Social Security Administrationssa.gov
Accessibility Score
Issues Found
Issues Found
CriticalImages must have alternative text1 element
Screen readers cannot translate images into text without alt attributes. Alternative text is essential for blind users and beneficial for users with low vision or color blindness, providing the same information that sighted users get from viewing the image.
Failing Elements
<img decoding="async" class="media__element b-lazy" loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/promo_card_4_3/public/images/uploaddocuments.jpg?itok=JBuj2NRk" width="480" height="360">
Fix any of the following:
- Element does not have an alt attribute
- aria-label attribute does not exist or is empty
- aria-labelledby attribute does not exist, references elements that do not exist or references elements that are empty
- Element has no title attribute
- Element's default semantics were not overridden with role="none" or role="presentation"
ModerateHeading levels should only increase by one4 elements
Headings convey page structure for screen reader users the same way text size does for sighted users. Properly ordered headings (h1 through h6) allow screen reader users to quickly navigate and understand content structure, saving significant time and frustration while also improving search engine optimization.
Failing Elements
<h4 class="basic-card__heading usa-card__heading">
<a href="/prepare/get-benefits-estimate" class="basic-card__link">Get a benefits estimate</a>
</h4>Fix any of the following:
- Heading order invalid
<h4 class="link-collection-card__heading usa-card__heading">Age milestones</h4>
Fix any of the following:
- Heading order invalid
<h4 class="link-collection-card__heading usa-card__heading">Documents</h4>
Fix any of the following:
- Heading order invalid
<h4 class="service-card__heading usa-card__heading">
<a class="service-card__link usa-link" href="/employer">Businesses and employers</a>
</h4>Fix any of the following:
- Heading order invalid
ModerateLandmarks should have a unique role or role/label/title (i.e. accessible name) combination1 element
Each landmark on a page must have either a unique role or a unique accessible name. Duplicate landmarks confuse screen reader users about which section they're navigating to, making it difficult to efficiently move through the page structure.
Failing Elements
<nav class="usa-nav">
Fix any of the following:
- The landmark must have a unique aria-label, aria-labelledby, or title to make landmarks distinguishable
ModerateAll page content should be contained by landmarks2 elements
Content should be organized within high-level landmark regions like <header>, <navigation>, <main>, and <footer>. Content outside these sections is difficult to find and its purpose may be unclear, making navigation inefficient for screen reader users who rely on landmarks to understand page structure.
Failing Elements
<div class="grid-col-auto">
<img class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/us_flag_small.png" alt="U.S. flag">
</div>Fix any of the following:
- Some page content is not contained by landmarks
<p class="usa-banner__header-text">An official website of the United States government</p>
Fix any of the following:
- Some page content is not contained by landmarks
Passed Audits
<html> element must have a lang attribute1 element
Screen readers need language information to switch between pronunciation libraries. Without a specified language, screen readers default to the user's preferred language, resulting in incorrect pronunciation that sounds like a strange accent and makes content difficult or impossible to understand.
Audit Elements
<html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#" class=" js">
<html> element must have a valid value for the lang attribute1 element
Screen readers use language-specific sound libraries for proper pronunciation. Invalid language attributes cause screen readers to use the wrong library, making text sound like a confusing accent or completely unintelligible, especially for multilingual users who access content in multiple languages.
Audit Elements
<html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#" class=" js">
<li> elements must be contained in a <ul> or <ol>106 elements
Lists require proper semantic hierarchy with ul or ol parent elements and li child elements. This structure allows screen readers to announce when users enter a list, how many items it contains, and which item they're currently on, providing essential context for understanding the content.
Audit Elements
<li class="usa-nav__primary-item">
<li class="usa-nav__primary-item">
<li class="usa-nav__primary-item">
<li hreflang="es" data-drupal-link-system-path="<front>" class="usa-nav__primary-item"><a href="/es" class="language-link" hreflang="es" data-drupal-link-system-path="<front>" data-cta="button" data-location="header">Español</a></li>
<li class="js-sign-in usa-nav__primary-item">
<li class="basic-card usa-card basic-card--parent-clickable">
<li class="basic-card usa-card basic-card--parent-clickable">
<li class="basic-card usa-card basic-card--parent-clickable">
<li class="basic-card usa-card basic-card--parent-clickable">
<li class="link-collection-card usa-card">
Showing first 10 of 106 audited elements.
<ul> and <ol> must only directly contain <li>, <script> or <template> elements30 elements
Lists must contain only li elements as direct children (besides non-content elements like script or style). When other content elements appear within ul or ol tags, screen readers cannot properly inform users they're listening to list items, breaking the expected list navigation experience.
