Accessible website: what applies to your business?

Many business owners have heard that "there are new requirements for websites" but don't know whether they apply to them. Here we try to sort it out as simply as we can, and then give you a checklist that's worth going through whatever the law says, because a website more people can use also gets more customers.

This is a general overview, not legal advice. If you're unsure whether the law applies to you, contact the supervisory authority or a lawyer.

What applies?

Sweden has implemented the EU's Accessibility Directive through the Act (2023:254) on the accessibility of certain products and services. The requirements began to apply on 28 June 2025. The Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) coordinates supervision, while several authorities are responsible for different areas.

The important thing to understand is that the law doesn't apply to "all websites". It applies to certain products and services. According to PTS these are mainly:

• e-commerce,
• electronic communications,
• banking and payment services,
• passenger transport,
• e-books,
• audiovisual media services.

An ordinary information site for a business, showing what you do and how to contact you, isn't on that list. If you have a web shop where customers buy goods or services, though, the law often applies to your digital sales channels.

Are there exemptions?

Yes. Services provided by microenterprises aren't covered by the requirements. That means businesses with fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than 2 million euro. There is also scope for exemption if the requirements would impose a disproportionate burden or fundamentally change the nature of the service.

If you're unsure whether you're a microenterprise and whether your service is covered, PTS can be reached at tillganglighetslagen@pts.se.

And the public sector?

Municipalities, regions, authorities and certain other organisations already have their own requirements under the Act on accessibility to digital public service, often called the DOS Act. So if you build or buy a website for a public body, different rules apply than for a private business.

Even if the law doesn't apply to you: why bother?

• More people can use your website. Older visitors, people with reduced vision or motor control, and anyone using a phone in bright light.
• It's often the same things that make a site better for everyone. Clear headings, readable text and simple forms also help search engines and make more people finish what they came to do.
• The requirements may apply to you later, for example if you start selling online.

Ten things you can check yourself

The international guidelines WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), usually level AA, are commonly used as the yardstick in practice. You don't need to know them by heart. Start with this:

1. Contrast. Text should stand out from the background. Light grey text on white is a common pitfall. A free contrast checker will tell you whether your text meets level AA (4.5:1 for regular text).
2. Text size. Can the text be enlarged to 200% without content disappearing or falling off the screen?
3. The keyboard. Press the Tab key repeatedly. Can you reach every link, button and form, in a logical order?
4. Visible focus. Is it clear where you are when you move between elements with the keyboard?
5. Images. Do informative images have a short alt text describing what they show? Purely decorative images should have empty alt text.
6. Headings. Is the page built with real headings in the right order, so a screen reader can jump between sections?
7. Forms. Does each field have a visible label, and are error messages clear and do they explain how to fix the problem?
8. Link text. Does the link say where it leads? "Read more" and "click here" are rarely enough.
9. Colour as the only signal. Does anything depend on seeing the difference between red and green? Add text or a symbol.
10. Video and audio. Is there captioning on film, and does nothing start playing sound by itself?

If you answer no to some of these, you've found concrete improvements. Many of them are also easy to fix.

How we work with accessibility

For us, accessibility is a starting point, not an add-on. Many of our clients are older or non-technical, and then clarity matters more than anything. When we build websites we aim for WCAG from the first sketch: contrast is chosen from the start, keyboard navigation is tested and animations respect the reduced-motion setting. What we build reflects our judgement of good practice, and we don't give a legal guarantee that any particular website meets the law. Read more about web development with us.

For more on what's worth investing in for web design, see Web design in 2026: what matters and trends you can skip.

Frequently asked questions

Does my business website have to be accessible by law?

It depends on what you offer. According to PTS, e-commerce is among the services covered, but an ordinary information site isn't, and microenterprises are exempt. Check with PTS if you're unsure.

What is WCAG?

International guidelines for making web content accessible to more people. They come in levels A, AA and AAA, and level AA is the one most often used as a target.

Can you review our website?

Yes. We can go through your current website and show which shortcomings are most important to fix first.

Want to know how your website measures up?

Book a free consultation and we'll go through it together.