Web Accessibility Laws & Policies

This page lists governmental policies related to web accessibility, although it is not a comprehensive or definitive listing.

The information on this page is not legal advice. Please consult legal authorities for the appropriate jurisdiction. W3C cannot guarantee the accessibility of these external resources.

For guidance on developing an accessibility policy for an organization, see Developing Organizational Policies on Web Accessibility.

Terms used on this page

  • Law – A law has completed the legislation process, and is put into effect as the law of the land.
  • Policy – Outlines the goals of a government ministry or agency as well as the methods and principles to achieve those goals. Policies are not laws, but can lead to the development of laws.
  • Public sector – Includes government and government-run or owned entities, and entities that receive government funding.
  • Private sector – Businesses and organizations that are not part of the public sector, including non-profit organizations.
  • WCAG derivative - Used when a standard is based on a version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), but some requirements were excluded or modified or additional non-WCAG requirements were added.
  • Procurement law - A law that requires government purchase of accessible goods and services.
  • Procurement recommendation - An optional, but encouraged goal to purchase accessible goods and services.
  • Mandatory policy - Required accessibility goals or implementation that is not regulated by law.

Law and Policy Overview Table

Country / Region Name Date Enacted Type (policy, law, legislation, etc.) Scope Web Only WCAG Version Based On
Åland Landskapslag (2019: 7) om tillgängliga webbplerer and mobile application inom förvaltningen 2019 Accessibility law Yes None
Argentina Ley N° 26.653 de “Accesibilidad Web” 2010-11-26 Non-discrimination law Yes WCAG 2.0
Argentina Accesibilidad de la Información en las Páginas Web 2010 Procurement law Yes WCAG 2.0
Australia Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) 1992 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No WCAG 2.0
Australia Procurement Standard Guidance 2016 Procurement recommendation Government No WCAG 2.0
Austria (Österreich) Federal law on barrier-free access to federal websites and mobile applications 2019 Accessibility law Government, Public sector No WCAG 2.0 derivate
Austria (Österreich) Federal law on barrier-free access to federal websites and mobile applications 2017 Non-discrimination law Government No None
Belgium (België, Belgique, Belgien) Law regarding the accessibility of websites and mobile applications for public bodies 2018 Accessibility law Public sector Yes WCAG 2.1
Brazil Brazilian Law of inclusion for the Persons with Disabilities 2015 Mandatory policy No none
Brazil eMAG - e-government accessibility model 2014 Non-discrimination law, Mandatory policy No WCAG 2.0 derivate
Canada The Accessible Canada Act (The Act to Ensure a Barrier Free Canada) 2019 law, Non-discrimination law, Procurement law, Government and all federally regulated agencies Yes WCAG 2.0 AA
China (中国) Law on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities 1990, as amended 2008 Accessibility law Public sector, Private sector No None
China (中国) Voluntary Web Accessibility Standard 2008 Recommendation Government Yes WCAG 2.0 derivative
Colombia Web accessibility guidelines 2020 Accessibility law Yes WCAG 2.1
Croatia (Hrvatska) Law on accessibility of websites and software solutions for mobile devices of public sector bodies 2019 Accessibility law Government, Public sector No WCAG 2.0 derivate
Cyprus (Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία, Kıbrıs Cumhuriyeti) The Accessibility of Public Sector Organizations Websites and Mobile Applications Act 2019. 2019 Accessibility law Government, Public sector Yes WCAG 2.0
Czech Republic (Česká republika) Act No. 99/2019 Coll., on the accessibility of websites and mobile applications and on the amendment of Act No. 365/2000 Coll., on public administration information systems and on the amendment of certain other laws 2019 Accessibility law Government, Public sector No WCAG 2.0 derivate
Denmark (Danmark) Agreement on the use of open standards for software in the public sector 2007 Mandatory policy Public sector Yes WCAG 2.0
Denmark (Danmark) Web Accessibility Act 2018 Accessibility law Government, Public sector No Other
Denmark (Danmark) Executive Order no. 904 for the declaration of accessibility 2018 Mandatory policy Government, Public sector Yes WCAG 2.1
