of Page | The page's main language is set in the HTML tag. |
| 25 | 3.2.1 | On Focus | Focusing an element does not trigger a change of context. |
| 26 | 3.2.2 | On Input | Changing a setting does not change context unless the user is warned first. |
| 27 | 3.3.1 | Error Identification | Form errors are identified and described to the user in text. |
| 28 | 3.3.2 | Labels or Instructions | Every input has a visible label or instructions, including required formats. |
| 29 | 4.1.1 | Parsing | Clean markup with no duplicate IDs. W3C now says this is always satisfied for HTML or XML content. |
| 30 | 4.1.2 | Name, Role, Value | Every control exposes its name, role and state to assistive tech (ARIA where needed). |
What are the 20 Level AA checkpoints?
Everything most users with disabilities hit day to day: color contrast, text resizing, visible keyboard focus, consistent navigation, clear error handling. Meeting the rule means satisfying every Level A and Level AA criterion together.
The full Level AA list
| # | Criterion | Name | What it requires, in plain English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 1.2.4 | Captions (Live) | Live audio and video content has real-time captions. |
| 32 | 1.2.5 | Audio Description (Prerecorded) | Prerecorded video has audio description of important visual information. |
| 33 | 1.3.4 | Orientation | Content works in both portrait and landscape unless one is essential. |
| 34 | 1.3.5 | Identify Input Purpose | Inputs that collect user info (name, email, etc.) declare their purpose in code (autocomplete). |
| 35 | 1.4.3 | Contrast (Minimum) | Text contrast at least 4.5:1; large text at least 3:1. |
| 36 | 1.4.4 | Resize Text | Text can be zoomed to 200% without losing content or function. |
| 37 | 1.4.5 | Images of Text | Use real text instead of pictures of text (logos excepted). |
| 38 | 1.4.10 | Reflow | Content fits a 320 px wide screen without two-way scrolling. |
| 39 | 1.4.11 | Non-text Contrast | Buttons, inputs, focus indicators and key graphics have at least 3:1 contrast. |
| 40 | 1.4.12 | Text Spacing | Nothing breaks when users increase line, letter, word and paragraph spacing. |
| 41 | 1.4.13 | Content on Hover or Focus | Hover/focus pop-ups can be dismissed, hovered over, and stay until closed. |
| 42 | 2.4.5 | Multiple Ways | At least two ways to find a page (menu, search, sitemap). |
| 43 | 2.4.6 | Headings and Labels | Headings and labels describe their topic or purpose. |
| 44 | 2.4.7 | Focus Visible | Keyboard focus is always visible. |
| 45 | 3.1.2 | Language of Parts | Passages in another language are marked with that language. |
| 46 | 3.2.3 | Consistent Navigation | Repeated navigation stays in the same order across pages. |
| 47 | 3.2.4 | Consistent Identification | Items with the same function are labeled the same everywhere. |
| 48 | 3.3.3 | Error Suggestion | Error messages suggest how to fix the problem (missing field, format, range). |
| 49 | 3.3.4 | Error Prevention (Legal, Financial, Data) | Legal or financial submissions can be reviewed, corrected or reversed. |
| 50 | 4.1.3 | Status Messages | Status messages are announced to screen readers without moving focus. |
What about the 28 Level AAA checkpoints?
The strictest tier: sign-language interpretation, enhanced 7:1 contrast, reading-level limits. No regulation requires Level AAA, and the W3C does not recommend requiring it for entire sites, because some content cannot satisfy it. Worth knowing, never the legal bar.
The full Level AAA list (not required by the rule)
| # | Criterion | Name | What it requires, in plain English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | 1.2.6 | Sign Language (Prerecorded) | Sign language interpretation for all prerecorded audio in video. |
| 52 | 1.2.7 | Extended Audio Description (Prerecorded) | Video pauses to fit audio description where natural gaps are too short. |
| 53 | 1.2.8 | Media Alternative (Prerecorded) | A full text alternative for all prerecorded video. |
| 54 | 1.2.9 | Audio-only (Live) | A text alternative (e.g. live transcript) for live audio-only content. |
| 55 | 1.3.6 | Identify Purpose | The purpose of components, icons and regions can be determined in code. |
| 56 | 1.4.6 | Contrast (Enhanced) | Text contrast at least 7:1; large text at least 4.5:1. |
| 57 | 1.4.7 | Low or No Background Audio | Speech recordings have no, or very quiet (20 dB lower), background sound, or it can be turned off. |
| 58 | 1.4.8 | Visual Presentation | Users can set text colors, width (max 80 characters), spacing and alignment; no justified text. |
| 59 | 1.4.9 | Images of Text (No Exception) | Images of text only for decoration or where essential. |
| 60 | 2.1.3 | Keyboard (No Exception) | All functionality works by keyboard, with no exceptions. |
| 61 | 2.2.3 | No Timing | Timing is not an essential part of the activity (except live events and media). |
| 62 | 2.2.4 | Interruptions | Users can postpone or suppress interruptions, except emergencies. |
| 63 | 2.2.5 | Re-authenticating | After a session expires, users can log back in and continue without losing data. |
| 64 | 2.2.6 | Timeouts | Users are warned how long inactivity can last before data is lost (unless kept 20+ hours). |
| 65 | 2.3.2 | Three Flashes | Nothing flashes more than 3 times in any second, with no threshold exception. |
| 66 | 2.3.3 | Animation from Interactions | Motion animation triggered by interaction can be turned off unless essential. |
| 67 | 2.4.8 | Location | Users can tell where they are within the site (e.g. breadcrumbs). |
| 68 | 2.4.9 | Link Purpose (Link Only) | Each link's purpose is clear from the link text alone. |
| 69 | 2.4.10 | Section Headings | Section headings are used to organize the content. |
| 70 | 2.5.5 | Target Size | Tap and click targets are at least 44 x 44 CSS pixels (with exceptions). |
| 71 | 2.5.6 | Concurrent Input Mechanisms | Content does not restrict input types (touch, mouse, keyboard) available on the device. |
| 72 | 3.1.3 | Unusual Words | A way to find definitions of jargon, idioms and unusual words. |
| 73 | 3.1.4 | Abbreviations | A way to find the expanded form of abbreviations. |
| 74 | 3.1.5 | Reading Level | If text is above lower-secondary reading level, a simpler version or supplement is available. |
| 75 | 3.1.6 | Pronunciation | A way to find pronunciation where meaning depends on it. |
| 76 | 3.2.5 | Change on Request | Context changes happen only when the user asks, or can be turned off. |
| 77 | 3.3.5 | Help | Context-sensitive help is available. |
| 78 | 3.3.6 | Error Prevention (All) | Any submission can be reversed, checked for errors, or reviewed and confirmed. |
How do you test against the full WCAG 2.1 AA checklist?
With both halves of the job: automated scanning for the checkpoints a machine can measure, and human judgment for the ones it cannot, a split the W3C's own evaluation guidance describes and our guide to automated scans vs human review explains checkpoint by checkpoint. That combined set is what the initial assessment baselines and the monthly monitoring re-tests as your site changes. The standard itself is published by the W3C as WCAG 2.1.