Reviewing findings
How to classify a finding as no defect, won’t be fixed or disproportionate burden – and what each assessment does in the accessibility statement.
Not every finding is a defect, and not every defect can be fixed right away. That is why you can assess every finding in the scan report. The question there is “How do you want to handle this finding?”.
The four assessments
| Assessment | When it fits | In the statement |
|---|---|---|
| “Keep as open” | The defect exists and is to be fixed. This is the starting state. | as a known limitation |
| “Not a defect” | The scan was wrong – the requirement is met. | not listed |
| “Will not be fixed” | The defect exists but will not be fixed. | as a known limitation |
| “Disproportionate burden” | Fixing it would be a disproportionate burden. A justification is required. | as a known limitation, with your justification |
“No defect” – use with care
“No defect” is the only assessment that removes a finding from the statement. Only use it if you have looked at the occurrences and the requirement really is met. A statement that hides defects is a bigger risk than one that names them.
Disproportionate burden
The justification appears in the statement. It should explain comprehensibly why fixing the defect would be unreasonable in relation to the benefit, and how people can still reach the content. Whether a burden legally counts as disproportionate is a judgement this tool cannot make for you – when in doubt, your legal advisers decide.
What happens to assessments in the next scan
“Not a defect”, “Will not be fixed” and “Disproportionate burden” carry over with their reasons when the next scan finds the same finding again. If a finding no longer appears, it counts as fixed.
Findings and the conformance status
As long as findings are open or listed as limitations, the service does not suggest “fully conformant” – and you cannot choose it either: The conformance status – and when you may deviate.
Last checked against the product on September 13, 2026. As Markdown
Related articles
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Reading the scan report
What the figures, findings, occurrences, severity levels and evidence images in the scan report mean – and how to tell how reliable a result is.
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Assessing uncertain results
What the occurrences listed for review mean, how to classify them as a defect or not, and why they count neither as passed nor as failed.
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The conformance status – and when you may deviate
How the service suggests fully, partially or not conformant, when you may choose a different status and why that requires a justification.
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Answering the manual checks
Why some requirements can only be judged by you, how to answer the manual checks and why no statement appears without your answers.
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