Drupal EN 301 549 Checker

EN 301 549 for Drupal Sites

EN 301 549 is the European standard for accessible information and communication technology. For websites, its clause 9 reuses WCAG: version 3.2.1 uses WCAG 2.1 Level AA, and version 4.1.1, published in September 2026 for the European Accessibility Act, uses WCAG 2.2 Level AA.

The European Accessibility Act has applied to e-commerce and other consumer services since June 28, 2025, wherever the business is based. This checker runs the scan with the EN 301 549 preset, which tests the WCAG 2.1 AA web requirements. Run the Drupal WCAG 2.2 checker as well to cover version 4.1.1.

On Drupal sites run by EU public bodies or businesses, EN 301 549 covers the theme, plugins, PDFs and each language version. Cookie consent banners and language switchers are frequent sources of failures.

Who Should Run the Drupal EN 301 549 Checker

• Drupal businesses that sell products or services to consumers in the EU.
• Public sector bodies in the EU running a site on Drupal.
• Vendors selling software or services to EU public bodies.
• Non-EU companies with EU customers, since the EAA follows the customer.

EN 301 549 Requirements to Check on Drupal

• 1.4.10 Reflow

  Pages must reflow on a narrow screen without scrolling in two directions.

• 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast

  Controls, icons and focus indicators need 3:1 contrast.

• 3.1.1 Language of Page

  Each page must declare its language, which matters on multilingual EU sites.

• 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions

  Form fields, including checkout and consent forms, need visible labels or instructions.

• 4.1.2 Name, Role, Value

  Custom controls such as cookie consent switches need a name, role and state.

• 4.1.3 Status Messages

  Status messages, such as cart updates and form errors, must be announced.

Where Drupal Sites Usually Fail EN 301 549

These problems come up again and again on Drupal sites, and each one fails EN 301 549. The Drupal accessibility checker explains how to fix them in Drupal.

• Custom theme markup. Twig overrides that replace core templates can drop landmarks, heading levels, skip links or ARIA attributes that core would have added.
• Views output. Views tables, grids and exposed filters are generated from configuration, so a table can lack header cells and a filter form can lack labels without any code being wrong.
• Layout Builder and Paragraphs. Flexible page assembly makes it easy to put headings out of order, repeat identical link text such as "Read more" and use images with no alt text.
• Webform fields. Complex forms with conditional fields, multi-page steps and custom error messages often hide labels visually, or change fields without telling assistive technology.
• Rich text and media content. Editors using CKEditor can bold text instead of making a heading, paste inline styles that reduce contrast, or embed media without alt text.

Worried about ADA claims as well? The Drupal ADA compliance checker covers the Drupal risks behind most complaints.

What to Test by Hand on Drupal

Automated testing finds many, but not all, EN 301 549 failures. Check these yourself after the scan:

1. Check every language version, including the page language setting (3.1.1).
2. Test the cookie consent banner with a keyboard and screen reader.
3. Publish accessibility information for your service, as the EAA requires.
4. Rescan after each fix. Continuous monitoring rescans up to 500 URLs per domain daily and keeps a dated record in the Compliance Vault.

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Related Guides

• EN 301 549 CheckerThe EN 301 549 standard in full, for any website.
• WCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence explained simply: why reading order matters, how CSS and layout tables break it, how to fix it and how to test your pages.
• WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions Explained in Plain EnglishWCAG 3.3.2 Labels or Instructions explained simply: visible labels, format hints, grouped fields and required markers, with code examples and a test routine.
• ADA Website Accessibility – How to Use AccessBell to Help Avoid LawsuitsADA website accessibility explained: who the ADA covers, whether websites count, the WCAG standard, and how AccessBell helps you find and fix issues behind lawsuits.
• WCAG Success Criteria LibraryLook up any criterion the scan flags, in plain language.

Drupal EN 301 549 Checker: Frequently Asked Questions