PDF 2.0, the latest international standard for portable document format, was published in 2020 under ISO guidelines. This standard, ISO 32000-2:2020, is backward-compatible with PDF 1.7, ensuring a smooth transition for users. PDF 2.0 enhances accessibility with a new tagging structure, supporting complex content and improving usability. The standard is accompanied by updated subset standards, including PDF/A-4 for archival purposes and PDF/UA-2 for universal accessibility. PDF/UA-2, published in March 2024, addresses the shortcomings of its predecessor, PDF/UA-1, by providing more explicit requirements and better support for scientific publications, especially those with mathematical content.

The LaTeX Project has implemented support for PDF/UA-2, enabling accurate tagging of mathematical formulas. This development is crucial for making complex STEM documents accessible. Universities, which require all course materials to comply with accessibility standards, are particularly interested in these advancements. However, as PDF/UA-2 is new, tools and workflows are still catching up to fully support it.

VeraPDF has released support for PDF/UA-2 validation, allowing users to validate documents against the new standard's machine-verifiable rules. This validation is implemented through XML documents called validation profiles, which are used at runtime by the veraPDF engine. PDF4WCAG, a web-based tool, wraps veraPDF into a user-friendly interface, offering a free demo for non-commercial use. It provides clear, visual reports, making it easy for anyone to identify and resolve compliance issues without technical expertise.

The introduction of PDF4WCAG marks a significant step towards making professional validation tools accessible to all. By differentiating between PDF 2.0 and earlier versions, PDF4WCAG ensures that users can perform WCAG validation accurately. This tool is powered by the veraPDF validation architecture, providing identical machine-verifiable checks for PDF/UA-1, PDF/UA-2, and Well-Tagged PDF profiles. As accessibility standards evolve, tools like PDF4WCAG are essential for ensuring that all documents are compliant and usable by people with disabilities.