Only one generic H per parent

PDF/UA check MULTIPLE_H_IN_PARENT · Headings · severity Medium · PDF/UA 8.2.5.12 Headings · advanced check

↩ Back to the rules index · WCAG cross-reference

Advanced check. This is a file-internals rule. It is hidden from the standard report view and generally indicates a problem with the tool that produced the PDF rather than something an author did.

Why it matters#

Multiple unnumbered H tags inside one parent suggests heading structure was authored ambiguously.

What you will see#

A single parent element contains more than one generic H child, leaving the hierarchy ambiguous.

How to fix#

Replace the generic H tags with numbered heading types (H1-H6) that reflect each heading's actual level. If several tags mark parts of one heading, merge them into a single heading element.

Step-by-step guide#

1. Locate parents holding more than one generic H child using the EQChecker advanced report and the Accessibility tags panel.
2. Decide whether the H tags mark separate headings or fragments of a single visual heading (e.g. a two-line heading split into two tags).
3. For separate headings: change each H to the numbered type matching its level (Properties > Type, Heading Level 1-6); explicit numbering removes the ambiguity this rule targets.
4. For fragments of one heading: merge them by dragging the second tag's content into the first in the Accessibility tags panel, delete the emptied tag, then set the merged tag to the correct Hn type.
5. Fix at source when available: apply one heading style per heading in the authoring tool and re-export.

Verify: Re-run the EQChecker scan in advanced mode: MULTIPLE_H_IN_PARENT should be clean, and H_TAG_USAGE should also pass once no generic H tags remain.

Note: Advanced-mode companion to H_TAG_USAGE: any generic H already violates ISO 14289-2 8.2.5.12, and several H tags under one parent additionally make the intended outline unrecoverable. Converting every generic H to a numbered level clears both rules at once.

WCAG success criteria#

1.3.1 Info and Relationships — Level A#

Structure and relationships conveyed visually (headings, lists, tables, labels, groups) must also be available programmatically.

Understanding 1.3.1

Standards#

This check contributes to the following standards:

PDF/UA WCAG A EN 301 549