Germany’s Accessibility Strengthening Act (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz, BFSG) has been in force since 28 June 2025 – and in 2026 it has fully arrived in practice. Market surveillance authorities are carrying out checks, waves of warning letters are doing the rounds, and many freelancers and small business owners are asking: Does my website have to be accessible? And if so, what exactly do I need to do? In this article you’ll learn who the law really applies to, which exemptions exist and how to get your WordPress website in shape with a practical checklist.
Note: This article provides a practical overview and does not constitute legal advice. If you are unsure whether your business falls under the BFSG, please consult a specialised lawyer.
What is the BFSG?
The BFSG transposes the EU’s European Accessibility Act (EAA) into German law. Its goal: people with disabilities should be able to use certain products and services without outside help. For websites, one area is particularly relevant: services in electronic commerce. This covers offers where consumers enter into a contract online – for example:
- Online shops (including small WooCommerce shops)
- Online appointment booking that concludes a contract, e.g. for courses, treatments or consultations
- Booking portals for travel, tickets or accommodation
- Subscriptions, digital products and e-books
The technical benchmark is the European standard EN 301 549, which in turn is based on WCAG 2.1 at level AA. These guidelines describe what makes a website perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.
Who is affected – and who isn’t?
Affected
Businesses that offer contracts to consumers (B2C) online. A contact form alone doesn’t turn your site into an online shop – but as soon as visitors can buy, book or subscribe to something on your website, you should take a closer look.
Exemption for micro-enterprises
There is an important exemption for services: micro-enterprises are exempt from the requirements. A micro-enterprise is a business that employs fewer than 10 people and has an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million. This means many solo self-employed people and small businesses are not covered by the law for their online shop or booking system.
Accessibility is still worth it for you: you reach more people, your website becomes easier to use for everyone – and many of the measures also improve SEO and loading speed.
Usually not affected
- Purely informational or business-card websites without online contract conclusion
- Offers aimed exclusively at businesses (B2B)
Inspections, fines and warning letters: How serious is the situation in 2026?
Enforcement is the responsibility of the joint Market Surveillance Authority of the German Federal States for the Accessibility of Products and Services (MLBF) in Magdeburg. It can raise objections, set deadlines and, in serious cases, impose fines of up to €100,000. It has been actively monitoring since early 2026.
On top of that, there are warning letters (Abmahnungen) from competitors. Several waves have been reported since the law came into force. Whether competitors are even entitled to issue warnings for BFSG violations has not yet been conclusively settled by the courts. You shouldn’t rely on that, though – a warning letter costs time, nerves and money, even if it turns out to be unjustified.
Why overlay tools are not a solution
The best-known “quick fix” are so-called accessibility overlays: a small icon that opens a toolbar with larger text, a contrast mode and a read-aloud function. Sounds convenient, but it doesn’t solve the actual problems. Missing alt text, insufficient contrast, unlabelled forms or menus that can’t be operated by keyboard all remain in the code. Some overlays even interfere with the screen readers that affected users already rely on.
In short: an overlay is no substitute for an accessible website and offers no legal certainty.
Checklist: How to make your WordPress website more accessible
The following points cover the most common barriers. It’s best to go through them page by page – starting with your homepage, your shop or booking flow, your contact form and the checkout.
1. Alt text for images
Every image that carries content needs meaningful alternative text. In WordPress you can add it directly in the media library in the “Alternative Text” field. Purely decorative images get an empty alt attribute so that screen readers skip them.
2. Sufficient contrast
Normal text needs a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 against its background, large text at least 3:1. Light grey text on a white background is the classic mistake. You can check this, for example, with the free WebAIM Contrast Checker.
3. Full keyboard operation
Test your website without a mouse: using the Tab key, you must be able to reach all links, menus, buttons and form fields in a logical order. The currently selected element must be clearly highlighted (focus outline). Watch out for mega menus, sliders and pop-ups – they are often the biggest stumbling blocks.
4. A clean heading structure
One H1 per page, with H2 and H3 below it in a logical order. Choose headings based on content, not appearance. Screen reader users jump through a page via its headings, just as others use a table of contents.
5. Forms with labels
Every input field needs a visible label – placeholder text inside the field is not enough. Error messages must be understandable and clearly state which field is affected. This applies especially to contact forms, checkout and booking forms.
6. Descriptive link text
“Click here” or “more” tell you nothing without context. Better: “Compare plans” or “Read the plugin audit guide”.
7. Declare the language correctly
The page language must be set in the HTML so that screen readers choose the correct pronunciation. WordPress does this automatically via its language setting – on multilingual websites, your translation plugin should set the correct language for each page.
8. Zoom and mobile view
It must be possible to zoom the page to 200% without content being cut off or overlapping. A clean, responsive theme is the best foundation for this.
9. Video and audio
Videos need captions, audio-only content needs a transcript. Media that plays automatically should be easy to stop.
10. Don’t forget the cookie banner
The cookie banner is often the first thing visitors see – and it, too, must be operable by keyboard and understandable for screen readers. Check whether your consent plugin supports this.
Accessibility statement and feedback option
If you fall under the BFSG, you must provide information on how your service meets the accessibility requirements. In practice, this is usually done on a dedicated “Accessibility Statement” page linked in the footer. It makes sense to include:
- a general description of your offer in plain language
- the current state of accessibility, including known limitations
- a way for users to report barriers
- a reference to the competent market surveillance authority
Free testing tools
- Lighthouse (built into Chrome): right-click, “Inspect”, “Lighthouse” tab, “Accessibility” category
- WAVE by WebAIM: a browser extension that highlights errors directly on the page
- axe DevTools: a detailed audit with explanations for every finding
- Keyboard test: put the mouse aside and go through the most important paths using only Tab, Enter and the arrow keys
Automated tools only find some of the problems. A manual keyboard test and a quick check with a screen reader (for example NVDA on Windows or VoiceOver on a Mac) are part of the process.
Frequently asked questions about the BFSG
Does my website have to be accessible if I only have a contact form?
Usually not. The BFSG targets offers where consumers conclude a contract online. A purely informational site with a contact form is normally not covered. Accessibility is still a good idea.
I run a micro-business with an online shop. Am I affected?
For services such as online sales, the micro-enterprise exemption applies: fewer than 10 employees and no more than €2 million in annual turnover or balance sheet total. However, if you sell certain products yourself that fall under the BFSG (for example e-book readers or computer hardware), separate rules apply to those products.
Is an accessibility plugin or overlay enough?
No. Overlays don’t fix the problems in the code and offer no legal certainty. Plugins can make individual tasks easier, such as checking alt text – but the real work lies in your theme, content and forms.
What should I do if I receive a warning letter?
Don’t sign or pay anything hastily. Check the deadlines, get legal advice and have it clarified whether the warning is justified. At the same time, it makes sense to fix the issues mentioned promptly.
Conclusion: Step by step instead of a quick fix
Accessibility isn’t a one-off project, it’s part of good website maintenance. If you run an online shop or booking system and don’t qualify for the micro-enterprise exemption, you should act now: publish a statement, set up a feedback channel and work through the checklist above. Everyone else benefits too – through greater reach, better usability and a solid foundation for SEO.
A fast, stable foundation makes this easier. At Servflix, your WordPress website runs on servers in Germany, with daily backups and server-side caching. Our plugin audit is also a good first step, because every unnecessary plugin is a potential barrier. Take a look at our WordPress Hosting or all plans.