Accessible websites can be used by everyone – including people with visual, hearing, motor or cognitive impairments. In Germany accessibility has become a legal requirement for many businesses.
This article is general information, not legal advice.
The legal background
The Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) implements the European Accessibility Act and applies since June 2025. It covers many consumer-facing digital services, in particular e-commerce and online services for consumers. Very small businesses (micro-enterprises) offering services are generally exempt, but accessibility is good practice for everyone. Public-sector websites have had similar obligations for longer.
WCAG – the technical standard
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) define success criteria in four principles:
- Perceivable: text alternatives for images, captions for videos, sufficient contrast.
- Operable: everything works with a keyboard, enough time, no flashing content.
- Understandable: clear language, predictable navigation, helpful error messages.
- Robust: clean code that works with assistive technologies like screen readers.
Level AA is the usual target.
Practical checklist
- Alt texts for meaningful images
- Colour contrast of at least 4.5:1 for normal text
- Logical heading structure (H1, H2, H3)
- Visible focus states and full keyboard navigation
- Form fields with labels and clear error messages
- Captions and transcripts for videos
- Text that can be zoomed to 200% without breaking the layout
- Accessible cookie banners and pop-ups
- An accessibility statement where required
Testing
Automated tools (Lighthouse, axe) find many issues, but not all. Manual testing with keyboard and screen readers (NVDA, VoiceOver) is essential.
Benefits beyond compliance
Accessible sites reach more customers, rank better (clean structure helps SEO) and are easier for everyone to use – for example on a phone in bright sunlight.
We build new websites with accessibility in mind and can audit and improve existing sites.