Website Accessibility Requirements: Is Your Website Ready for WCAG 2.2 and Global Accessibility Laws?

Website Accessibility Requirements: WCAG 2.2 & Global Laws Explained

Last Updated: September 16, 2026 Reading Time: 22 minutes

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Website accessibility is no longer something businesses should think about only when building a government website or a website specifically for people with disabilities.

Accessibility requirements are becoming increasingly important around the world.

The European Accessibility Act now applies to covered products and services, including e-commerce. The United States has specific accessibility requirements for state and local government websites and mobile apps under the ADA. The UK requires covered public-sector websites and apps to meet accessibility requirements. Canada, Australia, India and many other countries also have laws, standards or policies addressing digital accessibility.

At the same time, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines—better known as WCAG—have become the internationally recognized technical framework for making websites more accessible.

For businesses, the practical question is no longer simply:

“What is website accessibility?”

It is:

“Does my website need to be accessible, and is it accessible today?”

The answer depends on your country, type of business, customers, services and applicable laws.

But there is one thing you do not need to do:

You do not need to learn WCAG before checking your website.

Not sure whether your website has accessibility problems?

Send us your website URL.

WebyKing can check your website for common accessibility issues and explain what needs attention in plain English.

No WCAG knowledge required. No technical questionnaire.

Check My Website

Quick Answer: Is Website Accessibility Mandatory?

Website accessibility can be legally required depending on where your organization operates, the services you provide, the type and size of your organization, and the laws that apply to you. There is no single worldwide law requiring every website to follow exactly the same accessibility rules.

However, accessibility requirements have expanded significantly across major markets.

For example:

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) covers certain products and services, including e-commerce, banking and elements of passenger transport services.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) creates accessibility obligations in the United States in applicable contexts, and the U.S. Department of Justice has established a specific WCAG 2.1 Level AA technical standard for state and local government web content and mobile apps.
The UK has specific accessibility regulations for public-sector websites and mobile applications, alongside broader disability-discrimination obligations.
Canada addresses accessible information and communication technologies under the Accessible Canada Act at the federal level, with additional requirements potentially arising from provincial legislation.
Australia addresses equal access to digital goods and services through the Disability Discrimination Act framework.
India has accessibility requirements for government websites and apps through its government web guidelines and disability-rights framework.

Therefore, businesses should not assume:

“Accessibility rules don’t apply to us because we’re not a government website.”

The correct approach is to determine which requirements apply to your organization and make your website accessible accordingly.

What Is Website Accessibility?

Website accessibility means designing and developing a website so that people with different abilities can use it.

Imagine a visitor who:

cannot use a mouse and navigates using a keyboard;
cannot see images and uses a screen reader;
has low vision and needs sufficient contrast;
cannot hear the audio in your videos;
has difficulty using very small buttons;
zooms the website significantly to read the content;
needs clear labels to understand a form;
uses assistive technology to browse your website.

If that person cannot navigate your website, understand your content, submit your contact form, create an account, buy a product or complete another important action, your website may have an accessibility problem.

Accessibility is therefore not simply an additional button or feature added to a website.

It involves the design, content, code and functionality of the website itself.

Why Has Website Accessibility Become So Important?

Three things are happening simultaneously.

1. Accessibility requirements are expanding

Governments and regulators are paying increasing attention to digital accessibility.

One major example is the European Accessibility Act, whose measures generally began applying on 28 June 2025 to covered products and services.

Importantly for online businesses, e-commerce is specifically included among the covered services.

The Act also covers areas such as consumer banking, e-books, electronic communications and certain passenger transport services.

There are exemptions and qualifications. For example, EU microenterprises providing covered services are exempt under the EAA framework, and other exceptions can apply.

This is exactly why a business should determine which rules apply rather than relying on statements such as “every website must comply” or “this doesn’t apply to private companies.”

Official sources:
European Commission — European Accessibility Act
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/disability/european-accessibility-act-eaa_en

EUR-Lex — Directive (EU) 2019/882
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/accessibility-of-products-and-services.html

2. Websites are becoming essential service channels

Your website may no longer be just a digital brochure.

Customers may use it to:

find information;
compare products;
contact your company;
book an appointment;
make a reservation;
purchase a product;
make a payment;
manage an account;
download documents;
communicate with your team.

When an accessibility barrier prevents someone from completing these actions, it can become both a customer-experience problem and, depending on the circumstances, a compliance problem.

3. Accessibility can improve usability for everyone

Accessibility is primarily about removing barriers for people with disabilities, but many accessibility improvements can also make a website easier for other visitors to use.

Clear navigation is useful.

Readable text is useful.

Properly labelled forms are useful.

Visible buttons are useful.

Captions can be useful when someone cannot play audio.

Keyboard-friendly interfaces can help people who cannot—or simply do not—use a mouse.

W3C itself notes that following WCAG often makes web content more usable to users in general.

What Is WCAG?

WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

WCAG is developed through the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and provides a shared international technical standard for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities.

It covers accessibility for people with disabilities involving areas including:

vision;
hearing;
movement;
speech;
photosensitivity;
and combinations of disabilities.

WCAG requirements are organized around four fundamental principles.

