To verify an accessibility consultant’s experience, request redacted audit reports they have authored, ask for client references you can speak with directly, confirm credentials such as CPACC or DHS Trusted Tester, and review their methodology for conducting audits. A qualified consultant will share work samples, name the standards they evaluate against (WCAG 2.1 AA or WCAG 2.2 AA), and explain how they identify issues manually rather than relying on automated checkers. If a consultant cannot produce an audit sample or speak fluently about success criteria, that is a signal to keep looking.
| Verification Step | What to Confirm |
|---|---|
| Work Samples | Redacted audit report showing issues, severity, WCAG references, and remediation guidance |
| Client References | Two or three named contacts willing to speak about scope, timeline, and outcomes |
| Credentials | CPACC, WAS, DHS Trusted Tester, or documented years of audit work |
| Methodology | Fully manual evaluation against WCAG 2.1 AA or 2.2 AA, with assistive technology use |
| Standards Knowledge | Fluency discussing specific success criteria and how they apply to real interfaces |
Start with Work Samples
The fastest way to gauge a consultant’s experience is to ask for a redacted audit report. A consultant who has actually conducted audits will have one ready.
Look for issue descriptions tied to specific WCAG success criteria, severity ratings, the location of each issue, and clear remediation guidance. A real audit report reads like a practitioner wrote it, not like output from a scanner.
If the sample is mostly automated checker output dressed up as a report, that tells you the consultant relies on tools rather than skill.
What Should References Tell You?
Ask for two or three references and call them. Written testimonials are easy to produce and hard to verify.
On the call, ask what was in scope, how long the work took, whether the consultant identified issues the client’s internal team had missed, and how responsive the consultant was during remediation. Past clients who hesitate or speak in vague generalities are a quiet warning.
Strong references will describe specific issues, talk about how the consultant explained findings, and mention whether they would hire the consultant again.
Check Credentials, but Do Not Stop There
Credentials worth recognizing include CPACC and WAS from IAAP, and DHS Trusted Tester certification. These confirm the consultant has passed a structured exam and studied the material.
Credentials alone do not prove audit experience. A consultant with five years of hands-on audit work and no certification can be more capable than someone freshly certified with no client history. Use credentials as one input, not the only one.
Evaluate Their Methodology
Ask the consultant to walk you through how they conduct an audit. The answer should describe a manual evaluation against WCAG 2.1 AA or WCAG 2.2 AA, use of screen readers like NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver, keyboard-only navigation, and review of code where needed.
Automated checkers have a place as a starting layer, but scans only flag approximately 25% of issues. A consultant who claims an audit can be largely automated does not understand the work. Conformance is determined through human evaluation.
Listen for Standards Fluency
In conversation, a seasoned consultant references specific success criteria without reaching for notes. They can tell you what 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum) requires, how 2.4.7 Focus Visible applies to a custom dropdown, or why 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value matters for a modal dialog.
Generic talk about “making the site accessible” without grounding in WCAG is a sign of surface-level knowledge.
Confirm Scope Experience
Experience auditing a marketing website is different from auditing a SaaS application, a mobile app, or an LMS. Ask whether the consultant has audited the type of digital asset you have.
If you need a VPAT or ACR for procurement, confirm they have produced one before. If your project is on Shopify, WordPress, or a custom stack, ask about their familiarity with that environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I hire a consultant who only uses automated tools?
No. Automated tools detect a small portion of issues and cannot determine WCAG conformance. A consultant who relies on scans alone is selling something other than an audit.
How many years of experience should an accessibility consultant have?
There is no fixed number, but three or more years of dedicated audit work is a reasonable starting point for complex projects. What matters more is the volume and variety of audits completed and the quality of their reports.
Can I verify experience through LinkedIn?
LinkedIn is a starting point, not proof. Look for consistent accessibility roles, recommendations from clients, and content that demonstrates working knowledge. Then verify with samples and references.
What if a consultant refuses to share an audit sample?
A redacted sample protects client confidentiality while showing capability. A consultant who cannot produce one likely has limited audit work to point to.
Verification is simple when you ask the right questions and review the right artifacts. The consultants worth hiring expect this scrutiny and welcome it.
Find vetted accessibility consultants and service providers in the Accessibility Base directory. Contact us to learn more.