Accessible PDF & document accessibility (PDF/UA, WCAG)

What we make accessible

An accessible document is not a different-looking document. It is the same layout with a structure underneath that assistive technology can follow. We build that structure page by page and check it before delivery.

• Tag tree for every element: headings, paragraphs, lists, tables, figures, footnotes and links
• Alternative text for images, charts and diagrams, written to convey the information, not just the picture
• Logical reading order across columns, sidebars, captions and pull quotes
• Data tables with proper header cells and scope, including complex and nested tables
• Document title, language, bookmarks and language changes inside the text
• Fillable forms with labels, tooltips and a sensible tab order
• Running headers, page numbers and decoration marked as artifacts, so screen readers skip them
• Colour contrast and font legibility checked against WCAG

Standards we work to

• PDF/UA-1 (ISO 14289-1), and PDF/UA-2 (ISO 14289-2:2024) on request
• WCAG 2.1 AA and WCAG 2.2 AA
• EN 301 549, the European standard behind the European Accessibility Act and the Web Accessibility Directive. Version 3.2.1 is the current legal reference; version 4.1.1, published in September 2026, moves to WCAG 2.2
• National rules built on these standards, such as BITV 2.0 in Germany, RGAA in France and Decree-Law 83/2018 in Portugal

Accessible from the source

Fixing a finished PDF works, but it has to be redone every time the document changes. When we do the layout ourselves, or take over your InDesign, Word or PowerPoint files, we build accessibility in: paragraph styles mapped to tags, alt text attached to images, reading order set in the source and a tagged export. The next edition then needs only a check, not a new round of remediation.

Every language version

This is where we differ from single-language accessibility vendors. Each translated version needs its own accessible PDF: alt text and form labels translated, the document language and every language change marked, the reading order checked again after the text reflows. We handle right-to-left scripts such as Arabic and Hebrew, and CJK documents, with the same care. For a translation agency this means one partner for layout and accessibility across all target languages.

Large print and Easy Read

Many public-sector contracts ask for alternative formats next to the standard document. We lay out large-print editions and Easy Read versions, with short lines, generous spacing and supporting images placed next to the text. The plain-language text itself comes from you or your linguists; we make it work on the page.

How we check and what you receive

We remediate in Adobe Acrobat Pro with axesPDF and CommonLook, and validate every file with PAC 2024, which tests against PDF/UA through the Matterhorn Protocol and against the machine-checkable WCAG criteria. Checks a validator cannot make, such as whether alt text is meaningful or whether the reading order makes sense, are done by hand. With the files you receive a conformance report you can attach to your delivery or tender documentation.

For tenders and public bodies

The European Accessibility Act has applied since 28 June 2025, and public bodies across the EU must publish accessible documents. Calls for tenders increasingly list accessible PDF, PDF/UA or national rules such as BITV and RGAA as a requirement for publications, reports and forms. We work as the production partner of translation agencies, design studios and publishers bidding for these contracts, or directly with corporate translation departments, public bodies and international organisations. See bids and tenders for what we provide for your bid file.

What’s included and what it costs

Remediation is priced per page by complexity. Audits are priced per document.

Work	Price
PDF remediation, Simple	€3.00 / page
PDF remediation, Standard	€5.00 / page
PDF remediation, Complex	€8.00 / page
PDF remediation, Hard	Individual
Accessibility built into our layout	+€1.00 / page
Large print or Easy Read layout	from €3.00 / page
Audit with conformance report	from €40 / document

Simple: running text, headings, lists and a few images. Standard: images and charts that need alt text, simple tables, footnotes. Complex: multi-column layouts, complex or nested tables, forms, infographics.

Included in the price

• Tag tree, reading order, bookmarks, document title and language settings
• Alt text written for images and charts
• Tables with header cells, and forms with labels
• Validation in PAC 2024 against PDF/UA and WCAG, plus a manual check
• A conformance report with every file

Priced separately: Urgent jobs: +50% of the project cost. See all rates.