A website should be:

Perceivable

Users need to be able to perceive the information.

For example, an image containing meaningful information may need an appropriate text alternative.

Operable

Users need to be able to operate the interface.

For example, important functionality should not depend entirely on using a mouse.

Understandable

Content and website interactions should be understandable.

Forms, instructions, navigation and errors should not unnecessarily confuse users.

Robust

The website should work reliably with browsers, assistive technologies and different ways people access digital content.

These principles are commonly remembered as:

P — Perceivable
O — Operable
U — Understandable
R — Robust

Together: POUR.

What Is WCAG 2.2?

WCAG 2.2 is the latest WCAG 2 standard recommended by W3C.

W3C encourages organizations to use the latest version of WCAG.

WCAG 2.2 builds on WCAG 2.1 and WCAG 2.0. Content that conforms to WCAG 2.2 also conforms to WCAG 2.1 and WCAG 2.0.

WCAG 2.2 is also an approved international ISO standard: ISO/IEC 40500:2025.

This makes WCAG particularly important for organizations operating internationally.

Official source:
W3C — Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2
https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/

What Do WCAG A, AA and AAA Mean?

WCAG has three levels of conformance:

Level	Simple Explanation
A	Basic accessibility requirements
AA	Addresses additional significant accessibility barriers and is the level commonly referenced or targeted by accessibility policies and requirements
AAA	The highest WCAG conformance level, with additional requirements

For most commercial website projects, WCAG 2.2 Level AA is a sensible current development target unless the applicable law, contract or organizational policy specifies something different.

This distinction is important.

WCAG itself is a technical standard. It is not a single global law.

A country’s law, regulation, government policy, procurement requirement or contract may reference a particular version of WCAG or another accessibility standard.

Therefore:

WCAG tells you how to make web content accessible. Applicable laws and regulations determine what your organization is legally required to do.

Website Accessibility Laws Around the World

There is no single worldwide website accessibility law.

Different countries approach digital accessibility differently.

Here is a simplified overview of several major markets.

Market	Important Accessibility Framework	What Businesses Should Know
European Union	European Accessibility Act (Directive EU 2019/882)	Covers specified products/services, including e-commerce; requirements generally apply from 28 June 2025, subject to scope, exemptions and transitional provisions
United States	Americans with Disabilities Act and other applicable laws	Accessibility obligations depend on context; DOJ has established specific WCAG 2.1 AA requirements for state/local government web content and apps
United Kingdom	Equality Act 2010 + Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations	Public-sector websites/apps have specific requirements; organizations can also have broader duties concerning disability discrimination and reasonable adjustments
Canada	Accessible Canada Act + provincial frameworks	Federal accessibility framework includes ICT; additional obligations can depend on jurisdiction and organization
Australia	Disability Discrimination Act 1992	Equal access to digital goods/services is relevant to disability-discrimination obligations
India	Rights of Persons with Disabilities framework + GIGW for government	Indian government websites/apps are subject to government accessibility guidelines; other legal accessibility obligations depend on context

Let’s look at these in more detail.

European Union: European Accessibility Act

For many businesses operating in or selling to the European market, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) is one of the most important recent accessibility developments.

The EAA covers specified products and services, including:

e-commerce;
consumer banking;
e-books;
electronic communications;
certain passenger transport services;
computers and operating systems;
smartphones;
payment terminals;
certain self-service terminals.

The measures generally began applying from 28 June 2025.

For an e-commerce business, this deserves particular attention because e-commerce services are expressly within the EAA’s scope, subject to the Directive’s definitions, exemptions and national implementation.

Are small businesses exempt from the EAA?

There is an important qualification.

Microenterprises providing services are exempt from the EAA’s service accessibility requirements.

EU guidance describes these businesses as having fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover or annual balance-sheet total not exceeding €2 million.

Other exceptions and transitional provisions can also apply.

So the correct question isn’t:

“Does every European website need WCAG?”

It is:

“Does the EAA or another applicable accessibility requirement cover my organization and digital service?”

Official information:

European Commission — European Accessibility Act
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/disability/european-accessibility-act-eaa_en

Your Europe — Accessibility of products and services
https://europa.eu/youreurope/business/selling-in-eu/selling-goods-services/accessibility/

EUR-Lex — Accessibility of products and services
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/accessibility-of-products-and-services.html

Important September 2026 EU Update: EN 301 549 and WCAG 2.2

Europe has just taken another important step.

In September 2026, EN 301 549 v4.1.1 was published, updating the European accessibility standard and incorporating WCAG 2.2.

However, there is an important legal distinction.

At the time of this article’s review, the new version has not yet become the harmonized legal reference for demonstrating compliance with the European Accessibility Act or Web Accessibility Directive.

Until it is formally cited by the European Commission in the Official Journal, the existing legal-reference situation remains relevant.

For website owners, however, the direction is clear:

WCAG 2.2 is increasingly becoming the forward-looking accessibility benchmark.

This is another reason we recommend considering WCAG 2.2 Level AA when improving or rebuilding a website, while separately verifying the exact standard required by the law applicable to your organization.