Audit Elements
<ul class="usa-nav__primary usa-accordion">
<ul class="links usa-nav__primary usa-accordion">
<ul class="usa-nav__primary usa-nav__primary--account usa-accordion">
<ul class="basic-card-list usa-card-group">
<ul class="link-collection-card-list usa-card-group">
<ul class="link-collection-card__links usa-list usa-list--unstyled">
<ul class="link-collection-card__links usa-list usa-list--unstyled">
<ul class="link-collection-card__links usa-list usa-list--unstyled">
<li><a href="/personal-record/update-citizenship-or-immigration-status">Immigration</a></li>
<li><a href="/life-events/incarceration">Incarceration</a></li>
</ul><ul class="link-collection-card__links usa-list usa-list--unstyled">
<ul class="cta-button-list__list usa-card-group">
Showing first 10 of 30 audited elements.
accesskey attribute value should be unique1 element
Duplicate accesskey values create unpredictable keyboard shortcuts that confuse users who rely on keyboard navigation. Each accesskey must be unique and not conflict with browser or screen reader shortcuts. Keyboard users with vision impairments depend on these shortcuts to navigate efficiently without using a mouse.
Audit Elements
<a class="usa-logo__text ssa-logo__text" href="/" accesskey="1" title="Social Security Administration" aria-label="Home">
All page content should be contained by landmarks558 elements
Content should be organized within high-level landmark regions like <header>, <navigation>, <main>, and <footer>. Content outside these sections is difficult to find and its purpose may be unclear, making navigation inefficient for screen reader users who rely on landmarks to understand page structure.
Audit Elements
<a href="#main-content" class="usa-sr-only focusable"> Skip to main content </a>
<div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas="" aria-hidden="false">
<section class="usa-banner">
<div class="usa-banner">
<div class="usa-accordion">
<header class="usa-banner__header">
<div class="usa-banner__inner">
<img class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/us_flag_small.png" alt="U.S. flag">
<div class="grid-col-fill tablet:grid-col-auto">
<p class="usa-banner__header-text">An official website of the United States government</p>
<p class="usa-banner__header-action" aria-hidden="true">Here's how you know</p>
</div><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default">
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here's how you know</span>
</button>Showing first 10 of 558 audited elements.
Alternative text of images should not be repeated as text20 elements
Duplicating alternative text adjacent to an image or link forces screen readers to announce the same information twice. This redundancy is unnecessary and confusing, especially when image buttons repeat their labels in nearby text.
Audit Elements
<img class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/us_flag_small.png" alt="U.S. flag">
<img src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/logo.svg" alt="Social Security Administration">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/images/hero-image-graphic_0.webp" width="451" height="696" alt="">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/age.jpg?itok=2_N4x3ar" width="720" height="540" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/health_0.jpg?itok=PQOuxGL7" width="1079" height="809" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/legal.jpg?itok=tNk0F7uW" width="1333" height="1000" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/personal.jpg?itok=JsVnqnNQ" width="1251" height="938" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/businesses-landscape.jpg?itok=FWtQt2j1" width="1000" height="750" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/rep-payees-landscape.jpg?itok=d6pAswZb" width="1284" height="963" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/appointed-reps-landscape.jpg?itok=3e1dP0N0" width="800" height="600" alt="""">
Showing first 10 of 20 audited elements.
ARIA attributes must be used as specified for the element's role34 elements
Using ARIA attributes where they're not expected causes unpredictable behavior in assistive technologies. Following the ARIA specification ensures that screen readers and other tools can properly interpret and communicate your content's meaning to people with disabilities.
Audit Elements
<div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas="" aria-hidden="false">
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default">
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here's how you know</span>
</button><a class="usa-logo__text ssa-logo__text" href="/" accesskey="1" title="Social Security Administration" aria-label="Home">
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-1">
<span>Benefits</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-2">
<span>Medicare</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-3">
<span>Card & record</span>
</button><div class="slick__slide slide slide--0 slick-slide slick-current slick-active" data-slick-index="0" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<div class="slick__slide slide slide--1 slick-slide slick-active" data-slick-index="1" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<button type="button" data-role="none" class="slick-prev slick-arrow" aria-label="Previous" style="">Previous</button>
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-0" tabindex="0"> Slide 1 of 6</button>
Showing first 10 of 34 audited elements.
ARIA attributes must conform to valid names34 elements
Misspelled or non-existent ARIA attributes cannot perform their intended accessibility function. Assistive technologies rely on correctly spelled, current ARIA attributes to convey proper user interface behaviors and structural information to people with disabilities.
Audit Elements
<div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas="" aria-hidden="false">
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default">
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here's how you know</span>
</button><a class="usa-logo__text ssa-logo__text" href="/" accesskey="1" title="Social Security Administration" aria-label="Home">
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-1">
<span>Benefits</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-2">
<span>Medicare</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-3">
<span>Card & record</span>
</button><div class="slick__slide slide slide--0 slick-slide slick-current slick-active" data-slick-index="0" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<div class="slick__slide slide slide--1 slick-slide slick-active" data-slick-index="1" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<button type="button" data-role="none" class="slick-prev slick-arrow" aria-label="Previous" style="">Previous</button>
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-0" tabindex="0"> Slide 1 of 6</button>
Showing first 10 of 34 audited elements.
