Web Accessibility Laws by Country: A Quick Reference
Patrick Bushe
October 29, 2024 · 5 min read
Most web accessibility laws point to the same standard, WCAG, usually at level AA. What differs is who has to comply and how it's enforced. This is a general overview, not legal advice.
United States
- ADA Title III covers businesses open to the public. It doesn't spell out a web standard, but courts have applied it to websites, and thousands of accessibility lawsuits are filed each year. WCAG 2.1 AA is the usual benchmark.
- ADA Title II rule (2024): state and local governments must meet WCAG 2.1 AA. Larger governments (population 50,000 or more) by April 24, 2026; smaller ones and special districts by April 26, 2027.
- Section 508 covers federal agencies and uses WCAG 2.0 AA.
European Union
- European Accessibility Act: applies from June 28, 2025 to many private-sector products and services, including e-commerce, banking, and e-books, with an exemption for microenterprises providing services. The technical standard is EN 301 549, which includes WCAG.
- Web Accessibility Directive: covers public sector websites and apps.
United Kingdom
The Equality Act 2010 requires reasonable adjustments, which applies to websites. Public sector bodies must also meet the 2018 accessibility regulations, which use WCAG AA.
Canada
The Accessible Canada Act covers federally regulated organizations. Ontario's AODA requires larger organizations to meet WCAG 2.0 AA.
Other countries
- Australia: the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 applies to websites; government sites follow WCAG.
- Japan: JIS X 8341-3 aligns with WCAG.
- Israel, Norway, and others have specific web accessibility rules, often with WCAG AA as the standard.
What to do
Aim for WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA; it satisfies or exceeds most requirements. Start with contrast, keyboard access, labels, and alt text. The business case for accessibility covers why it pays off beyond compliance, and a free website audit can flag the biggest issues on your site.