Official update:
AccessibleEU — European accessibility standard EN 301 549 update
https://accessible-eu-centre.ec.europa.eu/content-corner/news/european-accessibility-standard-en-301-549-has-been-updated-2026-09-07_en

United States: ADA and Website Accessibility

The United States has several accessibility frameworks, and requirements can differ depending on the organization and context.

One particularly clear recent development concerns state and local governments under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The U.S. Department of Justice established WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard for covered state and local government web content and mobile applications.

Following a 2026 extension, the compliance dates are:

April 26, 2027 for state and local government entities serving populations of 50,000 or more.
April 26, 2028 for entities serving populations under 50,000 and special district governments.

Private-sector ADA accessibility questions involve a different legal analysis, so businesses should not assume that this specific Title II rule is the rule governing every private commercial website.

Official source:

U.S. Department of Justice — ADA.gov
https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/

United Kingdom: Website Accessibility Requirements

In the UK, public-sector websites and mobile applications have specific requirements under the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Current UK government guidance states that covered websites and apps can meet the accessibility requirements by:

meeting WCAG 2.2 Level AA, subject to valid legal exceptions; and
publishing an accessibility statement explaining the website or application’s accessibility.

These regulations build upon existing disability-related obligations, including those under the Equality Act 2010, or the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in Northern Ireland.

Private businesses should therefore distinguish between the specific public-sector accessibility regulations and broader obligations relating to disability discrimination and reasonable adjustments.

Official source:

UK Government — Accessibility Requirements for Public Sector Websites and Apps
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/accessibility-requirements-for-public-sector-websites-and-apps

Canada: Digital Accessibility

Canada’s accessibility landscape includes federal requirements as well as provincial accessibility legislation.

At the federal level, the Accessible Canada Act aims to identify, remove and prevent accessibility barriers in areas under federal jurisdiction.

Information and communication technologies are one of the priority areas.

That includes digital technologies such as:

websites;
mobile applications;
software;
online forms;
virtual communications.

Businesses operating in Canada should determine whether federal or relevant provincial accessibility requirements apply to their organization.

Official source:

Accessibility Standards Canada — Information and Communication Technologies
https://accessible.canada.ca/priority-areas-guide-our-work/information-and-communication-technologies-ict

Australia: Digital Accessibility and Disability Discrimination

In Australia, website accessibility is closely connected with obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA).

The Australian Human Rights Commission updated its guidance on equal access to digital goods and services in 2025.

The Commission states that meeting the accessibility standards and guidelines discussed in its guidance will help organizations meet their obligations under the DDA and describes them as the minimum organizations should aim for.

This means Australian organizations should consider accessibility as more than a design preference.

Official source:

Australian Human Rights Commission — Guidelines on Equal Access to Digital Goods and Services
https://humanrights.gov.au/resource-hub/by-resource-type/guidelines-and-standards/guides-and-standards-disability-rights/guidelines-equal-access-digital-goods-and-services

India: Website Accessibility Requirements

India also has a formal accessibility framework, particularly for government digital services.

The Guidelines for Indian Government Websites and Apps (GIGW 3.0) are based on standards and legislation including:

WCAG 2.1;
the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016;
the Information Technology Act, 2000;
international standards.

Indian government organizations are expected to implement these guidelines across their websites and applications.

For private businesses, applicability should be evaluated based on the relevant legal and business context rather than assuming that GIGW applies to every commercial website.

Official source:

Government of India — Guidelines for Indian Government Websites and Apps
https://guidelines.india.gov.in/

“My Business Is Not Located in These Countries. Can I Ignore Accessibility?”

Not necessarily.

The location of your office is only one consideration.

Your business may:

sell internationally;
operate an e-commerce website serving overseas customers;
provide digital services in regulated markets;
work with government organizations;
bid for contracts containing accessibility requirements;
serve customers with disabilities;
expand into new countries later.

Accessibility also has value beyond legal compliance.

An inaccessible website can create unnecessary barriers between your business and potential customers.

Instead of asking only:

“Am I legally forced to do this today?”

A better business question is:

“Can everyone who wants to become my customer actually use my website?”

Does My Website Have Accessibility Problems?

This is where accessibility becomes difficult for many website owners.

A website can:

look modern;
work perfectly with a mouse;
display correctly on your laptop;
have excellent branding;
load quickly;
rank on Google;

and still contain accessibility barriers.

For example:

Your navigation may not work properly from a keyboard.

Images may be missing meaningful alternative text.

Form fields may not have programmatically associated labels.

Text and background colors may not have sufficient contrast.

Keyboard focus may be difficult to see.

Interactive components may not communicate their purpose to assistive technology.

Videos may lack captions.

Error messages may be difficult for assistive technologies to identify.

Buttons or controls may be difficult to activate.

Page headings may be structured incorrectly.

A screen reader may announce your content in a confusing order.

And you may never notice any of these problems during normal browsing.

The Easiest First Step: Let Us Check Your Website

You do not need to become an accessibility expert.

You do not need to read the entire WCAG specification.

You do not need to decide which accessibility plugin to install.

And you should not start making random changes without knowing what problems actually exist.

Start with your existing website.

Send WebyKing your website URL.