ARIA attributes must conform to valid values28 elements
ARIA attributes must contain correctly spelled values that match the attribute's expected options. Invalid values prevent the accessibility feature from working, making content inaccessible to assistive technology users who depend on these attributes for navigation and interaction.
Audit Elements
<div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas="" aria-hidden="false">
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default">
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here's how you know</span>
</button><a class="usa-logo__text ssa-logo__text" href="/" accesskey="1" title="Social Security Administration" aria-label="Home">
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-1">
<span>Benefits</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-2">
<span>Medicare</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-3">
<span>Card & record</span>
</button><div class="slick__slide slide slide--0 slick-slide slick-current slick-active" data-slick-index="0" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<div class="slick__slide slide slide--1 slick-slide slick-active" data-slick-index="1" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<button type="button" data-role="none" class="slick-prev slick-arrow" aria-label="Previous" style="">Previous</button>
<button type="button" data-role="none" class="slick-next slick-arrow" aria-label="Next" style="">Next</button>
Showing first 10 of 28 audited elements.
ARIA hidden element must not be focusable or contain focusable elements14 elements
Elements with aria-hidden="true" are removed from the accessibility API but remain keyboard-focusable, creating confusion about their visibility state. When users tab to these hidden elements, screen readers stay silent, leaving users unaware of what they've focused on or why nothing is being announced.
Audit Elements
<p class="usa-banner__header-action" aria-hidden="true">Here's how you know</p>
<img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/icon-dot-gov.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true">
<img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/icon-https.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true">
<span class="cta-button__icon" aria-hidden="true"></span>
<span class="cta-button__icon" aria-hidden="true"></span>
<span class="cta-button__icon" aria-hidden="true"></span>
<span class="cta-button__icon" aria-hidden="true"></span>
<span class="cta-button__icon" aria-hidden="true"></span>
<span class="cta-button__icon" aria-hidden="true"></span>
<span class="cta-button__icon" aria-hidden="true"></span>
Showing first 10 of 14 audited elements.
ARIA role should be appropriate for the element11 elements
Invalid ARIA role and HTML element combinations can break accessibility for entire sections of your application. When roles are used incorrectly, assistive technologies may report confusing or nonsensical information to users, making it impossible for them to understand and interact with the interface properly.
Audit Elements
<img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/icon-dot-gov.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true">
<img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/icon-https.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true">
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="52" height="64" viewBox="0 0 52 64" class="usa-banner__lock-image" role="img" aria-labelledby="banner-lock-title-default banner-lock-description-default" focusable="false">
<header class="usa-header usa-header--basic" id="header" role="banner" tabindex="-1">
<div class="ssa-search-block-form usa-search block block-ssa-search block-search-block" role="search" data-drupal-selector="ssa-search-block-form" id="block-ssasearchblock" data-block-plugin-id="search_block" tabindex="-1">
<main class="main-content usa-layout-docs " id="main-content" role="main" tabindex="-1">
<nav role="navigation" class="slick__arrow">
<footer class="usa-footer usa-footer--big" id="footer" role="contentinfo" tabindex="-1">
<nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-secondaryfooter-menu" id="block-secondaryfooter" data-block-plugin-id="system_menu_block:secondary-footer">
<div class="multilingual-modal-wrapper is-hidden" role="dialog" id="multilingual-modal" aria-labelledby="multilingual-modal-heading" aria-describedby="multilingual-modal-description" style="display: block;">
Showing first 10 of 11 audited elements.
ARIA roles used must conform to valid values6 elements
Invalid ARIA role values prevent assistive technologies from understanding and communicating the element's purpose to users. Without valid roles, screen readers cannot provide information about the element's features, properties, or how users should interact with it.
Audit Elements
<header class="usa-header usa-header--basic" id="header" role="banner" tabindex="-1">
<div class="ssa-search-block-form usa-search block block-ssa-search block-search-block" role="search" data-drupal-selector="ssa-search-block-form" id="block-ssasearchblock" data-block-plugin-id="search_block" tabindex="-1">
<main class="main-content usa-layout-docs " id="main-content" role="main" tabindex="-1">
<nav role="navigation" class="slick__arrow">
<footer class="usa-footer usa-footer--big" id="footer" role="contentinfo" tabindex="-1">
<nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-secondaryfooter-menu" id="block-secondaryfooter" data-block-plugin-id="system_menu_block:secondary-footer">
aria-hidden="true" must not be present on the document body1 element
Setting <body aria-hidden="true" hides all page content from assistive technologies while leaving it visible on screen. This creates a confusing experience where keyboard users can still tab to elements, but screen readers remain completely silent, providing no information about what's focused.
