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WCAG 2.0Level AAPerceivableMandatory for ADA Title II
WCAG 1.4.3: Contrast (Minimum)
Visual presentation of text and images of text must have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 (3:1 for large text).
Requirement Overview & Intent
The intent of this Success Criterion is to provide enough contrast between text and its background so that it can be read by people with moderately low vision (who do not use contrast-enhancing assistive technology).
Contrast Benchmark: 4.5:1 for normal text (under 18pt / 14pt bold), 3:1 for large text (18pt+ / 14pt+ bold).
Common Technical Failures
- 1Using gray text (#94a3b8 or #9ca3af) on white backgrounds yielding sub-3:1 contrast ratios.
- 2Placing unshadowed text directly over background image graphics without an overlay tint.
- 3Using muted text colors for placeholder text or disabled button states without sufficient contrast.
Remediation & Code Fixes
- ✓Upgrade text colors to high-contrast tokens (e.g. slate-600 #475569 or slate-900 #0f172a).
- ✓Add dark semi-transparent overlays (`bg-black/60`) behind text placed over images.
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