Accessibility rules by country
Short facts about the accessibility rules in each place, each with a link to the official text and the date we checked it. This is general information, not legal advice.
These are the same facts your assistant gets from WP Accessibility Fixer when you ask whether rules apply to you. They describe the rules, not your site: whether a rule applies depends on your organization and your site. For a decision, read the official text or ask a qualified adviser.
European Union
In the EU, the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) has applied since 28 June 2025 to many businesses that offer certain products and services to consumers, including e-commerce. It refers to accessibility standards based on WCAG. Microenterprises that provide services (fewer than 10 staff, and an annual turnover or balance-sheet total of no more than EUR 2 million) are exempt from its requirements for services (Article 4(5); the definition is in Article 3(23)). It does not exempt products. Whether a business qualifies depends on its own figures.
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj (checked 2026-09-27).
United States
In the United States, a 2024 Department of Justice rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act sets WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard for the websites and mobile apps of state and local governments; after an interim final rule published 20 April 2026, its dates are 26 April 2027 for larger governments and 26 April 2028 for smaller ones and special districts. For private businesses (Title III) there is no federal technical rule for websites; Department of Justice guidance and court decisions address them.
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule and ada.gov/resources/web-guidance (checked 2026-09-27).
United Kingdom
In Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), the Equality Act 2010 requires service providers not to discriminate against disabled people and to make reasonable adjustments; Northern Ireland has separate disability law. Separate 2018 regulations set accessibility requirements for public sector websites across the UK.
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents (checked 2026-09-26).
Israel
In Israel, the Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities Law and its accessibility regulations (regulation 35, which refers to Israeli Standard IS 5568) set accessibility requirements for many websites that offer a service to the public. The regulations (regulation 35e) also require such a website to show an accessibility statement in a prominent place: it describes the adjustments made, gives contact details for reporting a missing adjustment or asking for one, and gives the accessibility coordinator's contact details where the law requires appointing a coordinator.
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: nevo.co.il/law_html/law01/500_865.htm and gov.il/he/pages/website_accessibility_faq (checked 2026-09-28).
Germany
In Germany, the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) is implemented by the BFSG, the law on accessibility requirements for products and services.
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: gesetze-im-internet.de/bfsg (checked 2026-09-28).
France
In France, the texts that transpose the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) include Décret n° 2023-931 of 9 October 2023 on the accessibility of products and services for disabled people.
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000048178349 (checked 2026-09-28).
Italy
In Italy, Legislative Decree no. 82 of 27 May 2022 implements the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882).
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: normattiva.it/uri-res/N2Ls?urn:nir:stato:decreto.legislativo:2022-05-27;82 (checked 2026-09-28).
Spain
In Spain, Law 11/2023 of 8 May (Ley 11/2023) transposes, among other directives, the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882).
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2023-11022 (checked 2026-09-27).
Netherlands
In the Netherlands, the Implementatiewet toegankelijkheidsvoorschriften producten en diensten (Staatsblad 2024, 87) amends several Dutch laws to implement the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882).
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stb-2024-87.html (checked 2026-09-28).
Ireland
In Ireland, the European Union (Accessibility Requirements of Products and Services) Regulations 2023 (S.I. No. 636 of 2023) give effect to the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882).
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2023/si/636/made/en/print (checked 2026-09-28).
Sweden
In Sweden, the Act on the accessibility of certain products and services (Lag (2023:254)) implements the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882).
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-och-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/lag-2023254-om-vissa-produkters-och-tjansters_sfs-2023-254 (checked 2026-09-28).
Canada (federal)
In Canada, amended Accessible Canada Regulations (SOR/2025-255, registered 5 December 2025) refer to the standard CAN/ASC-EN 301 549. Their requirements for public-facing web pages cover the federal public sector and federally regulated private-sector entities that averaged 100 or more employees over the previous three years; the requirements for mobile apps and downloadable documents cover such private-sector entities only with an average of 500 or more. Broadcasting and telecommunications entities and transportation service providers are excluded from these requirements. Covered federal public sector entities, and covered private-sector entities with 500 or more employees, also publish an accessibility statement. The requirements start on 5 December 2027 or 5 December 2028, depending on the requirement.
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2025/2025-12-17/html/sor-dors255-eng.html (checked 2026-09-28).
Australia
In Australia, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 covers the provision of goods and services. Guidelines the Australian Human Rights Commission published in April 2025 recommend WCAG 2.2 Level AA for digital goods and services; the guidelines are not legally binding.
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: humanrights.gov.au/our-work/disability-rights/publications/guidelines-equal-access-digital-goods-and-services (checked 2026-09-27).
Norway
In Norway, the regulation on universal design of information and communication technology (ICT) covers the main websites and apps of private businesses aimed at people in Norway. For private businesses it refers to 35 success criteria of WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA (1.2.3 to 1.2.5 excepted). The supervisory authority is Uutilsynet.
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: lovdata.no/dokument/SF/forskrift/2013-06-21-732 and uutilsynet.no/regelverk/regelverk-og-krav/746 (checked 2026-09-27).
Brazil
In Brazil, Article 63 of the Brazilian Inclusion Law (Law No. 13,146 of 2015) makes accessibility mandatory on websites kept by companies based or commercially represented in the country, and by government bodies, following internationally adopted accessibility practices and guidelines; the sites are to show an accessibility symbol prominently.
Whether it applies to a particular site depends on the organization and the site.
Official text: planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2015-2018/2015/lei/l13146.htm (checked 2026-09-28).
Penalties are set by each country; see the official text.
This is general information, not legal advice.
A place you need is missing? Write to [email protected]. We add a country only after checking its official text.