We’ll perform an initial accessibility check and help you understand:

What accessibility issues we find

How important they are

What should be fixed

What the next step should be

All explained in practical business language.

No technical knowledge required.

An initial website check is not a legal opinion, certification or guarantee of compliance. Where legal applicability is uncertain, businesses should obtain appropriate legal advice.

How Can I Check Whether My Website Is Accessible?

You can start by asking a few surprisingly simple questions.

Try using your website without a mouse.

Can you navigate through the menu, buttons, forms, pop-ups and other important functions using only your keyboard?

Zoom the page significantly.

Can you still read the content and use the website without important information disappearing or overlapping?

Look at your forms.

Can users understand exactly what information every field requires?

Look at your images.

If someone cannot see an important image, is its meaning available another way?

Play your videos without sound.

Can you still understand the important information?

These simple checks can reveal obvious problems.

But they are not a complete accessibility test.

Automated accessibility tools can identify additional issues, but automated testing alone cannot determine whether a website fully conforms to WCAG.

That is why a proper accessibility review normally combines:

Automated testing + manual testing + human judgment

15 Common Website Accessibility Problems

You do not need to understand every WCAG success criterion to recognize common accessibility barriers.

Here are some of the issues we frequently look for when reviewing a website.

1. Images Without Appropriate Alternative Text

Images that communicate useful information may need text alternatives so that people using screen readers can understand their purpose.

Not every image needs descriptive alt text.

Purely decorative images can often use a null text alternative so assistive technology can ignore them.

WCAG reference: 1.1.1 Non-text Content
https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/non-text-content.html

2. Text With Insufficient Color Contrast

Text can be difficult to read when there is not enough contrast between the text and its background.

Under WCAG 2.2 Level AA, normal text generally requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.

Large text generally requires at least 3:1.

There are exceptions.

WCAG reference: 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)
https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/contrast-minimum.html

3. Website Functions That Cannot Be Used With a Keyboard

Some people cannot use a mouse.

Important website functionality should therefore be operable through a keyboard interface, subject to limited exceptions where the underlying function depends on the path of the user’s movement.

Try pressing the Tab key on your website.

Can you reach:

navigation;
dropdown menus;
links;
buttons;
forms;
pop-ups;
account controls;
important interactive features?

If not, there may be an accessibility problem.

WCAG reference: 2.1.1 Keyboard
https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/keyboard.html

4. No Visible Keyboard Focus

Even when keyboard navigation technically works, users need to know where they currently are on the page.

As they press Tab, the active element should have a visible focus indicator.

If you cannot tell which link, button or field currently has focus, keyboard navigation becomes difficult.

WCAG references:
2.4.7 Focus Visible
https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/focus-visible.html

2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum)
https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/focus-not-obscured-minimum.html

5. Forms Without Proper Labels

A form might visually look perfectly understandable while still being confusing to someone using assistive technology.

Fields should have appropriate labels and instructions.

For example:

Email Address
[________________]

is clearer than presenting an unexplained input field.

Placeholder text alone is not always an adequate substitute for a proper label.

6. Unclear Form Errors

Imagine submitting a form and receiving:

“There was an error.”

But the website does not tell you which field caused the problem.

Accessible forms should help users identify errors and understand how to correct them where required.

This becomes especially important for:

checkout;
registration;
login;
booking;
quote requests;
payment forms.

7. Videos Without Captions

Prerecorded video containing meaningful spoken information generally needs captions under applicable WCAG requirements, subject to specific exceptions.

Captions help people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and can also be useful when someone cannot or does not want to play audio.

WCAG reference: 1.2.2 Captions (Prerecorded)
https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/captions-prerecorded.html

8. Poor Heading Structure

Headings should communicate the organization of the content.

A logical structure such as:

H1 → H2 → H3

can help visitors understand the page and help assistive-technology users navigate its sections efficiently.

Headings should represent actual structure rather than being selected only because of their visual size.

9. Links That Do Not Clearly Explain Their Purpose

Repeated links such as:

Click Here

Read More

Learn More

can become difficult to understand when they are encountered outside their surrounding visual context.

Where practical, link text should make its purpose clear from the text itself or from its programmatically determined context.

For example:

View Our Shopify Migration Services

communicates much more than:

Click Here

10. Small or Difficult-to-Use Controls

WCAG 2.2 introduced a Level AA minimum target-size requirement.

For applicable pointer targets, the target should generally be at least 24 × 24 CSS pixels, or satisfy one of the criterion’s alternatives or exceptions.

This can affect:

small icons;
close buttons;
pagination;
form controls;
closely spaced interactive elements.

WCAG reference: 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum)
https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG22/Understanding/target-size-minimum.html

11. Content That Breaks When Users Zoom or Resize Text

Some users need larger text.

If increasing text size causes:

text to disappear;
buttons to overlap;
navigation to become unusable;
content to be cut off;

the website may create an accessibility barrier.

WCAG includes requirements covering text resizing and reflow.

12. Important Information Communicated Only Through Color

Consider a form that says:

“Fields shown in red are required.”

A visitor who cannot distinguish the colors may miss that information.

Color should not be the only visual means used to communicate important information.

