Short answer: An accessibility statement is a page that tells visitors how accessible your website is and how to get help when something doesn’t work. It names the standard you follow, how far you meet it and the known limitations, in plain words. It also says how to report a barrier, when you’ll reply and when you last reviewed it.
What an accessibility statement is
The W3C, which publishes the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), writes that accessibility statements are mainly for the people who use your content. They usually read one when they run into a problem.
A statement is not a technical assessment or a declaration of conformity. Ideally it refers to that kind of review, which makes it more credible, but its job is to tell people what to expect and how to get help.
What to include in an accessibility statement
The W3C’s free generator builds a statement from a few parts. None of its fields are required, and nothing you type is stored outside your browser.
| Part | What it covers | Sample wording |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | The guideline and level you follow | “We aim to meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA.” |
| Status | Fully, partially or not conformant, or not assessed | “Our site is partially conformant.” |
| Known limitations | What doesn’t work, why, and what to do meanwhile | “Some older videos have no captions. Write to us for a transcript.” |
| Feedback | More than one way to reach you, and when you reply | “Email or call us; we reply within two business days.” |
| Date | When you last reviewed the statement | “Reviewed on March 2, 2026.” |
| Compatibility | The browsers and assistive tools you tested with | “Tested with current Chrome and Safari and a screen reader.” |
Parts from the W3C’s accessibility statement generator, read November 4, 2026; the sample wording is ours, for a small business site.
For feedback, the W3C suggests offering more than one way to reach you and saying how long people can expect to wait for a reply.
How to write it so people can use it
Write in simple language, not the language of developers and lawyers. The W3C’s own example: instead of saying a WCAG success criterion was not met, say that videos do not have captions.
Make the statement easy to find. The W3C suggests linking it from the footer, the help menu, the sitemap and the about page, with the same link name everywhere.
How to write your accessibility statement
- Check your site against a standard, such as WCAG 2.2 Level AA, and note what fails.
- Say which standard you follow and how far you meet it.
- List the known limitations in plain words, with what people can do in the meantime.
- Give more than one way to report a barrier, and say when you will reply.
- Add the date, and review the statement at least once a year.
- Link it from the footer of every page, with the same link name.
- Use the W3C generator as a start, then edit the result to match your site.
Our accessibility checker guide covers the first step. Our ADA website compliance guide covers what US law asks of a business site.
How our own statement is built
Our accessibility statement was last updated on November 3, 2026, and it says we review it at least once a year. It names the standard we follow, WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
It has a known limitations section written in plain words. It explains how to report a barrier, promises a reply within two business days and aims to fix a confirmed barrier within 15.
On November 4, 2026, we checked all 424 pages in our sitemaps: every one links to the statement of its language from the footer.
Before you publish your statement
- It names the standard and level you follow.
- It says how far your site meets that standard.
- Known limitations are written in plain words.
- People have more than one way to report a barrier.
- It shows the date of the last review.
- Every page links to it from the footer.
RememberAn accessibility statement is for the person who has hit a barrier. Tell them what works, what doesn’t and how to reach you, in plain words.
If you want a site built with accessibility checked before launch, our web design service can build it with you.
Quick answers about accessibility statements
Is an accessibility statement required by law?
It depends on where you operate and who you are. The W3C points out that the EU Web Accessibility Directive has specific requirements for these statements. It also keeps a list of laws and policies to help you find the ones that apply to you.
Does an accessibility statement make my website compliant?
No. The W3C says accessibility statements are not technical assessments or declarations of conformity. A statement tells people what to expect and how to get help; the site itself still has to meet the standard.
Which standard should an accessibility statement name?
The one you work to. The W3C generator offers WCAG 2.2, 2.1 or 2.0 at Level AA, and it notes that the latest version is WCAG 2.2.
Where should I put my accessibility statement?
Somewhere easy to find. The W3C suggests linking it from several places, such as the footer, help menu, sitemap and about page, and using the same link name everywhere.
How often should I update an accessibility statement?
At least once a year. The W3C says the date helps people judge whether the statement is maintained, and that a statement dated more than a year ago may be considered unmaintained.
Sources
Read on November 4, 2026. W3C Web Accessibility Initiative: Developing an Accessibility Statement and Generate an Accessibility Statement. Our own case: our accessibility statement and the footer of every page in our sitemaps, read on November 4, 2026.