A website accessibility audit includes a scoped review of representative pages, a fully manual evaluation against WCAG 2.1 AA or 2.2 AA criteria, and a written report that lists every issue identified with location, description, severity, and recommended fix. The auditor uses keyboard navigation, screen readers, and developer tools to evaluate real user experiences. The deliverable is an actionable document a development team can work through to reach conformance. Automated scans may support the work, but they do not determine conformance on their own. The audit is the foundation of any serious accessibility project.
| Component | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Scope | Representative page set covering templates, key user flows, and unique components |
| Standard | WCAG 2.1 AA or WCAG 2.2 AA, evaluated criterion by criterion |
| Methodology | Manual evaluation using keyboard, screen readers, zoom, and code inspection |
| Report | Issue list with location, WCAG reference, severity, and remediation guidance |
| Support | Validation after fixes and optional consultation for the development team |
Scope: Which Pages Get Evaluated
An audit starts with scope. The auditor and the client agree on which pages and templates represent the site. For a content website, that often means the homepage, a few interior templates, a contact form, and any page with unique components. For ecommerce, scope expands to product pages, cart, and checkout.
The point of scoping is coverage without redundancy. Evaluating one product page tells you about every product page that uses the same template. Evaluating the checkout flow tells you about the transaction path every customer takes.
Standard: WCAG 2.1 AA or WCAG 2.2 AA
The audit evaluates the site against a specific version and level of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. WCAG 2.1 AA remains the most widely referenced standard for ADA-related work. WCAG 2.2 AA is increasingly requested, especially by procurement teams and government clients.
Each success criterion is evaluated individually. The auditor records whether the page passes, fails, or does not apply. That criterion-by-criterion review is what separates a real audit from a quick review.
Methodology: How the Evaluation Is Conducted
A website accessibility audit is performed manually by a trained auditor. The methods include:
Keyboard-only navigation across every interactive element. Screen reader evaluation using NVDA, JAWS, or VoiceOver. Zoom and reflow checks at 200% and 400%. Color contrast measurement. Code inspection of semantic HTML, ARIA, and focus management. Form, error, and dynamic content review.
Automated scans can flag a portion of issues quickly, but scans only flag approximately 25% of issues. The rest, including most keyboard, screen reader, and cognitive issues, require a person doing the work.
What Is in the Audit Report?
The report is the deliverable. It lists every issue identified, where it appears, which WCAG criterion it relates to, how severe it is, and what the development team should do to fix it. A useful report reads like a worklist, not a research paper.
Most reports include an issue title and description, the page URL and element location, the WCAG success criterion reference, a severity or priority rating, recommended remediation with code-level guidance where applicable, and screenshots or recordings where helpful.
Severity ratings let the team sort the worklist. Critical issues that block users come first. Lower-severity issues get scheduled into normal development cycles.
What Happens After the Audit?
The audit is the start of the work, not the end. Development teams use the report to plan accessibility remediation, prioritizing by severity, user impact, and complexity. After fixes are made, the auditor returns to validate that each issue is resolved and that no new issues were introduced.
This validation step is what produces a defensible record of conformance. Without validation, a remediated site is a guess. With validation, the team has documented evidence the fixes worked.
What an Audit Does Not Include
Knowing what is out of scope matters as much as knowing what is in. A standard audit does not fix the issues identified (that is remediation, a separate engagement), does not cover pages outside the agreed scope, does not guarantee future conformance as the site changes, and does not replace ongoing training for content and development teams.
An audit is a snapshot. Sites change. New components, redesigns, and content updates require re-evaluation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a website accessibility audit cost?
Pricing depends on scope and complexity. A small informational site might be evaluated for a few thousand dollars. A large ecommerce site or web app can run higher because there are more templates and interactive components to evaluate. Quotes are typically per page or per template.
How long does a website accessibility audit take?
Turnaround commonly runs two to four weeks from kickoff to report delivery, depending on the auditor’s queue and the scope of work. Larger projects with extensive user flows can take longer.
Can an automated tool replace a manual audit?
No. Automated checkers detect a fraction of issues, mostly code-level patterns. They cannot evaluate whether a screen reader announcement makes sense, whether keyboard focus order is logical, or whether an interactive component is usable. Conformance requires human evaluation.
What standard should the audit use?
WCAG 2.1 AA is still the most common reference point for U.S. and global work. WCAG 2.2 AA is appropriate when contracts, procurement, or jurisdictional requirements call for it. Confirm the standard with the auditor before the engagement begins.
How often should a site be audited?
A full audit cycle every 12 months is a reasonable rhythm for most sites. Significant redesigns, platform migrations, or new feature releases warrant an interim evaluation.
An audit is the document that tells a team exactly what is wrong, where it is, and what to do about it. That clarity is what makes the rest of the work possible.
Find accessibility auditors and service providers through the Accessibility Base directory.