Structure & headings

A Table's Scope Attribute Is in the Wrong Place or Misspelt

When `scope` is on the wrong cell or has a made-up value, screen readers can't tell which header goes with each cell, so numbers lose their meaning.

scope-attr-validBest practiceBest practice — not a WCAG requirement, but it helps people all the same.

Status: ModerateModerate — An annoyance, with a workaround.CurrentScanners run this rule today.
Owner: DevContentTest
Audit: Automated+ManualA scanner finds it; a person confirms the fix.

Why it matters

In a data table, scope tells a screen reader whether a header labels a column or a row. Then, as someone moves cell by cell, they hear the right header with each value.

scope only works on header cells (th), with one of four values: col, row, colgroup or rowgroup. Anything else is ignored. People then hear a bare "$20" and have to guess what it means.

Who it affects

Who it affects, and how much
Who	What they experience	Impact
Screen reader users	They hear a value like "$20" with no header, so they must count rows and columns to work out what it is.	High impact
Low-vision users (magnification)	Affected only if they also use a screen reader. Magnifier users see the table as normal.	Partial impact

Business & product impact

Business & product impact, with how much each claim weighs
Area	Why	Impact
Legal	This rule is a best practice, not a WCAG requirement on its own. But if headers end up unlinked from their data, that can fail WCAG 2.2 Level AA, which Australian Disability Discrimination Act complaints point to.	Moderate impact
Conversion	Pricing, plan and comparison tables drive decisions. If people can't follow them, some will leave or call instead.	Moderate impact
SEO	Search engines don't reward correct `scope` — don't sell it as an SEO fix.	Low impact
Brand trust	A broken comparison table tells screen reader users the site wasn't built for them.	Low impact
Cost to fix	Usually a quick edit in the table markup or the table component. Fix the component once.	High impact

Fixing it in code

Scope on an ordinary cell

Don't

<tr><td scope="col">Plan</td><td scope="col">Price</td></tr>
<tr><td>Basic</td><td>$20</td></tr>

A screen reader says: “$20”

<tr><th scope="col">Plan</th><th scope="col">Price</th></tr>
<tr><td>Basic</td><td>$20</td></tr>

A screen reader says: “Price, $20”

scope only works on th header cells, so make the headers real th elements.

A made-up scope value

Don't

<th scope="column">Price</th>
<th scope="horizontal">Basic</th>

A screen reader says: “$20”

<th scope="col">Price</th>
<th scope="row">Basic</th>

A screen reader says: “Basic, Price, $20”

Only col, row, colgroup and rowgroup are understood; anything else is ignored.

Designer's handoff note

In table designs, mark which cells are column headers and which are row headers. Developers then know where th and scope belong.

Only use a table for data with rows and columns, not for page layout.

Quick test

Tool

NVDA (opens in a new tab) (free, Windows)

Checklist

Step 1: Turn NVDA on and open the page with the table.
Step 2: Press T to jump to the table.
Step 3: Hold Ctrl and Alt, then use the arrow keys to move between cells.
Step 4: Listen as you move into a new column or row.

Pass: You hear the right header with each value, like "Price, $20".
Fail: You hear only the value, like "$20", or the wrong header.

What a green scan still misses

A scanner checks that scope is on a th with a valid value. It can't tell if you chose col where you meant row — for that, listen.

Reference

Rule ID: scope-attr-valid
Raised by: axe-core: “scope attribute should be used correctly”
WCAG: Best practice — not a WCAG requirement
Read more: Deque University: scope-attr-valid (opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed: 14 October 2026