PDF Accessibility Requirements and Decision Guide

• University Communications will notify the department that the PDF has failed an accessibility check.
• A 30-day remediation timeline begins on the date of notification.

During this period, the department should:

• Work with a recommended accessibility remediation vendor
• Have the PDF remediated to meet accessibility standards
• Provide University Communications with the updated, accessible PDF once remediation is complete

The PDF may remain temporarily available during this period if it is operationally critical.

If University Communications has not received the remediated PDF after 30 days, we will check in with the department to determine the status.

Possible outcomes:

• Active remediation in progress: If the department is actively working with the vendor but has not yet received the remediated file, University Communications may extend the deadline an appropriate amount of time.
• No remediation in progress: If no progress has been made toward remediation, University Communications will need to remove the PDF from the website to maintain accessibility compliance.

Is this content primarily meant to be read online?

• If yes, create a webpage instead.
  Common examples:
  • Advising information or timelines
  • Campus announcements
  • Community standards or conduct-related guidance
  • Course requirements, syllabi or curriculum summaries
  • Degree or program overviews
  • Eligibility criteria or participation requirements
  • Event information or participation guidelines
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Health and safety information
  • Health, wellness or well-being resources
  • Internship or experiential learning guidance
  • Office hours, hours of operation, contact information or service descriptions
  • Program, department, club or organization policies, procedures or expectations
  • Reference materials that may change over time
  • Research participation or compliance information
  • Step-by-step instructions
  • Strategic plans or initiative overviews
  • Student, faculty or staff resources
  • Student leadership or engagement resources
  • Training or orientation materials
• If no, continue to Step 2.

Does this content need to be printed, signed or completed by hand?

• If yes, a PDF may be appropriate.
  Common examples:
  • Forms that require signatures
  • Checklists completed during events or appointments
  • Documents required for offline reference
• If no, create a webpage instead.

Will this information need regular updates?

If yes, create a webpage instead.

PDFs are harder to maintain and often lead to:

• Outdated versions remaining online
• Conflicting information between webpages and PDFs
• Increased accessibility remediation work

If you determine a PDF is required:

• The PDF must be accessible
• The core information should still live on a webpage when possible
• The PDF should be limited to what truly needs to be downloaded or printed

If you’re unsure, contact Online Communications before posting the PDF to the website.

A department posts a printable checklist as a PDF. University Communications identifies that the PDF is not accessible.

• What happens?
  • University Communications notifies the department and starts the 30-day timeline
  • The department sends the checklist to the recommended accessibility vendor
  • The remediated PDF is returned and sent to University Communications within 30 days
  • University Communications replaces the file on the website
• Outcome:
  • The PDF remains available, now fully accessible.

A department uploads a PDF containing policy language and FAQs. University Communications flags it as inaccessible.

• What happens:
  • University Communications notifies the department and starts the 30-day timeline
  • The department converts the policy content into a webpage
  • The PDF is removed from the website
• Outcome:
  • No PDF remediation required, and the content is easier to maintain going forward.

A department submits a PDF to the vendor within the 30-day window, but remediation is still in progress.

• What happens?
  • University Communications check-in after 30 days
  • The department confirms active work with the vendor
  • University Communications extends the deadline a reasonable amount of time
• Outcome:
  • The PDF remains temporarily available until the remediated version is received.

A department is notified of an inaccessible PDF but does not begin remediation or respond within 30 days.

• What happens?
  • University Communications follows up after the 30-day window
  • No remediation effort is underway
  • University Communications removes the PDF from the website
• Outcome:
  • The PDF is taken down to maintain accessibility compliance.

A document contains general information plus a printable form.

• What happens?
  • General information is moved to a webpage
  • Only the form portion remains a PDF
  • The PDF is remediated for accessibility
• Outcome:
  • Reduced remediation cost, better accessibility and fewer future issues.

• Webpages are always the safest default
• PDFs should be the exception, not the rule
• Inaccessible PDFs create compliance risk and extra work
• Early decisions save time, money and rework later

• Publish guidance, policies, FAQs, instructions and frequently updated content as webpages
• Offer PDFs only as an optional, downloadable format when printing is necessary

PDFs are most appropriate for:

• Forms or checklists that must be printed and completed
• Documents required for offline use
• Materials that cannot reasonably be presented as webpages

• Periodically review your website for posted PDFs
• Identify documents that could be converted to webpages
• Flag older PDFs that may need remediation, and proactively work with the recommended vendor on making the file accessible

When PDFs are updated:

• Remove outdated versions from the WordPress media library
• Confirm only the current version is linked and searchable
• Consider whether the update would be easier as a webpage instead

PDFs can still be used when appropriate, but accessibility requirements have become clearer and enforcement more consistent. Inaccessible PDFs create barriers for users and increase compliance risk for the university. Moving content to webpages where possible is the most reliable long-term solution.

No. Accessibility requirements apply at the point of access, not after a user requests accommodation. Content must be accessible to all users by default.

Not immediately. When University Communications identifies an inaccessible PDF, departments are given 30 days to begin remediation. If active remediation is underway, the deadline may be extended. PDFs are removed only when no progress toward accessibility has been made.

PDF remediation requires specialized tools and expertise, and there is currently no central campus resource to remediate PDFs on behalf of departments. Departments are responsible for working directly with the recommended vendor.

That’s often the best-case scenario. Core information can usually be moved to a webpage, while only the portion that must be printed (such as a form or checklist) remains a PDF and is remediated for accessibility.

Initially, it can be. Over time, webpages are easier to update, easier to keep accurate, easier to make accessible and less likely to create versioning problems than PDFs.

University Communications will check in to understand the status. If remediation is actively in progress, the deadline may be extended. If no remediation effort has begun, the PDF will need to be removed from the website to maintain accessibility compliance.