PDF/UA-1 · CLAUSE 7.18.4
Form field is not accessible
The file uses dynamic XFA forms, or a widget annotation is not nested in a Form tag, or a form field has neither a TU tooltip nor an alternative description.
Why it matters
Screen reader users hear an unlabelled edit box with no idea what to type. Dynamic XFA forms are not accessible in most readers at all.
How to fix it
- Set a meaningful tooltip (TU) on every form field: this is what assistive technology announces as the field label.
- Ensure each widget annotation is nested inside a Form structure element.
- Convert dynamic XFA forms to standard AcroForms before publishing.
WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions (A)
WCAG 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value (A)
What the standard says
If the Form element omits a Role attribute (Table 348), it shall have only one child: an object reference (14.7.4.3) identifying the widget annotation per ISO 32000-1:2008, 14.8.4.5, Table 340
Check your own PDF
Validate a file against PDF/UA-1 and see whether this rule fails in your document.
curl -sS -X POST "https://api.ua1.dev/api/validate?format=compact&profile=ua1" \ -F "file=@document.pdf"