Web Accessibility Laws & Policies
This page lists governmental policies related to web accessibility, although it is not a comprehensive or definitive listing. We welcome additions or corrections to these listings via the submission form.
The information on this page is not legal advice. If you have questions about the applicability of the policies to specific situations, please consult legal authorities for the appropriate jurisdiction.
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
Filter policies to show:
| Country / Region | Name | Date Enacted | Type (policy, law, legislation, etc.) | Scope | Web Only | WCAG Version Based On |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Canada | Canadian Human Rights Act | 1985 | Non-discrimination law | Public sector, Private sector | no | None |
| Canada | Policy on Communications and Federal Identity | 2016 | Mandatory policy | Government | no | WCAG 2.0 |
| 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 |
| Denmark (Danmark) | Agreement on the use of open standards for software in the public sector | 2007 | Mandatory policy | Public sector | yes | WCAG 2.0 |
| European Union | Web and Mobile Accessibility Directive | 2016 | Accessibility law | Public sector | no | WCAG 2.0 |
| European Union | European Accessibility Act (proposed) | draft | Proposed 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Japan (日本国) | Basic Act on the Formation of an Advanced Information and Telecommunications Network Society | 2000 | Accessibility law | Public sector, Private sector | no | None |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Republic of Korea (대한민국) | Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities | 2008 | Non-discrimination law | Public sector, Private sector | no | WCAG 2.0 derivative |
| Sweden (Sverige) | Discrimination Act (2008:567) | 2008 | Non-discrimination law | Public sector, Private 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 2.0 | 2017 | Mandatory policy | Public sector | yes | WCAG 2.0 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 |