What WCAG Conformance Level Do I Need? A, AA, or AAA Explained

When you start digging into web accessibility, you'll encounter WCAG conformance levels almost immediately. Level A, Level AA, Level AAA—what do these mean, and which one should you be targeting?

I'll give you the practical answer first: you probably need Level AA. That's what courts reference, what regulations require, and what procurement processes expect. But understanding why, and what each level actually contains, helps you make informed decisions and have sensible conversations with developers, lawyers, and stakeholders.

Q: What WCAG conformance level do I need?

A: For most organizations, WCAG 2.2 Level AA is the target. This level is referenced in most accessibility regulations, cited in legal proceedings, and expected in enterprise procurement. Level A is too basic for meaningful accessibility. Level AAA has requirements that aren't achievable for all content types.

Understanding WCAG Structure

How WCAG Is Organized

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are organized into four principles (POUR):

Perceivable: Information must be presentable in ways users can perceive (not invisible to all their senses).

Operable: Interface components and navigation must be operable (users must be able to operate the interface).

Understandable: Information and operation must be understandable (users must be able to understand the information and operation).

Robust: Content must be robust enough for reliable interpretation by assistive technologies.

Under each principle are guidelines, and under each guideline are success criteria—the specific, testable requirements that determine conformance.

How Conformance Levels Work

Each success criterion is assigned one conformance level:

Level A: Essential, baseline requirements. Failure to meet these creates fundamental barriers.

Level AA: Removes significant barriers for most users with disabilities. Addresses real-world usability.

Level AAA: Enhanced accessibility for specific user groups. Some criteria aren't achievable for all content.

The levels are cumulative. To claim Level AA conformance, you must meet all Level A criteria plus all Level AA criteria. Level AAA requires meeting all three levels.

Level A: The Foundation

What Level A Covers

Level A success criteria address the most severe accessibility barriers—things that completely block access rather than merely making it difficult.

Examples of Level A criteria:

1.1.1 Non-text Content: Images need text alternatives. Without alt text, screen reader users have no idea what images convey.

1.3.1 Info and Relationships: Information conveyed visually (headings, lists, tables) must be programmatically determinable. Fake headings made with big bold text don't work—they need proper heading markup.

2.1.1 Keyboard: All functionality must be operable through keyboard interface. Users who can't use a mouse need keyboard alternatives.

2.4.1 Bypass Blocks: Users can skip repetitive content (like navigation). Screen reader users shouldn't have to listen to your entire menu on every page.

4.1.2 Name, Role, Value: Custom interface components must properly expose their name, role, and state to assistive technology.

Why Level A Alone Isn't Enough

Meeting only Level A creates a technically accessible but practically difficult experience. Level A ensures users aren't completely blocked, but it doesn't ensure they can efficiently accomplish tasks.

A site meeting only Level A might have:

• Technically sufficient but terrible color contrast
• Links and buttons that work but look identical
• Forms that function but provide no helpful error messages
• Navigation that works but is confusing

Nobody claims Level A conformance as an achievement because it's recognized as insufficient. If someone asks about your accessibility compliance and you answer "Level A," that signals minimal effort.

Level AA: The Standard

What Level AA Adds

Level AA success criteria address barriers that significantly impact usability without completely blocking access.

Examples of Level AA criteria:

1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum): Text must have at least 4.5:1 contrast ratio against its background (3:1 for large text). This ensures readability for users with low vision.

1.4.4 Resize Text: Text must be resizable to 200% without loss of content or functionality. Users who need larger text can get it.

1.4.5 Images of Text: Use actual text instead of images of text where possible. Text images can't be resized or customized.

2.4.6 Headings and Labels: Headings and labels describe topic or purpose. Users can understand where they are and what to do.

2.4.7 Focus Visible: Keyboard focus indicator is visible. Users navigating by keyboard can see where they are.

3.2.3 Consistent Navigation: Navigation mechanisms appear in the same relative order across pages. Users can learn and predict navigation.

3.3.3 Error Suggestion: When input errors are detected and suggestions are known, provide suggestions. Help users correct their mistakes.

Why AA Is the Target

Several factors converge on Level AA:

Legal precedent. Court settlements and consent decrees almost universally specify Level AA. The DOJ's guidance on web accessibility references WCAG 2.1 AA as the standard.

Regulatory requirements. Section 508 (federal government requirements) specifies WCAG 2.0 AA. The European Accessibility Act references similar standards.

Procurement requirements. Enterprise customers and government contracts require VPATs demonstrating AA conformance. Level A wouldn't satisfy these requirements.

Practical achievability. Level AA is challenging but achievable for essentially any website. The requirements are specific enough to implement and test.

Meaningful improvement. Level AA addresses barriers that actually impact real users in daily use, not just theoretical edge cases.

Level AAA: Enhanced Accessibility

What Level AAA Adds

Level AAA criteria provide enhanced accessibility for specific user needs, going beyond what's achievable or necessary for all content.

Examples of Level AAA criteria:

1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced): 7:1 contrast ratio for normal text, 4.5:1 for large text. Higher than AA's requirements.

1.4.8 Visual Presentation: Specific requirements for text presentation including line length, line spacing, paragraph spacing, and text alignment.

2.2.3 No Timing: No time limits at all (AA allows extending time; AAA requires no limits).

2.4.9 Link Purpose (Link Only): Link purpose identifiable from link text alone, without surrounding context.

3.1.3 Unusual Words: Mechanism to identify definitions of unusual words or phrases.

3.1.4 Abbreviations: Mechanism to identify the expanded form of abbreviations.

Why AAA Usually Isn't Required

Level AAA isn't typically required or expected because:

Some criteria conflict with common content types. Video content can't meet the "no timing" requirement (2.2.3) without fundamental changes to what video is. Live broadcasts can't have extended captions (1.2.9).

