Conformance vs. Compliance

How the two connect

WCAG defines conform as “satisfying all the requirements of a given standard, guideline or specification.” ADA Title II uses the language of compliance and incorporates WCAG by reference. 28 CFR § 35.200(b) requires covered public entities to ensure their web content and mobile apps “comply with Level A and Level AA success criteria and conformance requirements specified in WCAG 2.1.”

Why the distinction matters

• Conformance is necessary but not the whole of compliance. Title II compliance also depends on its exceptions (such as the archived web content exception), its compliance dates, and its other provisions. Content can be excepted from the requirements and so be compliant without conforming.
• Conformance is assessed per page or document. A conformance claim applies to specific content. Compliance is a status of the public entity and its program as a whole.
• Usage in practice. Vendors, agencies, and practitioners frequently use the terms interchangeably, for example describing a document as “ADA conformant” or “WCAG compliant.” General dictionaries treat the words as closely related: Merriam-Webster defines conformance as “conformity,” and one sense of compliance as “conformity in fulfilling official requirements.” The distinction drawn here comes from how WCAG and ADA Title II use the terms, not from ordinary usage.

Sources

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, glossary: conform, W3C. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
• Understanding Conformance, W3C Web Accessibility Initiative. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
• 28 CFR § 35.200 Requirements for web and mobile accessibility, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. Retrieved September 23, 2026.
• Conformance, Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved September 24, 2026 (archived copy).
• Compliance, Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved September 24, 2026 (archived copy).