13. Missing or Incorrect Page Language

Assistive technologies can use a page’s declared language to determine how content should be pronounced.

The default human language of a page should therefore be programmatically identifiable.

14. Pop-Ups, Menus or Interactive Components That Are Difficult for Assistive Technology

Modern websites often contain:

mega menus;
sliders;
accordions;
tabs;
modal windows;
filters;
autocomplete fields;
product selectors.

These components can look excellent visually but still be difficult to operate with a keyboard or understand with a screen reader if they are not implemented correctly.

15. Inaccessible Checkout or Booking Processes

This can be one of the most commercially important accessibility problems.

Imagine a customer successfully browsing your website but being unable to:

select a product variation;
choose a date;
enter payment information;
understand a validation error;
apply a coupon;
select shipping;
complete checkout.

Accessibility therefore affects more than informational pages.

It needs to be considered across the complete customer journey.

Quick Website Accessibility Self-Check

If you manage your own website, start here.

Ask yourself:

Check	Yes / No
Can I navigate important pages without using a mouse?
Can I clearly see keyboard focus?
Do meaningful images have appropriate text alternatives?
Is text easy to read against its background?
Do forms have clear labels?
Are form errors clearly identified?
Do prerecorded videos have captions where required?
Does content remain usable when enlarged?
Are buttons and controls reasonably easy to activate?
Does the site have logical headings?
Are links understandable?
Can important functions be used with assistive technology?

If you answered “No,” “I don’t know,” or “I’m not sure” several times, your website deserves a closer accessibility review.

Don't want to perform all these checks yourself?

You don’t have to.

Send WebyKing your website URL and we’ll perform an initial accessibility check for you.

Check My Website

Can an Accessibility Checker Tell Me Whether My Website Is WCAG Compliant?

Not completely.

Automated tools are extremely useful.

They can quickly identify certain technical issues across a website.

But automated tools cannot reliably evaluate every WCAG requirement or understand every real-world user experience.

W3C explains that accessibility evaluation tools can assist in determining whether websites meet accessibility guidelines, but no tool alone can determine whether a website meets accessibility standards.

Human judgment is required.

Official source:
W3C — Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools Overview
https://www.w3.org/WAI/test-evaluate/tools/

This distinction is important.

An automated scan showing:

“0 errors”

does not automatically mean:

“This website fully conforms to WCAG.”

Likewise, an accessibility score from one tool should not be treated as universal accessibility certification.

Can an Accessibility Plugin or Widget Make My Website Compliant?

This is one of the most important questions website owners should ask.

You may have seen accessibility widgets that add a floating accessibility icon to the corner of a website.

Clicking the icon may provide options such as:

increase font size;
change contrast;
highlight links;
adjust spacing;
pause animations.

These controls may provide useful functionality for some visitors.

But installing a widget does not automatically mean that the underlying website meets WCAG or applicable legal requirements.

Why?

Because many accessibility problems exist within the website itself.

For example:

incorrectly coded forms;
inaccessible navigation;
missing accessible names;
poor keyboard behavior;
incorrect HTML semantics;
inaccessible custom components;
problematic checkout functionality;
missing captions;
incorrect focus management.

A floating toolbar cannot necessarily correct all of these underlying issues.

So should I install an accessibility widget?

A widget should not be treated as a substitute for properly designing, developing and testing an accessible website.

Your first objective should be to make the website itself accessible.

Can I Make My Existing Website Accessible?

In many cases, yes.

You do not necessarily need to redesign or rebuild the entire website.

The right approach depends on:

your current platform;
theme;
plugins/apps;
custom code;
website size;
content;
interactive features;
checkout or booking process;
severity of existing accessibility issues.

A relatively simple website may require limited remediation.

A large e-commerce, booking or custom application may require substantially more work.

That is why an accessibility review should come before deciding whether you need a few fixes, extensive remediation or a rebuild.

How Do You Make a Website WCAG 2.2 AA Accessible?

For someone who wants to implement accessibility internally, the process can be summarized in six stages.

Step 1: Determine Your Accessibility Target

Before changing the website, determine:

which countries and markets you serve;
which laws or contractual requirements may apply;
whether a particular accessibility standard/version is specified;
your organization’s accessibility target.

For many new commercial website projects, WCAG 2.2 Level AA can be a sensible development target, unless another standard is specifically required.

Step 2: Audit the Existing Website

Use both automated and manual testing.

The audit should cover representative pages and important user journeys.

Depending on the website, this could include:

homepage;
navigation;
service/product pages;
contact forms;
search;
registration;
login;
account pages;
product filters;
cart;
checkout;
booking;
payment;
downloadable documents;
important interactive components.

Prioritize the pages and functions customers actually need to complete their goals.

Step 3: Fix Accessibility Problems

Issues may need changes across four broad areas.

Design

Examples include:

color contrast;
focus states;
text sizing;
spacing;
responsive behavior;
target sizes.

Development

Examples include:

semantic HTML;
keyboard functionality;
focus management;
accessible names;
form associations;
appropriate ARIA implementation;
interactive-component behavior.

Content

Examples include:

alternative text;
meaningful headings;
understandable link text;
clear instructions;
captions;
understandable error messages.