Audit Elements
<body data-once="b-root ssa-secure-signin-check ess-redirect">
autocomplete attribute must be used correctly1 element
Missing or incorrect autocomplete values make forms inaccessible to screen reader users. Screen readers cannot provide adequate information about form fields without proper autocomplete attributes, preventing users from understanding what information is required and how to complete forms correctly.
Audit Elements
<input autocomplete="off" data-drupal-selector="edit-query" type="search" id="edit-query" name="query" value="" size="128" maxlength="128" class="form-search usa-input">
Banner landmark should not be contained in another landmark1 element
Banner landmarks must be top-level to effectively designate the header portion of the page. Nested banner landmarks fail to provide the structural information screen reader users need to navigate efficiently through the page layout.
Audit Elements
<header class="usa-header usa-header--basic" id="header" role="banner" tabindex="-1">
Buttons must have discernible text12 elements
Screen reader users cannot determine the purpose of buttons without an accessible name. Without a name, users don't know what action the button will perform when activated.
Audit Elements
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default">
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here's how you know</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-1">
<span>Benefits</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-2">
<span>Medicare</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-3">
<span>Card & record</span>
</button><button type="button" data-role="none" class="slick-prev slick-arrow" aria-label="Previous" style="">Previous</button>
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-0" tabindex="0"> Slide 1 of 6</button>
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-1" tabindex="0"> Slide 2 of 6</button>
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-2" tabindex="0"> Slide 3 of 6</button>
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-3" tabindex="0"> Slide 4 of 6</button>
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-4" tabindex="0"> Slide 5 of 6</button>
Showing first 10 of 12 audited elements.
Contentinfo landmark should not be contained in another landmark1 element
The contentinfo landmark must be at the top level to help screen reader users quickly navigate to footer information. When nested inside another landmark, it becomes harder to find, defeating its purpose of providing quick access to content information.
Audit Elements
<footer class="usa-footer usa-footer--big" id="footer" role="contentinfo" tabindex="-1">
Deprecated ARIA roles must not be used6 elements
Deprecated ARIA roles are not recognized by modern screen readers and assistive technologies. Using outdated roles means some users cannot access essential information or functionality on your site.
Audit Elements
<header class="usa-header usa-header--basic" id="header" role="banner" tabindex="-1">
<div class="ssa-search-block-form usa-search block block-ssa-search block-search-block" role="search" data-drupal-selector="ssa-search-block-form" id="block-ssasearchblock" data-block-plugin-id="search_block" tabindex="-1">
<main class="main-content usa-layout-docs " id="main-content" role="main" tabindex="-1">
<nav role="navigation" class="slick__arrow">
<footer class="usa-footer usa-footer--big" id="footer" role="contentinfo" tabindex="-1">
<nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-secondaryfooter-menu" id="block-secondaryfooter" data-block-plugin-id="system_menu_block:secondary-footer">
Document should have one main landmark1 element
Every page should have exactly one main landmark that identifies the primary content. Without a main landmark, screen reader users must navigate through all content linearly to find what they're looking for, making page navigation difficult and time-consuming.
Audit Elements
<html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#" class=" js">
Document should not have more than one banner landmark1 element
Multiple banner landmarks force screen reader users to sort through duplicate options to find header information. Each page should have only one banner landmark to enable quick, predictable navigation to the header without overwhelming users with unnecessary choices.
Audit Elements
<header class="usa-banner__header">
Document should not have more than one contentinfo landmark1 element
Multiple contentinfo landmarks force screen reader users to sort through extra options to find footer information. Each page should have only one content info landmark to enable quick, predictable navigation without overwhelming users with duplicate structural markers.
Audit Elements
<footer class="usa-footer usa-footer--big" id="footer" role="contentinfo" tabindex="-1">
Document should not have more than one main landmark1 element
Multiple main landmarks confuse screen reader users about where the primary content is located. Each page should have only one main landmark so users can quickly and predictably navigate to the primary content area.
Audit Elements
<main class="main-content usa-layout-docs " id="main-content" role="main" tabindex="-1">
Documents must have <title> element to aid in navigation1 element
The page title is the first thing screen reader users hear when loading a page. Without a descriptive, unique title, users must read through the entire page to understand its contents and purpose, wasting valuable time on every page visit.
Audit Elements
<html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#" class=" js">
Elements marked as presentational should be consistently ignored7 elements
Elements with role="none" or role="presentation" should be removed from the accessibility tree. Adding global ARIA attributes or making these elements focusable prevents their removal, leaving them accessible to screen readers when they should be ignored, creating unexpected and confusing behavior.
