Accessibility law

Accessibility laws Twenty jurisdictions in depth

Which accessibility standard applies where, who it binds, what it covers, when it takes effect and what happens if you ignore it. Every fact points at a primary source, and the set was reviewed on 30 September 2026.

Jurisdictions: 20
Cover all private companies: 7
Require a statement: 14
Reviewed: 30 September 2026

Compare them WCAG 2.2 criteria Checklist

Compare

Twenty jurisdictions side by side

Each row opens a page with the scope, deadlines, enforcement, penalties and exemptions, and every source. The recommended order starts with India, then the rules that reach the most websites; sort by any column to compare. Reviewed 30 September 2026.

Recommended · start here

IN India

GIGW 3.0 → WCAG 2.1 AA · IS 17802

Government bodies and private service providers must meet the accessibility standards in rule 15 of the RPwD Rules: GIGW 3.0 (WCAG 2.1 AA) for websites and IS 17802 for ICT products and services. The Supreme Court has held digital access part of the right to life and told regulators to require WCAG 2.1 and periodic audits; SEBI-regulated firms must finish audits and fixes by 31 October 2026. Breach can bring fines under s. 89, action by the disability commissioners, or court orders, and binding ICT rules were published in draft in July 2026.

Read India's rules

Private sector: Covered
Mobile apps: Covered
Accessibility statement: Not required
Next deadline: 31 Oct 2026 SEBI's extended deadline to finish accessibility audits and fix the findings.

Jurisdiction	WCAG	Standard	Private sector	Mobile apps	Accessibility statement	Next deadline
INIndiaAsia-PacificRecommended	2.1 AA	GIGW 3.0 → WCAG 2.1 AA · IS 17802	Covered	Covered	Not required	31 Oct 2026
EUEuropean UnionEurope	2.1 AA	EN 301 549 V3.2.1 → WCAG 2.1 AA	Partly	Covered	Required	28 Jun 2027
USUnited StatesAmericas	2.1 AA	WCAG 2.1 AA (ADA Title II, HHS Section 504) — Section 508 still WCAG 2.0 AA	Partly	Covered	Required	26 Apr 2027
UKUnited KingdomEurope	2.2 AA	WCAG 2.2 AA	Covered	Covered	Required	None pending
CACanadaAmericas	2.1 AA	CAN/ASC-EN 301 549:2024 → WCAG 2.1 AA (federal, from Dec 2027) — Ontario AODA: WCAG 2.0 AA	Partly	Partly	Required	31 Dec 2026
AUAustraliaAsia-Pacific	2.2 AA	WCAG 2.2 AA for government — the DDA names no standard	Covered	Covered	Not required	None pending
JPJapanAsia-Pacific	2.0 AA	JIS X 8341-3:2016 → WCAG 2.0 AA	Partly	Partly	Not required	2027
FRFranceEurope	2.1 AA	RGAA 4.1.2 → WCAG 2.1 AA	Partly	Covered	Required	Dec 2026
DEGermanyEurope	2.1 AA	BITV 2.0 → EN 301 549 → WCAG 2.1 AA	Partly	Covered	Required	27 Jun 2030
ITItalyEurope	2.1 AA	AgID guidelines → EN 301 549 → WCAG 2.1 AA	Partly	Covered	Required	28 Jun 2030
ESSpainEurope	2.1 AA	EN 301 549 V3.2.1 → WCAG 2.1 AA	Partly	Covered	Required	28 Jun 2030
NLNetherlandsEurope	2.1 AA	EN 301 549 → WCAG 2.1 AA	Partly	Covered	Required	1 Jan 2030
IEIrelandEurope	2.1 AA	EN 301 549 V3.2.1 → WCAG 2.1 AA	Partly	Covered	Required	23 Dec 2027
NONorwayEurope	2.1 AA	EN 301 549 V3.2.1 → WCAG 2.1 AA (public); WCAG 2.0 AA less 3 criteria (private)	Covered	Covered	Required	None pending
CHSwitzerlandEurope	2.1 AA	eCH-0059 v3.0 → WCAG 2.1 AA	Partly	Covered	Required	None pending
KRSouth KoreaAsia-Pacific	Own	KWCAG 2.2 (KS X OT0003:2022)	Covered	Covered	Required	None pending
CNChinaAsia-Pacific	Own	GB/T 37668-2019 (recommended; draws on WCAG 2.0 and 2.1)	Partly	Partly	Not required	None pending
NZNew ZealandAsia-Pacific	2.2 AA	Web Accessibility Standard 1.2 → WCAG 2.2 AA	Partly	Partly	Not required	2027
BRBrazilAmericas	Own	LBI art. 63 → "international guidelines"; eMAG 3.1 for government; ABNT NBR 17225:2025 (WCAG 2.2) voluntary	Covered	Unclear	Not required	None pending
ILIsraelMiddle East & Africa	2.0 AA	IS 5568 → WCAG 2.0 AA	Covered	Covered	Required	None pending

Covered or required
Partly
Not covered or not required
Unclear
Bar: time to the next deadline, up to four years

Timeline

What is coming

21 deadlines in 12 jurisdictions after 30 September 2026, soonest first. Dates move, so check each source.