Third-Party Functionality

Examples include:

payment gateways;
booking engines;
chat widgets;
embedded forms;
third-party apps;
maps;
video players.

Third-party components can be particularly challenging because the website owner may not control their underlying code.

Step 4: Perform Manual Accessibility Testing

Do not stop after running an automated scanner.

Test important functionality manually.

This can include:

keyboard-only navigation;
focus order;
focus visibility;
screen-reader testing;
zoom/reflow;
forms;
errors;
responsive layouts;
interactive components.

Step 5: Retest After Remediation

Fixing one accessibility issue can sometimes affect another part of the interface.

After remediation, rerun automated checks and repeat relevant manual tests.

Accessibility work should be validated rather than assumed complete because code changes were deployed.

Step 6: Maintain Accessibility

Accessibility is not necessarily a one-time project.

Your team may later:

add new pages;
upload images;
publish videos;
install a plugin;
change a theme;
add an app;
redesign a form;
modify checkout;
introduce a new feature.

Any of these changes can introduce new accessibility problems.

Accessibility therefore needs to become part of your normal website process.

Website Accessibility Checklist for Developers

If you are a developer or manage an internal development team, use this simplified checklist as a starting point.

Structure and HTML

Use semantic HTML wherever appropriate.

Maintain meaningful heading structure.

Specify page language.

Use landmarks appropriately.

Avoid unnecessary ARIA when native HTML already provides the required semantics.

Images and Media

Provide appropriate text alternatives for meaningful non-text content.

Handle decorative images appropriately.

Provide captions and other media alternatives where applicable.

Avoid content that can create problematic flashing.

Keyboard

Make important functionality keyboard accessible.

Maintain logical focus order.

Provide clearly visible focus.

Avoid keyboard traps.

Ensure sticky elements, dialogs and overlays do not improperly hide focused components.

Forms

Associate labels with controls.

Provide understandable instructions.

Identify errors clearly.

Provide helpful correction guidance where required.

Do not rely only on color to identify errors.

Visual Design

Check text contrast.

Check applicable non-text contrast requirements.

Support text resizing.

Test reflow.

Avoid using color alone to communicate meaning.

Provide adequate pointer-target sizing or spacing where required.

Navigation

Use descriptive page titles.

Use meaningful links.

Provide consistent navigation.

Help users understand where they are.

Provide multiple ways to locate pages where applicable.

Interaction

Make dialogs, menus, tabs, accordions and other components accessible.

Manage keyboard focus correctly.

Provide appropriate accessible names, roles, states and values.

Test status messages and dynamic content.

Which Websites Should Prioritize Accessibility?

Every organization benefits from thinking about accessibility, but some websites have particularly strong reasons to prioritize it.

E-commerce Websites

Customers need to browse products, choose options, add products to a cart and complete checkout.

Accessibility barriers can directly interrupt revenue.

Travel and Booking Websites

Customers may need to:

search;
choose dates;
use calendars;
apply filters;
select rooms or services;
enter passenger information;
make payments.

These are often highly interactive experiences where accessibility needs to be considered carefully.

Banking and Financial Services

Financial services are specifically relevant under several accessibility frameworks, including the European Accessibility Act for covered consumer banking services.

Healthcare Websites

Patients may depend on digital services for important information, appointments, forms and communications.

Educational Websites

Students need equitable access to learning materials, portals, video content and online services.

Government Websites

Government websites are subject to particularly explicit accessibility requirements in many jurisdictions.

SaaS and Web Applications

Complex interfaces, dashboards, forms and interactive controls can create accessibility barriers when accessibility was not considered during development.

Professional and Service Businesses

Even a comparatively simple business website can prevent a prospective customer from reading important information or successfully submitting an inquiry.

Does Website Accessibility Help SEO?

Accessibility and SEO are not the same thing, and WCAG conformance does not automatically guarantee higher Google rankings.

However, several good accessibility practices can overlap with practices that help search engines understand websites and that improve general usability.

Examples include:

meaningful page structure;
descriptive headings;
understandable link text;
text alternatives for meaningful images;
clear content;
semantic HTML.

The primary reason to implement accessibility should be to make your website usable by more people and meet applicable accessibility requirements, not to treat accessibility as an SEO trick.

Does Accessibility Improve Conversion Rates?

It can remove barriers that prevent visitors from converting.

Consider an e-commerce website.

If a customer cannot use the product selector, read important information, navigate checkout, identify a form error or activate the payment button, the website may lose a sale.

The same principle applies to lead-generation websites.

If someone cannot complete your contact form, the accessibility problem has become a conversion problem.

Accessibility does not guarantee a particular conversion-rate increase.

But removing barriers gives more visitors the opportunity to complete the actions your website was built to generate.

What Are the Business Benefits of Website Accessibility?

Compliance is only one reason to improve accessibility.

Businesses can also benefit through:

A Website More People Can Use

The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 1.3 billion people—about 16% of the global population—experience significant disability.

That represents a substantial part of the world’s population.

Official source:
World Health Organization — Disability
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health

Better User Experience

Clear navigation, readable content, usable forms and predictable interactions can benefit many users—not only people with disabilities.

