Headings make your PDFs more accessible, navigable, and usable by everyone.
It’s important for city, county and state government agencies to get this right as they serve the most diverse populations and are under the greatest ADA compliance violation risk. New rules under the ADA are coming into effect April 24, 2026, and most government agencies are not prepared for the tornado of lawsuits that will be coming.
New York and Florida consistently lead the nation in ADA accessibility lawsuits. Together, they accounted for over 70% of the ADA website complaints in 2024.
AccessAbility Officer specializes in helping municipalities and state government agencies overcome ADA compliance challenges, from web accessibility to PDFs, mobile apps to upskilling teams, as well as procurement, governance, and change management. Learn about Accessibility Management here.
Here’s how to use headings to improve accessibility, usability, and readability of your PDFs for residents with disabilities.
How to Create Accessible Headings in PDFs (and Stay ADA/Section 508 Compliant)
Open Your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro and Click the Tags Panel
The Tags panel shows the structure that assistive tools rely on.
If an agency like the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) releases untagged tenant forms, residents who rely on assistive technology will be unable to navigate or read the PDF as designed and intended. This is an ADA violation.
Expand the Tag Tree
You should see the H1, H2, and H3 heading tags.
H1 is the main heading of your file. It is often the title of the document, such as New York Housing Authority Tenant Complaint Form.
H2 headings are used for major subsections of your document. For example, Tenant Information, Rental Location and Information, and Important Disclaimer subsections).
H3 are headings for subsections within subsections and usually are found within larger PDFs with a lot of information.
For example, let’s say the New York Housing Authority Tenant Complaint Form has a large Tenant Information section (remember this is our H2 in the above example), we might see H3 headings for Personal Information, Address Information, Emergency Information, etc.
AccessAbility Pro Tip:
Build a clean hierarchy. Putting the headings in the right hierarchy as described above, improves the readability for everyone, not just people with disabilities.
Set the Correct Heading Level with a Right Click
Headings can be mislabeled. This is an accessibility violation because it creates a navigation barrier. For example, a heading marked as plain text.
For the Florida Department of Health vaccination schedule PDF, if sections aren’t labeled as headings, blind residents can’t jump between age groups or locations.
So right click on it, select Properties, and adjust to the appropriate heading level.
Change the Type to the Correct Heading Level (H1, H2)
Accurate heading levels keep your document navigable, usable, and ADA compliant. For Miami-Dade, updating outbreak reports, using the Properties panel ensures headings follow the proper H1 → H2 → H3 sequence without reformatting.
Alternatively, double-click the tag (.<P>) to make it editable. Replace it with the appropriate heading type (H1, H2) and press Enter.
This is perfect for agencies like the City of Orlando that need to correct multiple headings for any PDF quickly.
Create a New Heading Tag
In the Tags panel, click the three dots (more options icon), and select Find.
Use this if you have headings that are not tagged properly. It helps uncover untagged sections.
Ensure Content Isn’t Hidden
In the Find Element dialog, choose Unmarked Content, and search for it.
Content that isn't marked correctly may be hidden to assistive technology users who are blind or use screen readers due to a print disability. Once you find the hidden content and its highlighted, choose the appropriate heading tag (H1, H2, H3, etc.).
Logical structure doesn’t just empower users with disabilities, it ensures you are compliant with the new Title II regulations under the ADA.
Verify the Reading Order
Verify the Reading Order of your PDF by clicking Accessibility → Reading Order
This ensures the flow makes sense. If content reads out of order, residents may hear policies or deadlines in the wrong sequence.
For example, a Florida hurricane evacuation guide that announces instructions backwards. That is more than an accessibility violation, that’s lives at risk.
How Do Governments Achieve PDF Accessibility and Title II Compliance Under the ADA?
Whether it’s PDF accessibility or web accessibility, there are 2 paths for municipalities and state agencies to take.
- Begin updating processes, upskilling teams, and upgrading technology needed to scale PDF accessibility.
You can get started for FREE doing that here with PDF Accessibility Simplified-Phase 1. - Partner with a team who manages digital accessibility compliance for municipalities and government agencies.
We know. ADA Compliance can be overwhelming. AccessAbility Officer manages digital accessibility compliance for municipalities and government agencies with over 30 million residents in the United States collectively.
Ability Is Our Middle Name
Ready to talk? Discover Accessibility Management.