Next up: 31 Oct 2026India
Busiest day: 28 Jun 20305 jurisdictions
Still moving: 4Expected dates, not yet fixed in law

Every date at a glance

Firm date
Expected
Select a dot to jump to it

31 Oct 2026 India 31 Dec 2026 Canada Dec 2026 France 26 Apr 2027 United States 11 May 2027 United States 28 Jun 2027 European Union 5 Dec 2027 Canada 23 Dec 2027 Ireland 2027 Japan 2027 New Zealand 26 Apr 2028 United States 10 May 2028 United States 5 Dec 2028 Canada 1 Jan 2030 Netherlands 27 Jun 2030 Germany 27 Jun 2030 Netherlands 28 Jun 2030 European Union 28 Jun 2030 France 28 Jun 2030 Italy 28 Jun 2030 Spain 28 Jun 2030 Ireland

2026

3 deadlines

31 Oct

INIndia

SEBI's extended deadline to finish accessibility audits and fix the findings.

Source

31 Dec

CACanada

Ontario businesses and non-profits with 20+ employees file their three-yearly accessibility compliance report.

Source

December

FRFranceExpected

DINUM expects to publish RGAA 5 at the end of 2026, adding WCAG 2.2 and criteria for apps and office documents. Existing statements then stay valid for 18 months, within their three-year limit.

Source

2027

7 deadlines

26 Apr

USUnited States

State and local governments with a total population of 50,000 or more must meet WCAG 2.1 AA on web content and mobile apps.

Source

11 May

USUnited States

HHS funding recipients with 15 or more employees must meet WCAG 2.1 AA.

Source

28 Jun

EUEuropean Union

Latest date member states may allow for making the answering of 112 emergency calls accessible.

Source

5 Dec

CACanada

Federal public-sector bodies: new or updated web pages must conform, staff training done, and web accessibility statements published.

Source

23 Dec

IEIreland

Next three-yearly NDA monitoring report due.

Source

Date not set

2 jurisdictions

JPJapanExpected

Revised JIS X 8341-3 aligned with ISO/IEC 40500:2025 (WCAG 2.2).

Source
NZNew ZealandExpected

The Digital Accessibility Standard is expected to be published in early 2027 and to replace the Web Accessibility Standard.

Source

2028

3 deadlines

26 Apr

USUnited States

Public entities under 50,000 population and all special district governments must meet WCAG 2.1 AA.

Source

10 May

USUnited States

HHS funding recipients with fewer than 15 employees must meet WCAG 2.1 AA.

Source

5 Dec

CACanada

Businesses with 100+ employees: web pages must conform; federal bodies and businesses with 500+ employees: mobile apps, downloadable documents, statements and procurement assessments.

Source

2030

8 deadlines

1 Jan

NLNetherlandsExpected

Planned deadline for public bodies in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba; the change still awaits a royal decree to take effect.

Source

27 Jun

2 jurisdictions

DEGermany

Last day services may run on products used before 28 June 2025, and last day for older service contracts. Older self-service terminals may run up to 15 years from first use.

Source
NLNetherlands

Last day services may still be delivered with older products; service contracts from before 28 June 2025 may run at most five years from that date.

Source

28 Jun

5 jurisdictions

EUEuropean Union

Transition ends for services still run on products used before 28 June 2025, and for service contracts agreed before that date. Self-service terminals may stay in use to the end of their economic life, up to 20 years, if the member state allows it.

Source
FRFrance

Transition ends for services run on products used before 28 June 2025 and for service contracts agreed before then. Older self-service terminals may run up to 15 years from entry into service.

Source
ITItaly

Transition ends for services run on products used before 28 June 2025; service contracts agreed before then may run no longer than five years from that date.

Source
ESSpain

Transition ends for services still delivered with older products; pre-2025 service contracts may run no longer than five years from 28 June 2025.

Source
IEIreland

Transition ends for services still delivered with older products; pre-2025 service contracts may run no longer than 5 years from 28 June 2025.

Source

By standard

Which WCAG version applies

Most laws point at WCAG through a national or European standard. The version decides how many success criteria you must meet at Level A and AA; each keeps the last and adds to it.