Audit Elements
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/images/hero-image-graphic_0.webp" width="451" height="696" alt="">
<img src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/ssa/facebook-brands.svg" alt="">
<img src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/ssa/x-twitter-brands.svg" alt="">
<img src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/ssa/youtube-brands.svg" alt="">
<img src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/ssa/instagram-brands.svg" alt="">
<img src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/ssa/linkedin-brands.svg" alt="">
<img class="usa-identifier-icon" src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/ssa/external-link-icon.svg" alt="">
Elements must meet minimum color contrast ratio thresholds77 elements
People with low vision or color blindness cannot read text that lacks sufficient contrast with its background. With nearly three times more people having low vision than total blindness, and 8% of men and 0.4% of women having color deficiencies, adequate contrast is essential for making text readable to millions of users.
Audit Elements
<p class="usa-banner__header-text">An official website of the United States government</p>
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here's how you know</span>
<span class="ssa-logo__link">
Social Security
</span><input autocomplete="off" data-drupal-selector="edit-query" type="search" id="edit-query" name="query" value="" size="128" maxlength="128" class="form-search usa-input">
<a href="/es" class="language-link" hreflang="es" data-drupal-link-system-path="<front>" data-cta="button" data-location="header">Español</a>
<a href="/myaccount" class="usa-button">Sign in or create an account</a>
<a href="/prepare/get-benefits-estimate" class="basic-card__link">Get a benefits estimate</a>
<div class="basic-card__body usa-card__body">
Sign in to calculate your benefits estimate.
</div><a href="/prepare/check-eligibility-for-benefits" class="basic-card__link">Check eligibility</a>
<div class="basic-card__body usa-card__body">
See what benefits you may qualify for. Then, we'll tell you how to apply.
</div>Showing first 10 of 77 audited elements.
Elements must only use permitted ARIA attributes33 elements
Using prohibited ARIA attributes prevents important information from reaching assistive technology users. It also causes assistive technologies to behave inconsistently as they attempt to compensate for the error.
Audit Elements
<div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas="" aria-hidden="false">
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default">
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here's how you know</span>
</button><a class="usa-logo__text ssa-logo__text" href="/" accesskey="1" title="Social Security Administration" aria-label="Home">
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-1">
<span>Benefits</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-2">
<span>Medicare</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-3">
<span>Card & record</span>
</button><div class="slick__slide slide slide--0 slick-slide slick-current slick-active" data-slick-index="0" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<div class="slick__slide slide slide--1 slick-slide slick-active" data-slick-index="1" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<button type="button" data-role="none" class="slick-prev slick-arrow" aria-label="Previous" style="">Previous</button>
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-0" tabindex="0"> Slide 1 of 6</button>
Showing first 10 of 33 audited elements.
Elements must only use supported ARIA attributes34 elements
Using ARIA attributes in roles where they're not allowed can disable accessibility for entire sections of your application. Invalid attribute-role combinations create conflicts that cause assistive technologies to report incorrect or nonsensical information about your interface.
Audit Elements
<div class="dialog-off-canvas-main-canvas" data-off-canvas-main-canvas="" aria-hidden="false">
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default">
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here's how you know</span>
</button><a class="usa-logo__text ssa-logo__text" href="/" accesskey="1" title="Social Security Administration" aria-label="Home">
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-1">
<span>Benefits</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-2">
<span>Medicare</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-3">
<span>Card & record</span>
</button><div class="slick__slide slide slide--0 slick-slide slick-current slick-active" data-slick-index="0" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<div class="slick__slide slide slide--1 slick-slide slick-active" data-slick-index="1" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<button type="button" data-role="none" class="slick-prev slick-arrow" aria-label="Previous" style="">Previous</button>
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-0" tabindex="0"> Slide 1 of 6</button>
Showing first 10 of 34 audited elements.
Elements should not have tabindex greater than zero13 elements
Using tabindex values greater than 0 creates unexpected tab orders that disorient users. It makes elements appear to be skipped when users tab past them, requires setting tabindex on every element to maintain order, and forces all tabindex items to be visited before any normal elements, breaking natural navigation flow.
Audit Elements
<header class="usa-header usa-header--basic" id="header" role="banner" tabindex="-1">
<div class="ssa-search-block-form usa-search block block-ssa-search block-search-block" role="search" data-drupal-selector="ssa-search-block-form" id="block-ssasearchblock" data-block-plugin-id="search_block" tabindex="-1">
<div class="language-switcher-language-url block block-language block-language-blocklanguage-content" id="block-languageswitchercontent" data-block-plugin-id="language_block:language_content" tabindex="-1">
<main class="main-content usa-layout-docs " id="main-content" role="main" tabindex="-1">
<div class="slick__slide slide slide--0 slick-slide slick-current slick-active" data-slick-index="0" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<div class="slick__slide slide slide--1 slick-slide slick-active" data-slick-index="1" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-0" tabindex="0"> Slide 1 of 6</button>
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-1" tabindex="0"> Slide 2 of 6</button>
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-2" tabindex="0"> Slide 3 of 6</button>
<button type="button" aria-describedby="promo-header-3" tabindex="0"> Slide 4 of 6</button>
Showing first 10 of 13 audited elements.
