WCAG compliant means a web page meets every success criterion of a conformance level. In the EU the usual yardstick is WCAG 2.1 Level AA, which EN 301 549 v3.2.1 incorporates for web content. WCAG 2.2 Level AA is that bar plus six newer criteria, minus one retired criterion, 4.1.1 Parsing.
No scan, badge or overlay certifies a website as compliant. The duty sits with the service provider, and a scan is evidence of where you stand, not a verdict. Below: the three levels, what changed in 2.2, what the EU references, and how to check your own site.
The three levels: A, AA and AAA
WCAG sorts its success criteria into three levels, and each level includes the ones below it. Level AA is the one websites are measured against in practice; Level AAA is not meant as a target for whole sites.
| Level | What it requires | Example criterion |
|---|---|---|
| A | All Level A success criteria. The minimum level. | 1.1.1 Non-text Content: images carry a text alternative. |
| AA | All Level A and Level AA success criteria. The level EN 301 549 incorporates for web content. | 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum): body text reaches a 4.5:1 contrast ratio. |
| AAA | All Level A, AA and AAA success criteria. | 1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced): body text reaches 7:1. |
W3C itself advises against AAA as a blanket rule: “It is not recommended that Level AAA conformance be required as a general policy for entire sites”, because some content cannot meet every AAA criterion (WCAG 2.2, section 5.2.1).
WCAG 2.1 vs 2.2: what changed
WCAG 2.2 keeps every WCAG 2.1 criterion except one, removes 4.1.1 Parsing as obsolete, and adds nine new success criteria. W3C published it as a Recommendation on 5 October 2023, and states that content conforming to WCAG 2.2 also conforms to WCAG 2.0 and WCAG 2.1 (W3C, What’s New in WCAG 2.2).
| New in 2.2 | Level |
|---|---|
| 3.2.6 Consistent Help | A |
| 3.3.7 Redundant Entry | A |
| 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) | AA |
| 2.5.7 Dragging Movements | AA |
| 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) | AA |
| 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) | AA |
| 2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) | AAA |
| 2.4.13 Focus Appearance | AAA |
| 3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) | AAA |
So WCAG 2.2 Level AA is WCAG 2.1 Level AA, without 4.1.1 Parsing, plus the six new criteria at A and AA. Our automated check measures WCAG 2.1 A and AA and adds one 2.2 rule, target size. The other new criteria are not part of it.
Which version the EU asks for
The European Accessibility Act, Directive (EU) 2019/882, applies since 28 June 2025. It states accessibility requirements in its own words, and each country transposes it into national law: the BFSG in Germany, the BaFG in Austria, zákon č. 424/2023 Sb. in Czechia, the ustawa z 26 kwietnia 2024 in Poland and zákon č. 351/2022 Z. z. in Slovakia.
The technical standard referenced in practice is EN 301 549. Version 3.2.1 incorporates WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA for web content, which is why WCAG 2.1 AA is the usual yardstick. Version 3.2.1 is cited in the Official Journal under the Web Accessibility Directive for public sector bodies, Directive (EU) 2016/2102, through Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1339. No version of EN 301 549 is cited in the Official Journal under the EAA. ETSI published version 4.1.1, which tracks WCAG 2.2, in September 2026; it is not cited under the EAA either.
In short: WCAG 2.1 AA is the level sites are usually tested against today. Building to WCAG 2.2 AA meets it too, because 2.2 content also conforms to 2.1.
What “compliant” means legally
No scan, badge or overlay widget makes a site compliant, and no Inkluso report does either. Under the EAA the duty sits with the service provider (Article 13 of Directive (EU) 2019/882), under the national act that applies to it. Start with the national act of each country where you offer your service to consumers, not with the language of your site: a shop selling to consumers in Austria looks at the Austrian BaFG, a shop selling to consumers in Germany looks at the German BFSG, and a shop selling in both checks both. Where your company is based can matter too; for a cross-border case, ask a lawyer which acts bind you.
If an authority or a customer asks, be ready to show dated test results, a published accessibility statement and a record of what you fixed. The EAA exempts micro-enterprises providing services (Article 4(5): fewer than 10 persons and no more than EUR 2 million turnover or balance sheet total; there is no exemption for products) and allows two defences, disproportionate burden and fundamental alteration. Both defences must be documented.
How to check your site
- Run an automated check. Our free website accessibility checker tests a page against WCAG 2.1 AA with axe-core. No signup, no card.
- Review the rest by hand. Automated testing catches roughly 30 to 40 percent of WCAG success criteria. The rest needs a human: keyboard use, whether alt text describes the image, reading order, captions, form errors.
- Publish an accessibility statement. The accessibility statement generator drafts one from the facts you enter. Review it before you publish.
- Re-test after every change. A clean result today says nothing about next month’s release.
FAQ
What does WCAG compliant mean?
A web page is WCAG compliant at a level when it meets every success criterion of that level, plus the levels below it. Level AA means all Level A and Level AA criteria. In the EU, WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the usual yardstick, because EN 301 549 v3.2.1 incorporates it for web content.
What is WCAG 2.2 Level AA?
It is WCAG 2.1 Level AA plus six newer criteria: Consistent Help and Redundant Entry at Level A, and Focus Not Obscured (Minimum), Dragging Movements, Target Size (Minimum) and Accessible Authentication (Minimum) at Level AA. WCAG 2.2 also removes 4.1.1 Parsing. W3C published it as a Recommendation on 5 October 2023.
Does the EU require WCAG 2.1 AA or WCAG 2.2 AA?
The European Accessibility Act states its own accessibility requirements and the national acts transpose them. The technical yardstick used in practice is EN 301 549; version 3.2.1 incorporates WCAG 2.1 AA for web content. Version 4.1.1, which tracks WCAG 2.2, was published by ETSI in September 2026. No version of EN 301 549 is cited in the Official Journal under the EAA. A page that meets WCAG 2.2 AA also meets WCAG 2.1 AA.
Can a tool certify my website as WCAG compliant?
No. No tool certifies you: not a scan, not a badge, not an overlay widget. The service provider carries the duty under the national law that applies to it. Automated testing catches roughly 30 to 40 percent of WCAG success criteria; the rest needs a human. A scan is evidence of where you stand, not a verdict.
How do I check whether my website is WCAG compliant?
Run an automated check on your key pages first, for example our free website accessibility checker, which tests a page against WCAG 2.1 AA. Then review the rest by hand: keyboard use, whether alt text describes the image, reading order, captions, and form errors. Fix, re-test, and record what you did.
Sources
- W3C, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, conformance levels: https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/#cc1
- W3C, What’s New in WCAG 2.2: https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/new-in-22/
- Directive (EU) 2019/882 (European Accessibility Act): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32019L0882
- Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/1339: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/1339/oj
- European Commission, harmonised standards index (checked 15 October 2026): https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/single-market/goods/european-standards/harmonised-standards_en
See where your site stands
The free check tests one page against WCAG 2.1 AA and shows the first findings with the matching reference.
This article is informational and does not constitute legal advice. An Inkluso report is a dated record of an automated scan, not a certification and not legal advice. Automated testing catches roughly 30 to 40 percent of WCAG success criteria. The rest needs a human. Legal references and deadlines are mapped from primary sources and dated. They are simplified for guidance and are not a substitute for the official text. Verify the current position before acting.