EN 301 549 for WordPress 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 WordPress WCAG 2.2 checker as well to cover version 4.1.1.
On WordPress 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.
| Applies through | European Accessibility Act, Web Accessibility Directive |
|---|---|
| Web requirements | WCAG 2.1 AA (V3.2.1), WCAG 2.2 AA (V4.1.1) |
| EAA applies since | June 28, 2025 |
| Microenterprise exemption | Service providers with under 10 staff and €2M or less |
| Automated rules in this scan | 62 |
Who Should Run the WordPress EN 301 549 Checker
- WordPress businesses that sell products or services to consumers in the EU.
- Public sector bodies in the EU running a site on WordPress.
- 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 WordPress
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1.4.10 Reflow
Pages must reflow on a narrow screen without scrolling in two directions.
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1.4.11 Non-text Contrast
Controls, icons and focus indicators need 3:1 contrast.
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3.1.1 Language of Page
Each page must declare its language, which matters on multilingual EU sites.
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3.3.2 Labels or Instructions
Form fields, including checkout and consent forms, need visible labels or instructions.
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4.1.2 Name, Role, Value
Custom controls such as cookie consent switches need a name, role and state.
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4.1.3 Status Messages
Status messages, such as cart updates and form errors, must be announced.
Where WordPress Sites Usually Fail EN 301 549
These problems come up again and again on WordPress sites, and each one fails EN 301 549. The WordPress accessibility checker explains how to fix them in WordPress.
- Page builder markup. Elementor, Divi and WPBakery generate deeply nested, non-semantic divs and often style text to look like a heading without using a real heading tag, so screen readers cannot find the page structure.
- Contact form errors. Contact Form 7 and similar plugins frequently ship with missing field labels or error messages that are not announced to screen readers when a submission fails.
- WooCommerce galleries and carts. Product image galleries and cart interactions commonly trap keyboard focus, blocking anyone who cannot use a mouse from completing a purchase.
- Cookie banners. Consent banners are a common source of keyboard traps, especially when they load after the page and grab focus without a way to close them by keyboard.
- Decorative icons and sliders. Icon fonts and image sliders frequently expose decorative graphics to screen readers as unlabeled content, and carousels often ignore focus and pause controls.
Worried about ADA claims as well? The WordPress ADA compliance checker covers the WordPress risks behind most complaints.
What to Test by Hand on WordPress
Automated testing finds many, but not all, EN 301 549 failures. Check these yourself after the scan:
- Check every language version, including the page language setting (3.1.1).
- Test the cookie consent banner with a keyboard and screen reader.
- Publish accessibility information for your service, as the EAA requires.
- Rescan after each fix. Continuous monitoring rescans up to 500 URLs per domain daily and keeps a dated record in the Compliance Vault.
Related Guides
WordPress EN 301 549 Checker: Frequently Asked Questions
Does EN 301 549 apply to my WordPress site?
If you sell to consumers in the EU, the European Accessibility Act applies, and EN 301 549 is how conformance is measured. Microenterprises providing services are exempt. EU public sector sites are covered by the Web Accessibility Directive.
Which WCAG version does EN 301 549 use?
Version 3.2.1 uses WCAG 2.1 AA. Version 4.1.1, published in September 2026, uses WCAG 2.2 AA. Testing to WCAG 2.2 AA covers both.
Does this scan cover all of EN 301 549?
No. It tests the automated web requirements. EN 301 549 also covers documents, software, support and hardware, and many web requirements need manual testing.
Sources
- ETSI: EN 301 549 V3.2.1 (2021-03) (opens in a new tab)
- National Disability Authority (Ireland): EN 301 549 V4.1.1 published (opens in a new tab)
- EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2019/882, the European Accessibility Act (opens in a new tab)
- EUR-Lex: Directive (EU) 2016/2102, the Web Accessibility Directive (opens in a new tab)
This page explains general accessibility patterns for WordPress sites and is not legal advice. AccessBell is not affiliated with WordPress. WordPress and its logo are trademarks of their owners and are used only to identify the platform. See our disclaimer.