Form elements must have labels1 element
Form labels are essential for screen reader users to understand what information each field requires. Without proper labels, screen readers cannot identify input expectations, fields don't receive focus when announced, and users with motor impairments lose the benefit of larger clickable areas that labels provide.
Audit Elements
<input autocomplete="off" data-drupal-selector="edit-query" type="search" id="edit-query" name="query" value="" size="128" maxlength="128" class="form-search usa-input">
Form elements should have a visible label1 element
The title and aria-describedby attributes provide supplementary hints, not labels. Screen readers treat these as advisory information rather than true labels, which prevents them from properly conveying the form element's purpose. Form fields need proper labels that can be programmatically determined.
Audit Elements
<input autocomplete="off" data-drupal-selector="edit-query" type="search" id="edit-query" name="query" value="" size="128" maxlength="128" class="form-search usa-input">
Form field must not have multiple label elements1 element
Multiple labels on the same form field cause inconsistent behavior across screen reader and browser combinations. Some will read the first label, others the last, and some will read both, creating confusion about what information the field requires.
Audit Elements
<input autocomplete="off" data-drupal-selector="edit-query" type="search" id="edit-query" name="query" value="" size="128" maxlength="128" class="form-search usa-input">
Heading levels should only increase by one28 elements
Headings convey page structure for screen reader users the same way text size does for sighted users. Properly ordered headings (h1 through h6) allow screen reader users to quickly navigate and understand content structure, saving significant time and frustration while also improving search engine optimization.
Audit Elements
<h2 class="homepage-hero__title">Your most-needed services, online</h2>
<h4 class="basic-card__heading usa-card__heading">
<a href="/prepare/check-eligibility-for-benefits" class="basic-card__link">Check eligibility</a>
</h4><h4 class="basic-card__heading usa-card__heading">
<a href="/apply/check-application-or-appeal-status" class="basic-card__link">Check your status</a>
</h4><h4 class="basic-card__heading usa-card__heading">
<a href="/number-card/replace-card" class="basic-card__link">Replace your card</a>
</h4><h2 class="listing-section__heading">Life events</h2>
<h4 class="link-collection-card__heading usa-card__heading">Health changes</h4>
<h4 class="link-collection-card__heading usa-card__heading">Legal status changes</h4>
<h4 class="link-collection-card__heading usa-card__heading">Personal information changes</h4>
<h2 class="listing-section__heading">Services</h2>
<h2 class="cta-button-list__heading">Popular tasks</h2>
Showing first 10 of 28 audited elements.
Headings should not be empty32 elements
Screen readers announce headings to help users navigate page structure. Empty headings confuse users and prevent them from understanding the page's organization. Headings should only be used to convey structure, not for visual styling, and must contain accessible text that screen readers can announce.
Audit Elements
<h2 class="homepage-hero__title">Your most-needed services, online</h2>
<h4 class="basic-card__heading usa-card__heading">
<a href="/prepare/get-benefits-estimate" class="basic-card__link">Get a benefits estimate</a>
</h4><h4 class="basic-card__heading usa-card__heading">
<a href="/prepare/check-eligibility-for-benefits" class="basic-card__link">Check eligibility</a>
</h4><h4 class="basic-card__heading usa-card__heading">
<a href="/apply/check-application-or-appeal-status" class="basic-card__link">Check your status</a>
</h4><h4 class="basic-card__heading usa-card__heading">
<a href="/number-card/replace-card" class="basic-card__link">Replace your card</a>
</h4><h2 class="listing-section__heading">Life events</h2>
<h4 class="link-collection-card__heading usa-card__heading">Age milestones</h4>
<h4 class="link-collection-card__heading usa-card__heading">Health changes</h4>
<h4 class="link-collection-card__heading usa-card__heading">Legal status changes</h4>
<h4 class="link-collection-card__heading usa-card__heading">Personal information changes</h4>
Showing first 10 of 32 audited elements.
IDs used in ARIA and labels must be unique12 elements
Duplicate IDs break the accessibility of ARIA elements, form labels, and table headers. When IDs are duplicated, assistive technologies and scripts only reference the first instance, causing subsequent elements with the same ID to be ignored or incorrectly associated.