Implementation cost exceeds benefit. Providing expanded definitions for every abbreviation on a technical site would make content unwieldy for most users.

AA already provides substantial accessibility. The marginal benefit of AAA over AA is smaller than the marginal benefit of AA over A.

When to Consider AAA

Some organizations target AAA for specific criteria:

Government serving disability communities. Agencies specifically serving people with disabilities may commit to higher standards.

Organizations with strong accessibility missions. Disability advocacy organizations, accessibility companies, and similar entities may hold themselves to higher standards.

Specific criteria that are easy. Enhanced color contrast (1.4.6) is straightforward if your design system supports it. Some organizations adopt specific AAA criteria without committing to full AAA conformance.

Choosing Your Target Level

For Most Organizations: AA

If you're asking "what level should we target?" the answer is almost certainly WCAG 2.2 Level AA. Here's the decision framework:

Legal exposure exists: AA Enterprise customers: AA Government contracts: AA E-commerce: AA Healthcare: AA Education: AA General business website: AA

Version Considerations

WCAG has evolved through versions:

• WCAG 2.0 (2008)
• WCAG 2.1 (2018)
• WCAG 2.2 (2023)

Each version adds new success criteria without changing existing ones. WCAG 2.2 AA includes everything from 2.1 AA plus new criteria addressing cognitive accessibility and mobile interaction.

Current recommendation: Target WCAG 2.2 AA. It's the current standard, and requirements are already being written against it.

Common Misconceptions

"We need to be AAA compliant"

I hear this occasionally from well-meaning organizations. Usually it stems from:

• Confusion about what levels mean
• Desire to do "the best possible"
• Misinformation from vendors or consultants

Full AAA conformance isn't the goal for most content. Targeting AA while incorporating appropriate AAA criteria is more practical and effective.

"Level A is ADA compliance"

No. Courts and regulators reference AA, not A. Level A conformance wouldn't satisfy legal requirements or settlement obligations.

"Automated tools can confirm conformance level"

Automated tools can identify some violations but can't confirm conformance. Many success criteria require human judgment. "Passes automated testing" and "conforms to Level AA" are different things.

A comprehensive accessibility audit combines automated testing with manual evaluation to assess conformance meaningfully.

"Once we're compliant, we're done"

Conformance is a point-in-time status. Content changes, features are added, and compliance can drift. Ongoing monitoring and maintenance are necessary for sustained conformance.

Practical Implementation Path

Getting to Level AA

Phase 1: Assessment

• Run automated scanning to identify detectable issues
• Conduct manual testing for criteria automation can't evaluate
• Inventory issues by conformance level and severity
• Prioritize based on user impact and remediation effort

Phase 2: Remediation

• Address Level A issues first (they're blocking access)
• Progress to Level AA issues
• Fix systematic issues (affecting templates) before content-specific issues
• Verify fixes through testing

Phase 3: Maintenance

• Implement continuous monitoring
• Train team on accessibility requirements
• Build accessibility into development process
• Integrate accessibility into CI/CD to prevent regression

Tools and Resources

TestParty helps organizations achieve AA conformance through:

• AI-powered scanning identifying Level A and AA violations
• Automated fix generation reducing developer remediation time
• Continuous monitoring catching regressions
• CI/CD integration preventing new issues

The W3C's WCAG Understanding documents provide detailed explanations of each success criterion.

FAQ Section

Q: Do I need to meet every single AA criterion to claim conformance?

A: Yes. WCAG conformance requires meeting all success criteria at the claimed level. Meeting 95% of criteria is progress, but it's not conformance. That said, conformance claims apply to specific pages or applications—you can achieve conformance for core product pages while still working on less-critical content.

Q: What if I can't meet a specific criterion?

A: WCAG allows "conforming alternate versions" in some cases—accessible versions of content when the primary version can't be made accessible. However, this is a narrow exception, not a general escape hatch. Most content can meet AA requirements with proper effort.

Q: How often does WCAG change?

A: Major versions release years apart. WCAG 2.0 came out in 2008, 2.1 in 2018, and 2.2 in 2023. WCAG 3.0 is in development but won't be finalized for years. Standards are stable enough for long-term compliance investment.

Q: Is there certification for WCAG conformance?

A: There's no official WCAG certification body. Organizations can self-declare conformance, commission third-party audits, or produce VPATs/ACRs documenting conformance claims. Third-party audit provides the most credible conformance evidence.

Q: My CMS/platform claims AA compliance. Am I compliant?

A: Platform compliance doesn't automatically mean your site is compliant. Your content, customizations, third-party components, and configuration all affect compliance. Platform accessibility is necessary but not sufficient.

Moving Forward

WCAG Level AA is your target. It's achievable, it's expected, and it provides meaningful accessibility for real users. Focus your energy there rather than debating conformance levels—the work of achieving AA is substantial and valuable.

Ready to assess your current conformance status? Get a free accessibility scan to identify issues across conformance levels.

Related Articles:

• WCAG 2.2: What's New and How to Comply
• Accessibility Audits: What to Expect
• How Long Does Website Accessibility Take to Fix?

Our editorial process combines AI capabilities with human accessibility knowledge to produce well-researched content. TestParty focuses on source code accessibility fixes for e-commerce sites, but every business has unique needs. Consult with professionals before acting on any information here.