How to Become a DHS Section 508 Trusted Tester

To become a DHS Section 508 Trusted Tester, enroll for free in the Interagency Trusted Tester Program run by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Accessible Systems and Technology, complete the self-paced training on the DHS portal, and pass a practical exam with a score above 90 percent. The credential qualifies you to evaluate whether federal websites and software meet Section 508 accessibility requirements, and many agencies will only accept test results from someone who holds it.¹

Who Can Enroll and What It Costs

The training and exam are free. DHS does not charge enrollment fees, exam fees, or renewal fees. The program is open to federal employees, contractors supporting federal agencies, and members of the public with an interest in accessibility testing.¹

You don’t need a specific degree or professional license. Questions about signing up go to the DHS Accessibility Helpdesk at accessibility@hq.dhs.gov.

What You Should Know Before You Start

You need a working understanding of HTML and CSS before beginning the coursework. That baseline lets you inspect page source code and identify barriers that automated scanners miss. If you can read a page’s markup and see how elements are structured, you have enough to start.

The primary track focuses on web content. A separate software test process exists for non-web applications, but the web track is the one most testers use because most federal digital services run in a browser. Testing centers on a free tool called ANDI (Accessible Name & Description Inspector), built by the Social Security Administration’s Accessible Solutions Branch.² ANDI inspects page elements and shows what a screen reader should announce for each one, flags missing labels, identifies role mismatches, and generates alerts.³ DHS publishes a video series demonstrating ANDI in the context of real Section 508 test scenarios, and you’ll use the tool throughout training.⁴

Enrolling and Working Through the Training

The curriculum is hosted on a dedicated portal at training.section508testing.net, not a general federal learning system. Create an account, log in, and open the Trusted Tester course modules from the catalog. The modules are self-paced and must be completed in sequence before the final exam unlocks.¹

Plan on roughly 40 to 80 hours of study. Testers who already work with HTML, ARIA attributes, and assistive technologies tend to finish closer to 40. If your background is basic web knowledge, budget the full 80. The coursework includes quizzes throughout so you can confirm you’ve absorbed each concept before moving on.⁵

The testing methodology aligns with the ICT Testing Baseline maintained by the U.S. Access Board and maps to WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA, the benchmarks incorporated into the revised Section 508 standards.⁶

Passing the Exam

The final assessment is practical, not multiple choice. You receive a set of web pages, apply the Trusted Tester methodology to identify accessibility failures, and upload a standardized test report through the portal.

You need to score above 90 percent to pass. Findings must be both thorough and accurate: missed real failures and false positives both count against you.

You get three attempts. If none of the three passes, email the DHS Accessibility Helpdesk at accessibility@hq.dhs.gov to have your attempts reset, which gives you another three tries without redoing the coursework. If you’re failing repeatedly, going back through the modules before your next try is a better use of time than immediately retesting.

Once you pass, the system issues a certification ID. That identifier is what agencies and contractors reference when confirming that the person signing off on an accessibility review is actually qualified to do so.

What You’ll Do With the Certification

Most practical work after certification involves producing Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs). An ACR documents how a specific technology product meets or falls short of the revised Section 508 standards, and federal contracting officers rely on these reports when deciding whether to buy software, hardware, or digital services.⁷

ACRs are usually built on the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT), a standardized form from the IT Industry Council that lays out each applicable Section 508 criterion with space to mark whether the product conforms, partially conforms, or does not conform, along with remarks. Despite the “voluntary” label, agencies routinely require a completed VPAT as part of procurement.⁸ Your certification ID on the report signals that the evaluation followed a recognized, repeatable methodology.

Keeping the Certification Current

The Trusted Tester certification has no continuing education requirement and no periodic renewal fee. When DHS releases a new version of the test process, though, previously certified testers may need to complete updated training and pass a new exam. When the program moved to V5, DHS estimated recertification at 40 to 60 hours for existing testers.⁵

One boundary to keep in mind: the Trusted Tester process tests against Section 508, which references WCAG 2.0 A and AA.⁹ A separate DOJ rule published in April 2024 adopted WCAG 2.1 Level AA for state and local government websites under Title II of the ADA, so if your work extends beyond federal projects, a different standard may apply there.¹⁰

For questions about your certification status or which version applies, contact the DHS Accessibility Helpdesk at accessibility@hq.dhs.gov.

1
Section508.gov. DHS Trusted Tester Process and Certification Program
2
Social Security Administration. ANDI – Accessibility Testing Tool – Install
3
Social Security Administration. ANDI – Accessibility Testing Tool – Tutorial
4
Section508.gov. Accessible Name and Description Inspector (ANDI) Tool Overview
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Section508.gov. DHS Trusted Tester Program Updates
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Department of Homeland Security. Section 508 Trusted Tester Conformance Test Process
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Section508.gov. Accessibility Conformance Report
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Section508.gov. Accessibility Conformance Report/Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
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Section508.gov. Mapping of WCAG 2.0 to Functional Performance Criteria
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ADA.gov. Fact Sheet – New Rule on the Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps Provided by State and Local Governments