Audit Elements
<div class="usa-banner__content usa-accordion__content" id="gov-banner-default" hidden="">
<title id="banner-lock-title-default">Lock</title>
<desc id="banner-lock-description-default">A locked padlock</desc>
<ul id="basic-nav-section-1" class="usa-nav__submenu" hidden="">
<ul id="basic-nav-section-2" class="usa-nav__submenu" hidden="">
<ul id="basic-nav-section-3" class="usa-nav__submenu" hidden="">
<input autocomplete="off" data-drupal-selector="edit-query" type="search" id="edit-query" name="query" value="" size="128" maxlength="128" class="form-search usa-input">
<ul id="user-nav-section-2" class="usa-nav__submenu" hidden="">
<h2 class="usa-sr-only" id="block-secondaryfooter-menu">Secondary Footer</h2>
<div class="multilingual-modal-wrapper is-hidden" role="dialog" id="multilingual-modal" aria-labelledby="multilingual-modal-heading" aria-describedby="multilingual-modal-description" style="display: block;">
Showing first 10 of 12 audited elements.
Images must have alternative text19 elements
Screen readers cannot translate images into text without alt attributes. Alternative text is essential for blind users and beneficial for users with low vision or color blindness, providing the same information that sighted users get from viewing the image.
Audit Elements
<img class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/us_flag_small.png" alt="U.S. flag">
<img src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/logo.svg" alt="Social Security Administration">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/images/hero-image-graphic_0.webp" width="451" height="696" alt="">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/age.jpg?itok=2_N4x3ar" width="720" height="540" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/health_0.jpg?itok=PQOuxGL7" width="1079" height="809" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/legal.jpg?itok=tNk0F7uW" width="1333" height="1000" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/personal.jpg?itok=JsVnqnNQ" width="1251" height="938" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/businesses-landscape.jpg?itok=FWtQt2j1" width="1000" height="750" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/rep-payees-landscape.jpg?itok=d6pAswZb" width="1284" height="963" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/appointed-reps-landscape.jpg?itok=3e1dP0N0" width="800" height="600" alt="""">
Showing first 10 of 19 audited elements.
Inline text spacing must be adjustable with custom stylesheets6 elements
Single-spaced text makes it difficult for people with cognitive disabilities to track lines while reading. Providing line spacing between 1.5 to 2 helps these users start a new line more easily after finishing the previous one.
Audit Elements
<div class="slick-track" style="opacity: 1; width: 8176px; transform: translate3d(-1168px, 0px, 0px);">
<div class="slick__slide slide slide--0 slick-slide slick-current slick-active" data-slick-index="0" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<div class="slick__slide slide slide--1 slick-slide slick-active" data-slick-index="1" aria-hidden="false" style="width: 568px;" tabindex="-1">
<button type="button" data-role="none" class="slick-prev slick-arrow" aria-label="Previous" style="">Previous</button>
<ul class="slick-dots" style="">
<button type="button" data-role="none" class="slick-next slick-arrow" aria-label="Next" style="">Next</button>
Input buttons must have discernible text1 element
Screen reader users cannot understand an input type="button"'s purpose without an accessible name. Unnamed button images provide no description of their destination, purpose, or function, leaving users unable to make informed decisions about activating them.
Audit Elements
<input data-drupal-selector="edit-submit" type="submit" id="edit-submit" value="Search" class="button js-form-submit form-submit usa-button" data-cta="button" data-location="header">
Interactive controls must not be nested27 elements
Nested interactive elements create empty tab stops where screen readers remain silent. When users tab to a focusable element inside another interactive control, they receive no information about its name, role, or state, creating a confusing and broken navigation experience.
Audit Elements
<img class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/package/dist/img/us_flag_small.png" alt="U.S. flag">
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default">
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Here's how you know</span>
</button><img src="/themes/custom/ssa_core/logo.svg" alt="Social Security Administration">
<button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-1">
<span>Benefits</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-2">
<span>Medicare</span>
</button><button class="usa-accordion__button usa-nav__link " aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="basic-nav-section-3">
<span>Card & record</span>
</button><input data-drupal-selector="edit-submit" type="submit" id="edit-submit" value="Search" class="button js-form-submit form-submit usa-button" data-cta="button" data-location="header">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/age.jpg?itok=2_N4x3ar" width="720" height="540" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/health_0.jpg?itok=PQOuxGL7" width="1079" height="809" alt="""">
<img loading="lazy" src="/sites/g/files/npxnvu131/files/styles/card_image/public/images/legal.jpg?itok=tNk0F7uW" width="1333" height="1000" alt="""">
Showing first 10 of 27 audited elements.
Landmarks should have a unique role or role/label/title (i.e. accessible name) combination8 elements
Each landmark on a page must have either a unique role or a unique accessible name. Duplicate landmarks confuse screen reader users about which section they're navigating to, making it difficult to efficiently move through the page structure.