Estonia (Eesti Vabariik) Veebilehe ja mobiilirakenduse ligipääsetavuse nõuded ning ligipääsetavust kirjeldava teabe avaldamise kord 2019 Accessibility law Government, Public sector Yes WCAG 2.0 derivate
Estonia (Eesti Vabariik) Public Information Act 2001 Mandatory policy Government, Public sector No WCAG 2.0 derivate
European Union Web and Mobile Accessibility Directive (2016/2102) 2016 Accessibility law Public sector No WCAG 2.0
European Union European Accessibility Act 2019-06-27 Law Public sector, Private sector No WCAG 2.0 derivative
Finland (Suomi) Act on Electronic Services and Communication in the Public Sector 2003 Accessibility law Government No None
Finland (Suomi) Digital Services Act 2019 Accessibility law Yes WCAG 2.1
France (La France) Law N° 2005-102 Article 47 2005 Accessibility law Public sector No None
France (La France) Order of 29 April 2015 on the general accessibility framework for public administrations 2015 Accessibility law Public sector Yes WCAG 2.0 derivative
France (La France) Law N° 2016-1321 Article 106 2016 Digital Governance law Public sector, Private sector No None
France (La France) Decree No 2019-768 2019 Accessibility law Public sector, Government Yes WCAG 2 derivative
Germany (Deutschland) Act on Equal Opportunities for Disabled Persons of 2002 2002 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No None
Germany (Deutschland) Federal Ordinance on Barrier-Free Information Technology 2011 Accessibility policy Government Yes WCAG 2.0 derivative
Greece (Ελλάδα) Digital Governance (Incorporation into Greek Legislation of Directive (EU) 2016/2102 2020 Accessibility law Government, Public sector No WCAG 2.0 derivate
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China Guidelines on Dissemination of Information through Government Websites 1999 Mandatory policy Government No WCAG 2.0
Hungary (Magyarország) Act on the accessibility of websites and mobile applications of public sector organizations 2018 Accessibility law Public sector No None
India Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPD) 2016 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No None
India Guidelines for Indian Government Websites 2009 Mandatory policy Government No WCAG 2.0
Ireland (Éireann) The Disability Act, 2005 2005 Accessibility law Public sector No None
Ireland (Éireann) Equal Status Acts 2000 to 2004 2004 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No WCAG 2.0
Ireland (Éireann) Employment Equality Acts 1998 and 2004 2004 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No None
Ireland (Éireann) S.I. No. 358/2020 European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies) Regulations 2020 2020 Accessibility law Public sector No WCAG 2.1
Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל) Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, as amended 1998 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No WCAG 2.0
Italy (Italia) Law 9 January 2004, n. 4 "Provisions to support the access of disabled people to IT tools" (Stanca Law) 2004 Accessibility law Public sector, Government No WCAG 2.0
Italy (Italia) Law 10 August 2018, n. 106 "Reform of the implementation of Directive (EU) 2016/2102 on the accessibility of websites and mobile applications of public bodies" 2004 Accessibility law Public sector, Government No WCAG 2 derivative
Japan (日本) Everyone’s Public Website Operational Guidelines (2016) 2016-04-20 Procurement recommendation Public sector Yes WCAG 2.0 derivative
Latvia (Latvija) Procedure in which institutions post information on the Internet 2020 Accessibility law Government, Public sector Yes WCAG 2.0 derivate
Lithuania (Lietuva) Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the right to receive information from state and municipal institutions and bodies no. VIII-1524 (Summary version) 2000 Accessibility law Government, Public sector Yes WCAG 2.0 derivate
Lithuania (Lietuva) Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the right to receive information from state and municipal institutions and bodies no. VIII-1524 Amendment of Articles 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 12, 22 and Appendix Law No. XIII-1590 2018 Accessibility law Government, Public sector Yes WCAG 2.0 derivate
Lithuania (Lietuva) Due to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania in 2003 April 18 resolution no. 480 of the amendment "On the approval of the description of the general requirements for the websites of state and municipal institutions and bodies" 2018 Accessibility law Government, Public sector Yes WCAG 2.0 derivate