Already expect WCAG 2.2: 3 of 20United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand
Reach WCAG through EN 301 549: 8 of 20EU · CA · DE · IT · ES · NL · IE · NO
Their own standard: 3 of 20South Korea, China, Brazil

Each version keeps the last and adds to it

In WCAG 2.0
Added in 2.1
Added in 2.2

2.2Oct 2023
55 criteria

3 jurisdictionsUnited Kingdom Australia New Zealand
2.1Jun 2018
50 criteria

12 jurisdictionsIndia European Union United States Canada France Germany Italy Spain Netherlands Ireland Norway Switzerland
2.0Dec 2008
38 criteria

2 jurisdictionsJapan Israel
Ownnational
No WCAG version named: counts differ by standard

3 jurisdictionsSouth Korea China Brazil

Success criteria at Level A and AA. WCAG 2.2 drops 4.1.1 Parsing, so it keeps 49 of 2.1's 50 and adds six. A rule can leave criteria out: Norway asks for 48 of 2.1's 50.

WCAG 2.2 Level AA

Published Oct 202355 criteria at A and AA3 jurisdictions

Adds six at A and AA: focus not obscured, dragging movements, target size, consistent help, redundant entry and accessible authentication. Drops 4.1.1 Parsing.

UK
United KingdomEurope

WCAG 2.2 AA

All 55
AU
AustraliaAsia-Pacific

WCAG 2.2 AA
For government. The Disability Discrimination Act names no standard.

All 55
NZ
New ZealandAsia-Pacific

Web Accessibility Standard 1.2WCAG 2.2 AA

All 55

WCAG 2.1 Level AA

Published Jun 201850 criteria at A and AA12 jurisdictions

Adds twelve for phones, low vision and pointers: reflow, orientation, non-text contrast, text spacing, content on hover or focus, status messages and more.

IN
IndiaAsia-PacificRecommended

GIGW 3.0WCAG 2.1 AA
Also IS 17802.

All 50
EU
European UnionEurope

EN 301 549 V3.2.1WCAG 2.1 AA

All 50
US
United StatesAmericas

WCAG 2.1 AA
ADA Title II and HHS Section 504. Section 508 is still WCAG 2.0 AA.

All 50
CA
CanadaAmericas

CAN/ASC-EN 301 549:2024WCAG 2.1 AA
Federal, from December 2027. Ontario's AODA asks for WCAG 2.0 AA.

All 50
FR
FranceEurope

RGAA 4.1.2WCAG 2.1 AA

All 50
DE
GermanyEurope

BITV 2.0EN 301 549WCAG 2.1 AA

All 50
IT
ItalyEurope

AgID guidelinesEN 301 549WCAG 2.1 AA

All 50
ES
SpainEurope

EN 301 549 V3.2.1WCAG 2.1 AA

All 50
NL
NetherlandsEurope

EN 301 549WCAG 2.1 AA

All 50
IE
IrelandEurope

EN 301 549 V3.2.1WCAG 2.1 AA

All 50
NO
NorwayEurope

EN 301 549 V3.2.1WCAG 2.1 AA
Public sector, less 1.2.3 and 1.2.4. Private sector: WCAG 2.0 AA less three criteria.

48 of 50
CH
SwitzerlandEurope

eCH-0059 v3.0WCAG 2.1 AA

All 50

WCAG 2.0 Level AA

Published Dec 200838 criteria at A and AA2 jurisdictions

The base: 25 criteria at Level A and 13 at AA. Every later version keeps them, except 4.1.1 Parsing, which 2.2 drops.

JP
JapanAsia-Pacific

JIS X 8341-3:2016WCAG 2.0 AA

All 38
IL
IsraelMiddle East & Africa

IS 5568WCAG 2.0 AA

All 38

Their own standard, or no WCAG version named

3 jurisdictions

These rules name a national standard, or no WCAG version at all. Each page says what its standard draws on.

KR
South KoreaAsia-Pacific

KWCAG 2.2
Published as KS X OT0003:2022.

Own standard
CN
ChinaAsia-Pacific

GB/T 37668-2019
Recommended, not binding. Draws on WCAG 2.0 and 2.1.

Own standard
BR
BrazilAmericas

LBI art. 63“international guidelines”
eMAG 3.1 for government. ABNT NBR 17225:2025 (WCAG 2.2) is voluntary.

Own standard

Method

How this was put together

Every fact points at a primary source. Dates move, and several moved in 2025 and 2026, so check the source before you rely on one.

Each jurisdiction was checked against its legislation site, regulator and official gazette; where only a secondary source exists, the page says so.

This is a summary to orient you, not legal advice. For a decision that matters, read the primary sources and ask a lawyer who practices there.