Audit Elements
<header class="usa-header usa-header--basic" id="header" role="banner" tabindex="-1">
<div class="ssa-search-block-form usa-search block block-ssa-search block-search-block" role="search" data-drupal-selector="ssa-search-block-form" id="block-ssasearchblock" data-block-plugin-id="search_block" tabindex="-1">
<main class="main-content usa-layout-docs " id="main-content" role="main" tabindex="-1">
<footer class="usa-footer usa-footer--big" id="footer" role="contentinfo" tabindex="-1">
<section class="usa-social-links__section usa-identifier__section--masthead" aria-label="Footer social links">
<section class="usa-identifier__section usa-identifier__section--masthead" aria-label="Agency identifier">
<nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-secondaryfooter-menu" id="block-secondaryfooter" data-block-plugin-id="system_menu_block:secondary-footer">
<nav class="usa-identifier__section usa-identifier__section--required-links" aria-label="Important links">
Links must have discernible text87 elements
Keyboard users and screen reader users can only interact with links that have accessible names and can receive focus. Without proper names, users don't know where links lead. Without keyboard focus, users who cannot use a mouse cannot activate the links at all.
Audit Elements
<a href="#main-content" class="usa-sr-only focusable"> Skip to main content </a>
<a class="usa-logo__text ssa-logo__text" href="/" accesskey="1" title="Social Security Administration" aria-label="Home">
<a href="/es" class="language-link" hreflang="es" data-drupal-link-system-path="<front>" data-cta="button" data-location="header">Español</a>
<a href="https://secure.ssa.g..." class="usa-mobile-header-bu..." data-extlink="" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="(opens in a new wind..." data-attribute-datal...="click" data-attribute-datal...="begin_login_header" data-attribute-datal...="Sign in" data-once="datalayer-trigger ss..." ...>
<a href="/myaccount" class="usa-button">Sign in or create an account</a>
<a href="/prepare/get-benefits-estimate" class="basic-card__link">Get a benefits estimate</a>
<a href="/prepare/check-eligibility-for-benefits" class="basic-card__link">Check eligibility</a>
<a href="/apply/check-application-or-appeal-status" class="basic-card__link">Check your status</a>
<a href="/number-card/replace-card" class="basic-card__link">Replace your card</a>
<a href="/medicare/plan/when-to-sign-up">Approaching age 65 (Medicare eligibility)</a>
Showing first 10 of 87 audited elements.
Main landmark should not be contained in another landmark1 element
The main landmark must be at the top level and not nested inside other landmarks. This ensures screen reader users can quickly navigate to the primary content without searching through complex hierarchy, making page navigation simpler and more predictable.
Audit Elements
<main class="main-content usa-layout-docs " id="main-content" role="main" tabindex="-1">
Page must have means to bypass repeated blocks1 element
Keyboard-only users must tab through all navigation and header content before reaching the main content, which can take several minutes and cause physical pain for users with motor limitations. Bypass mechanisms like skip links allow these users to jump directly to main content, saving time and reducing fatigue.
Audit Elements
<html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#" class=" js">
Page should contain a level-one heading1 element
Screen reader users use keyboard shortcuts to jump directly to the first h1, expecting to land at the main content. Without an h1 or with a misplaced one, users must listen to more of the page to understand its structure, wasting valuable time on every page visit.
Audit Elements
<html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#" class=" js">
Required ARIA attributes must be provided6 elements
ARIA widget roles need required attributes to describe their current state. Without these attributes, screen readers cannot communicate essential information like whether a checkbox is checked or a slider's current value, leaving users unable to interact effectively with the widget.
Audit Elements
<header class="usa-header usa-header--basic" id="header" role="banner" tabindex="-1">
<div class="ssa-search-block-form usa-search block block-ssa-search block-search-block" role="search" data-drupal-selector="ssa-search-block-form" id="block-ssasearchblock" data-block-plugin-id="search_block" tabindex="-1">
<main class="main-content usa-layout-docs " id="main-content" role="main" tabindex="-1">
<nav role="navigation" class="slick__arrow">
<footer class="usa-footer usa-footer--big" id="footer" role="contentinfo" tabindex="-1">
<nav role="navigation" aria-labelledby="block-secondaryfooter-menu" id="block-secondaryfooter" data-block-plugin-id="system_menu_block:secondary-footer">
The skip-link target should exist and be focusable1 element
Skip links allow keyboard users to bypass repetitive navigation and jump directly to main content. Without skip links, users must tab through potentially hundreds of navigation links on every page, which is time-consuming and can cause physical pain for users with motor limitations.
Audit Elements
<a href="#main-content" class="usa-sr-only focusable"> Skip to main content </a>
Users should be able to zoom and scale the text up to 500%1 element
The user-scalable="no" and restrictive maximum-scale parameters prevent people with low vision from zooming to read content. Users who rely on browser zoom to enlarge text are blocked from accessing content at a readable size, violating their need to scale pages up to 5x zoom.
Audit Elements
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
Zooming and scaling must not be disabled1 element
Setting user-scalable="no" or maximum-scale less than 2 prevents people with low vision from zooming to read content. Users who enlarge text in their browsers are blocked from making content readable, violating accessibility guidelines that require supporting at least 200% zoom.
Audit Elements
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">