Reduced Accessibility Risk

Identifying and addressing accessibility problems can help an organization manage accessibility-related compliance and customer-experience risk.

Better Digital Quality

Accessibility testing often exposes weaknesses in:

HTML structure;
forms;
navigation;
interactive components;
content;
responsive behavior.

Fixing these problems can improve the overall quality of the website.

Wider Market Reach

An accessible website removes unnecessary barriers between your business and people who want to use your services.

“I Don't Know WCAG. What Should I Do?”

This is exactly why WebyKing’s accessibility process starts with the website—not a technical questionnaire.

You don’t need to tell us:

which WCAG success criteria are failing;
which ARIA attributes are incorrect;
whether your contrast ratio is 3.8:1 or 4.5:1;
whether your focus management is correct;
which accessibility law applies.

Just give us your website.

We’ll start by looking at what you already have.

Step 1 — You submit your website URL

Step 2 — We perform an initial accessibility check

Step 3 — We explain the issues we identify

Step 4 — If remediation is needed, we recommend the appropriate next step

No obligation to become an accessibility expert first.

Check My Website

WebyKing Website Accessibility Services

If your website has accessibility problems, WebyKing can help you address them.

Our accessibility work can include:

Accessibility Review

We review representative pages, templates, components and important user journeys to identify accessibility issues.

Automated Testing

We use appropriate accessibility-testing tools to identify detectable technical issues efficiently.

Manual Testing

We manually evaluate areas automated tools cannot adequately assess on their own.

Accessibility Remediation

Our developers, designers and content team address agreed accessibility issues in the underlying website.

Depending on the findings, remediation may include:

HTML changes;
keyboard accessibility;
focus behavior;
forms;
color contrast;
navigation;
image alternatives;
content structure;
interactive components;
responsive accessibility;
ARIA implementation;
media accessibility.

Retesting

After remediation, we retest the agreed scope to verify that identified issues have been addressed appropriately.

Ongoing Accessibility Support

Websites change.

We can also help businesses review accessibility after major website updates or through an agreed ongoing maintenance process.

Which Website Platforms Can WebyKing Help With?

Accessibility is not limited to one CMS.

WebyKing can assist with websites built using platforms and technologies such as:

WordPress;
WooCommerce;
Shopify;
custom websites;
custom web applications;
HTML/CSS/JavaScript-based websites.

The remediation approach depends on the underlying technology and how much control is available over themes, apps, plugins and third-party functionality.

Do I Need to Rebuild My Website?

Not necessarily.

Many accessibility problems can be fixed within an existing website.

For example, we may be able to correct:

contrast;
labels;
alternative text;
keyboard behavior;
focus styles;
HTML structure;
form errors;
button names;
content structure.

A rebuild may be worth considering when accessibility problems are deeply embedded in an outdated theme, framework, page builder or architecture and remediation would be inefficient.

We recommend deciding this after reviewing the website, not before.

How Much Does Website Accessibility Remediation Cost?

There is no responsible universal price for accessibility remediation without first understanding the website.

A 10-page informational website and a large e-commerce website with hundreds of products, third-party applications, customer accounts and a customized checkout do not require the same amount of work.

Cost can depend on:

website size;
platform;
number of unique templates;
custom functionality;
severity of issues;
third-party integrations;
testing scope;
required accessibility target.

This is another reason our first step is simple.

Let us check the website before asking you to buy anything.

Check My Website

How Long Does It Take to Make a Website Accessible?

It depends on what is wrong.

Some websites may have a relatively small number of issues.

Others may require changes across:

templates;
navigation;
forms;
product components;
checkout;
custom JavaScript;
content;
third-party integrations.

After an initial review, we can give you a much more meaningful assessment of the work involved.

Website Accessibility FAQs

Is WCAG 2.2 mandatory worldwide?

No. WCAG 2.2 is an international accessibility standard, not a single law that automatically applies to every website worldwide.

Individual laws, regulations, policies and contracts may reference WCAG or another accessibility standard.

Businesses should determine the specific requirements applicable to them.

What WCAG level should a website meet?

WCAG Level AA is commonly used as the practical accessibility target, but the exact version and conformance level required can depend on the applicable law, policy or contract.

For new website work where another requirement has not been specified, WCAG 2.2 Level AA is a sensible current target.

Is WCAG 2.2 the latest version?

Yes. As of September 2026, WCAG 2.2 is the latest WCAG 2 Recommendation from W3C.

W3C recommends using the latest version of WCAG when developing or updating accessibility policies.

Official source:
https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/

Does every business website legally need to meet WCAG 2.2 AA?

No.

Legal requirements vary by country, organization, service and context.

Some laws reference earlier WCAG versions or other standards.

However, WCAG 2.2 AA provides a strong current technical target for organizations seeking to improve website accessibility.

Does the European Accessibility Act apply to websites?

It can.

The EAA applies to specified products and services, and its scope includes e-commerce services.

Whether a particular business is covered depends on the service, organization and applicable exemptions or provisions.

Does the European Accessibility Act apply to small businesses?

Microenterprises providing services are exempt from the EAA’s service accessibility requirements.

Other provisions and exceptions can also affect applicability.