Luxembourg (Luxembourg, Luxemburg, Lëtzebuerg) Loi du 28 mai 2019 relative à l’accessibilité des sites internet et des applications mobiles des organismes du secteur public. 2019 Accessibility law Public sector Yes WCAG 2.0 derivate
Malta (Repubblika ta' Malta) Accessibility of the Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies Regulations 2019 Accessibility law Government, Public sector No WCAG 2.0 derivate
Netherlands (Nederland) Procurement Law 2012 2016 Procurement law Government No WCAG 2.0
Netherlands (Nederland) Policy in the Netherlands 2016 Mandatory policy Government, Public sector Yes WCAG 2.0
Netherlands (Nederland) Article 429q of the Penal Code 2016 Non-discrimination law Government, Public sector, Private sector No None
Netherlands (Nederland) Equal Treatment Act Based on Disability or Chronic Illness 2003, altered in 2016 Non-discrimination law Government, Public sector, Private sector No None
Netherlands (Nederland) Temporary decree on digital accessibility of the government 2018 Accessibility law Government, Public sector No WCAG 2.1
New Zealand Human Rights Act 1993, including amendments 1993 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No None
New Zealand Online Practice Guidelines 2013 Mandatory policy Government Yes WCAG 2.0
Norway (Norge, Noreg) Regulations on universal design of ICT 2013 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No WCAG 2.0 derivative
Norway (Norge, Noreg) WAD addition to regulations on universal design of information and communication technology (ICT) solutions 2022 Non-discrimination law Government, Public sector, Private sector No WCAG 2 derivative
Poland (Rzeczpospolita Polska) Act of 4 April 2019 on the digital accessibility of websites and mobile applications of public entities 2019 Accessibility law Government, Public sector No WCAG 2.0 derivate
Portugal Decreto-Lei n.º 83/2018 de 19 de outubro - Define os requisitos de acessibilidade dos sítios web e das aplicações móveis de organismos públicos, transpondo a Diretiva (UE) 2016/2102 2018 Accessibility law Yes None
Republic of Korea (대한민국) Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities 2008 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No WCAG 2.0 derivative
Romania (România) Emergency ordinance no. 112/2018 regarding the accessibility of websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies 2018 Accessibility law Government, Public sector No WCAG 2.0 derivate
Russia (Росси́я) ГОСТ Р 52872-2012 Интернет-ресурсы. Требования доступности для инвалидов по зрению 2014 Voluntary standard Yes WCAG 2.0 derivate
Slovenia (Slovenija) Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications Act 2018 Accessibility law Public sector No WCAG 2.1
Spain (España) Royal Decree 1112/2018, of September 7, on accessibility of websites and applications for mobile devices in the public sector. 2008 Accessibility policy law, Non-discrimination law, Accessibility law, Accessibility policy Public sector No None
Spain (España) Guidance on software accessibility 2009 Accessibility policy law, Non-discrimination law, Accessibility law, Accessibility policy Public sector, Private sector No None
Spain (España) Web content accessibility requirements. 2012 Accessibility policy Public sector, Private sector Yes WCAG 2.0 derivative
Sweden (Sverige) Discrimination Act (2008:567) 2008 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No None
Sweden (Sverige) Act (2018:1937) on accessibility to digital public services 2019 Accessibility law Government, Public sector No None
Switzerland (Suisse, Schweiz, Svizzera) Federal Law on the Elimination of Inequalities for Persons with Disabilities, as amended 2002 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No WCAG 2.0
Taiwan (中華民國) Web Accessibility Guidelines (110.07) 2021 Mandatory policy Public sector Yes WCAG 2.1 derivative
United Kingdom Equality Act 2010 2010 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No WCAG 2.0
United States Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended 1998 Procurement law, Accessibility law Government No WCAG 2.0
United States Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended 2009 Non-discrimination law Public sector, Private sector No None
United States Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 1996 Accessibility law Public sector, Private sector No None
United States Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 2013 Non-discrimination law Private sector No WCAG 2.0
United States 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) 2010 Accessibility law Private sector No None
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