Layout table contains data table markup Accessibility Checkpoint

Description

If a table is used for layout, do not use structural markup like th, headers and scope for the purpose of visual formatting.

Help

Change th to td elements and remove headers and scope if this is a layout table.

Applicable standards

• WCAG 2.0 F46 (Success Criteria: 1.3.1 level A)
• WCAG 2.1 F46 (Success Criteria: 1.3.1 level A)
• Section 508 (2017) F46 (Success Criteria: 1.3.1 level A)

Note: Section 508 Refresh (2017) checkpoints are equivalent to WCAG 2.0 level A and level AA checkpoints.

Change history

• 6.49 May 2023 Improved detection.
• 6.44 Mar 2022 Improved detection.
• 6.41 Jul 2021 Improved detection.
• 5.37 May 2020 Improved detection. Changed rule ID from AccWcag1-5.4.1 to AccHtmlLayoutTableStructuralMarkup.
• 5.20 Jan 2016 Nested layout tables now detected by separate rule.
• 4.4 Aug 2011 Modified layout table detection algorithm again.
• 4.2 Dec 2010 Modified layout table detection algorithm.
• 3.5 Dec 2009 Corrected priority.
• 3.5 Dec 2009 Improved layout table detection algorithm again.
• 3.0 Dec 2008 Improved layout table detection algorithm.
• 3.0 Dec 2008 Now triggers WCAG2 issue.
• 1.0 Feb 2007 Added.

This page describes a web site issue detected in HTML documents by SortSite Desktop and OnDemand Suite.

Rule ID: AccHtmlLayoutTableStructuralMarkup