What Is an Accessibility Statement?
An accessibility statement is a public declaration on your website or app that explains your organization's commitment to digital accessibility, the standard you aim to meet, how well you currently meet it, and how users can report problems or request help. It is not a legal disclaimer or a marketing claim — it is a structured, factual document that gives disabled users the information they need to understand what to expect from your digital service. When written honestly, it builds trust; when written poorly or falsely, it can become evidence of bad faith in a legal complaint.
Who Is Legally Required to Publish One?
Accessibility statements are now a legal requirement for multiple categories of organizations across multiple jurisdictions. The European Accessibility Act (EAA), which entered enforcement in June 2025, requires businesses selling products or services in the EU — including non-EU companies with EU customers — to publish accessible statements for websites, apps, and digital products. The UK Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations (PSBAR) have required accessibility statements from UK public sector bodies since 2019, following a specific government-mandated format. In the United States, the Department of Justice's 2024 ADA Title II rule requires public entities to meet WCAG 2.1 AA, and while it does not explicitly mandate a statement, publishing one is strongly recommended as a demonstration of good-faith compliance.
- European Accessibility Act (EAA): Required for businesses with EU customers as of June 2025
- UK PSBAR: Required for all public sector bodies; mandated format must follow GOV.UK template
- ADA Title II (US): Strongly recommended as evidence of good-faith compliance
- Section 508: Federal agencies must publish conformance information; VPAT published at contract level
- Ontario AODA: Required accessibility policy and multi-year plan for organizations with 20+ employees
The 8 Required Elements of a Compliant Accessibility Statement
Whether you are writing for EAA, PSBAR, or voluntary best practice, effective accessibility statements share eight core elements. Missing any one of them leaves users without the information they need and may constitute a compliance gap under the applicable regulation. Work through each element carefully rather than copying boilerplate — vague or inaccurate statements can undermine your credibility and legal posture.
1. Applicable Standard and Target Conformance Level
State the specific standard you are targeting: WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the most common baseline, but some organizations target WCAG 2.2 AA. Identify the version number and level explicitly — do not just say 'we follow WCAG' without specifying which version and level, as this is too vague to be useful or verifiable.
2. Current Conformance Status
Declare whether your site is fully conformant, partially conformant, or non-conformant with the stated standard. PSBAR defines these three statuses precisely: 'fully conformant' means no failures; 'partially conformant' means some parts fail; 'non-conformant' means most of the content fails. Be accurate — overstating conformance is worse than understating it.
3. Testing Date and Methodology
State when the most recent accessibility audit was conducted and how it was performed. Describe whether testing included automated tools (and which ones), manual expert review, and user testing with assistive technology. This gives readers a basis for judging how current and rigorous your assessment was.
4. Known Limitations and Non-Accessible Content
List specific areas of the site or app that do not meet the standard, explain why (technical constraint, disproportionate burden, third-party content), and state what alternative means of access are available. Vague language like 'some content may not be accessible' is insufficient — name the specific pages, features, or content types.
5. Workarounds and Alternative Access
For each known limitation, describe the practical workaround you offer. If your PDF invoices are not accessible, state that users can call or email to receive information in an alternative format, and provide the contact details. Workarounds must be genuinely accessible and equally timely.
6. Feedback and Contact Mechanism
Provide at least one accessible way for users to report accessibility barriers or request content in an alternative format. This must be a working, monitored channel — not a generic contact form that is itself inaccessible. Many organizations provide email, phone, and a web form to ensure multiple options.
7. Formal Complaints / Escalation Process
Under EAA and PSBAR, users must be able to escalate if their feedback is not addressed satisfactorily. In the UK, public bodies must reference the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). In the EU, direct users to the relevant national market surveillance authority. In the US, reference the ability to file a complaint with the OCR or DOJ.
8. Date of Preparation and Last Review
Include the date the statement was first prepared and the date it was last reviewed or updated. Under PSBAR, statements must be reviewed at least annually. Outdated statements — particularly those that list audit dates from several years ago — are a red flag to regulators and disabled users alike.
Maintaining Your Accessibility Statement
An accessibility statement is a living document, not a one-time publication. You should update it whenever a new audit is completed, a known issue is resolved, a new known issue is identified, or a significant site redesign is deployed. At minimum, review and re-date the statement annually. Some organizations tie statement updates to their quarterly release cycles, which ensures the statement stays current without requiring a separate review process.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most damaging mistake is publishing a statement that claims full WCAG 2.1 AA conformance when the site has known failures — regulators treat this as misrepresentation, and it can accelerate enforcement. Other common errors include copying a template without customizing the known limitations section, providing a broken or unmonitored feedback email, and failing to update the statement after remediation.
- Claiming full conformance when failures are known — misrepresentation to regulators
- Using generic boilerplate with no site-specific limitations listed
- Providing a feedback email or form that is broken, unmonitored, or inaccessible
- Failing to include a preparation date or last-reviewed date
- Publishing the statement in a hard-to-find location (must be prominent and linkable from footer)
- Not referencing the correct escalation body for your jurisdiction
- Writing at a reading level that is inaccessible to users with cognitive disabilities
Arjun Mehta
Founder & Lead Accessibility Consultant
IAAP CPACC and DHS Section 508 Trusted Tester certified. 15+ years in digital product development including former accessibility program lead at two Fortune 500 financial services firms. Founded BuildWithAccess in 2019.
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