Australia doesn’t have one single “website accessibility law”. Instead, a law, a set of national guidelines, government policies and a few technical standards work together. This guide explains each one, who it applies to and what it means for your website and documents.
The short answer
For most Australian organisations, the standard to aim for is WCAG 2.2 Level AA. That is what the Australian Human Rights Commission recommends as the minimum, and it is what you are likely to be measured against if someone makes a complaint.
The law: the Disability Discrimination Act
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth), or DDA, makes it unlawful to discriminate against people with disability when providing goods, services and facilities. That includes services provided through a website, app, online form or document.
The DDA applies to businesses of every size, not-for-profits and government. It doesn’t name a technical standard, and there is no official certificate to prove you meet it. Read our plain-English guide to the DDA and why there is no such thing as DDA certification.
The national guidelines: what changed in 2025
In April 2025 the Australian Human Rights Commission published its Guidelines on equal access to digital goods and services. They replaced the Commission’s 2014 advisory notes, which pointed to the older WCAG 2.0. The new guidelines say:
- organisations should conform with WCAG 2.2 at a minimum of Level AA
- PDFs should meet the PDF/UA standard (AS ISO 14289.1), and organisations should consider more accessible formats such as web pages
- AS EN 301 549 should be used when buying or building technology
The guidelines are not a law in themselves, and following them doesn’t guarantee you won’t face a complaint. But they show what the Commission considers reasonable, which matters if a complaint goes to conciliation or court.
The technical standards
- WCAG 2.2. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are the international standard for accessible websites and apps. Level A is the minimum, Level AA is the standard most organisations aim for, and Level AAA is the highest. Read what’s new in WCAG 2.2.
- AS EN 301 549. The Australian Standard for accessible information and communications technology. It covers websites, software, hardware and documents, and is mainly used when government and large organisations buy technology. It refers to WCAG for web content.
- PDF/UA (AS ISO 14289.1). The standard for accessible PDFs. It sets out how a PDF must be tagged so screen readers can read it. Our guide on how to make an accessible PDF explains how.
Government requirements
If you are a government agency, or you supply one, the expectations are clearer:
- Australian Government: the Digital Service Standard requires agencies to make their services accessible and meet the current version of WCAG, and the Human Rights Commission recommends Level AA.
- Victoria: Victorian Government websites and digital content must meet the current version of WCAG at Level AA, which is WCAG 2.2.
- Western Australia: the WA Government’s Accessibility and Inclusivity Standard asks agencies to meet the latest version of WCAG at Level AA.
- New South Wales: NSW Government guidance sets a minimum of WCAG Level AA for websites and uses AS EN 301 549 when buying technology.
- Queensland: the Queensland Government’s digital service standard requires services to be accessible and inclusive, and its buying guidance refers to AS EN 301 549.
Requirements change, so check your own agency’s current policy. If you supply websites, documents or software to government, expect to be asked for evidence such as an audit report or a statement of conformance. Our article on building a business case for accessibility in government has more, and see how we work with government agencies.
Other rules that can apply
- NDIS providers are expected under the NDIS Practice Standards to give participants information in a format they can understand. See our guide to website accessibility for NDIS providers.
- Telecommunications providers have accessibility requirements under their industry code.
- Organisations working overseas may also need to meet other laws, such as the European Accessibility Act or the Americans with Disabilities Act. These also point to WCAG.
Who has to meet which standard?
- Businesses and not-for-profits: the DDA applies. WCAG 2.2 AA is the benchmark the Human Rights Commission recommends.
- Government agencies: the DDA plus your government’s digital standards, usually WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 Level AA.
- Suppliers to government: whatever the agency asks for in its contract, often WCAG 2.2 AA and AS EN 301 549.
- Anyone publishing PDFs: PDF/UA for the PDF, or better, an accessible web page.
Why it matters even if you’re not in government
Around 5.5 million Australians, about one in five, have disability. Add older people, people with temporary injuries and people with low literacy, and an inaccessible website shuts out a large share of your customers. Complaints can go to the Australian Human Rights Commission and from there to court, and accessible websites tend to work better for everyone, including on phones and in search engines.
What to check on your own website
- Can every part of your site be used with a keyboard alone, with no mouse?
- Do your images have useful alt text? See our alt text guide.
- Is your text contrast strong enough? See how to fix low contrast text.
- Do your forms have labels and clear error messages?
- Do your PDFs and Word documents have real structure, or just text that looks right on screen?
- Does your site hold up against all of WCAG 2.2 AA, not just the issues a scanner finds?
Our free website accessibility checklist walks you through the basics.
Want to know where you stand?
An accessibility audit tests your website against WCAG 2.2 Level AA by hand and tells you exactly what to fix. See our sample audit report, or contact us for a fixed quote.
This guide explains the general legal and technical landscape. It isn’t legal advice for your situation. If you are dealing with a complaint, speak to a lawyer.