Businesses should verify their specific circumstances rather than relying solely on company size.

Does the ADA require websites to be accessible?

The ADA can create digital-accessibility obligations in applicable contexts.

For U.S. state and local governments under ADA Title II, the Department of Justice has established specific web and mobile-app technical requirements based on WCAG 2.1 Level AA.

Private-sector applicability involves a different legal analysis and should not be confused with the Title II web rule.

Can a WordPress website be made accessible?

Yes.

WordPress websites can be developed and remediated with accessibility in mind.

However, accessibility depends on the theme, plugins, page-builder implementation, content, custom code and third-party components—not WordPress alone.

Can a Shopify store be accessible?

Yes.

Shopify stores can be improved for accessibility, but the actual accessibility of a store depends on its theme, customizations, apps, content and third-party functionality.

Particular attention should be given to important shopping journeys such as product selection, cart and checkout.

Can an accessibility plugin make my website compliant?

A plugin or accessibility widget should not be assumed to make an entire website compliant automatically.

Some tools can provide useful accessibility functionality, but underlying design, code, content and interaction problems may still need to be fixed.

Can automated accessibility tools test everything?

No.

Automated testing is useful but cannot reliably evaluate every accessibility requirement.

A robust accessibility evaluation combines automated testing with manual evaluation and human judgment.

Do I need an accessibility statement?

That depends on the applicable requirements and your organization.

Some accessibility frameworks explicitly require covered organizations to publish accessibility statements.

Even where one is not legally required, an accessibility statement can communicate your organization’s accessibility approach, known limitations and contact method.

It should accurately reflect the website rather than simply copying a generic template.

Is an accessibility statement enough to make my website compliant?

No.

An accessibility statement describes accessibility information.

It does not fix inaccessible navigation, forms, images, checkout functionality or other barriers within the website.

Can WebyKing certify that my website is legally compliant?

Accessibility testing and remediation can help an organization work toward a defined technical accessibility standard.

However, technical accessibility work should not be represented as a guarantee of legal compliance across every jurisdiction.

Legal compliance depends on applicable law and the organization’s circumstances.

Where legal interpretation or certification is required, appropriate legal or specialist advice should also be obtained.

Website Accessibility Doesn't Have to Be Complicated

If you have reached this point, you now know that website accessibility can involve:

WCAG.

Different conformance levels.

Country-specific laws.

Automated tests.

Manual tests.

Keyboard navigation.

Screen readers.

Contrast ratios.

ARIA.

Forms.

Focus management.

And dozens of individual accessibility requirements.

But if you are a business owner, you don’t need to master all of this before taking the first step.

There is a much easier place to start.

Give Us Your Website. We'll Start With the Check.

You already have the only thing we need to begin:

Your website URL.

WebyKing will perform an initial accessibility check and help you understand whether there are issues worth addressing.

You don’t need to diagnose the website yourself.

You don’t need to choose a WCAG criterion.

You don’t need to know which accessibility solution you need.

You don’t need to commit to rebuilding your website.

Step 1

Enter your website URL.

Step 2

Give us your work email so we can send or discuss the findings.

Step 3

We’ll take it from there.

No technical knowledge required.

Important Note

This guide provides general educational information about website accessibility and selected accessibility frameworks around the world. Accessibility laws and their application vary by jurisdiction, organization, service, contract and individual circumstances.

WebyKing provides website design, development, testing and accessibility-remediation services. Information or technical accessibility reviews provided by WebyKing should not be considered legal advice, legal certification or a guarantee of compliance with every applicable law.

Where necessary, organizations should seek qualified legal advice regarding their specific obligations.

Official Accessibility Resources

Readers who want to examine the standards and regulations directly can use these primary sources:

W3C — Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2
https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/

W3C — WCAG Standards Overview
https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/

European Commission — European Accessibility Act
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/disability/european-accessibility-act-eaa_en

EUR-Lex — Directive (EU) 2019/882
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/accessibility-of-products-and-services.html

U.S. Department of Justice — ADA Web Accessibility Rule
https://www.ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/

UK Government — Accessibility Requirements
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/accessibility-requirements-for-public-sector-websites-and-apps

Accessibility Standards Canada — ICT
https://accessible.canada.ca/priority-areas-guide-our-work/information-and-communication-technologies-ict

Australian Human Rights Commission — Equal Access to Digital Goods and Services
https://humanrights.gov.au/resource-hub/by-resource-type/guidelines-and-standards/guides-and-standards-disability-rights/guidelines-equal-access-digital-goods-and-services

Government of India — Guidelines for Indian Government Websites and Apps
https://guidelines.india.gov.in/

World Health Organization — Disability and Health
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health

Ravi Makhija

I'm Ravi Makhija, Founder & CEO of WebyKing. I believe your website should be the hardest-working member of your team, building trust, generating leads, and creating opportunities 24/7. Through web design, development, SEO, and digital strategy, I help businesses build websites that become growth assets-not just digital brochures. Too many businesses invest in websites that look great but fail to deliver real business value.

Business owners deserve digital solutions that are simple, practical, and built around their goals, not unnecessary complexity. After all, your website shouldn't just represent your business; it should help grow it.