AccessProof · WooCommerce

EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) for WooCommerce sellers: do the rules apply to you?

Since 28 June 2025, EU-facing e-commerce must meet WCAG 2.1 AA and publish an accessibility statement.

Since Jun 2025 EU rules WooCommerce

How EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) works on WooCommerce

WooCommerce is self-hosted, so almost nothing is handled for you — you own the stack, the data, and therefore the compliance. That's more control and more responsibility than a hosted marketplace.

📦 On WooCommerce: Because you self-host, every EU obligation that touches data, checkout or disclosures sits with you; no marketplace is absorbing any of it.

Does this apply to you?

This rule applies to WooCommerce sellers who run an online shop that serves customers in the EU. Sell online to EU customers? Since June 2025 your site must be accessible (WCAG 2.1 AA). Not sure? The free checker tells you in about a minute — no signup.

The WooCommerce checklist

Whatever the platform handles, you still need to be able to answer "yes" to each of these — these are the points WooCommerce sellers most often get caught on:

Do meaningful images have descriptive alt text?
Fully usable by keyboard, with a visible focus ring?
Text meets 4.5:1 colour contrast?
Forms have real labels + clear errors?
Videos captioned / audio transcribed?
Proper headings + works at 200% zoom?
Tested checkout with a screen reader / keyboard?

What's at stake

⚠️ Exposure: market withdrawal + member-state fines · Status: Since Jun 2025. On WooCommerce, that's on top of any account suspension for breaking platform policy.

Compare the penalty for every rule →

Common questions

Do I have to handle eU Accessibility Act (WCAG) myself on WooCommerce, or does WooCommerce cover it?

WooCommerce gives you the storefront, but eU Accessibility Act (WCAG) compliance is the seller's responsibility — the platform doesn't do it for you. The free checker shows exactly where you stand in about a minute.

Who must comply with the European Accessibility Act?

Most businesses selling products or services online to EU consumers, since 28 June 2025. Some exemptions apply to microenterprises providing services.

What standard does the EAA require?

In practice, WCAG 2.1 level AA — covering alt text, keyboard access, colour contrast, labeled forms, captions, and proper structure.

Do I need an accessibility statement?

Yes — publish a statement describing your level of conformance and how users can report accessibility barriers.

The source

RuleGoose checks this against the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) / WCAG 2.1 AA. Read it yourself: EUR-Lex — Directive (EU) 2019/882 →

Check your WooCommerce store against EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) — free.
Answer a few questions, see exactly where you're exposed, and draft the fix. No signup, runs in your browser. Run the AccessProof checker →

or get one RuleGoose Score across every rule your WooCommerce store has to meet.

The full WooCommerce picture

EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) is one of several rules a WooCommerce store has to meet. See the full WooCommerce compliance checklist →, or read the platform-neutral EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) guide.

Same rule, other platforms

EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) on Shopify → EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) on Etsy → EU Accessibility Act (WCAG) on Amazon →

Informational only, not legal advice, and not affiliated with the EU or WooCommerce. Last reviewed 2026-06-30.