Accessibility: what Germany's BFSG means for small businesses

Since 28 June 2025, the Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG, Accessibility Strengthening Act) has applied in Germany. It implements an EU directive, the European Accessibility Act. Many businesses wonder whether their website now has to be accessible. The short answer: for most small businesses it is not mandatory, but it still makes sense. This is not legal advice.

Who the law affects

The BFSG applies to certain products and services for consumers. For websites, it is mainly about services in electronic commerce, meaning offers through which consumers conclude a contract online, for example an online shop (source: §§ 1 and 2 BFSG, gesetze-im-internet.de/bfsg). Whether a pure online appointment booking also falls under it is assessed differently.

A pure information site with services, contact details and a contact form is usually not covered, because no contract with consumers is concluded through it.

The exemption for micro-enterprises

Micro-enterprises that provide services are exempt from the BFSG (§ 3(3) BFSG). Under the law, a micro-enterprise has fewer than ten employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than 2 million euros. Many trades businesses, salons and practices fall outside the law for this reason alone.

The exemption applies to services. Different rules apply to products covered by the law.

Why it is worth it anyway

• At the end of 2023, around 7.9 million people with a severe disability lived in Germany (source: Federal Statistical Office, press release of June 2024). Add older people with poorer eyesight and everyone who has to read their phone in bright sunlight.
• Much of what makes a site accessible improves usability for everyone and also helps search engines: clear headings, alternative texts for images, easily readable contrast.
• If you later add a shop or online booking, or your business grows, you are already prepared.

The most important basics

The standard for accessible websites is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) of the W3C. These points help to get started:

• Enough contrast between text and background. For normal text, WCAG requires at least 4.5 to 1.
• Alternative texts for all images that show content.
• A clean heading structure with exactly one main heading.
• Everything can be operated with the keyboard, and you can see where you are.
• Form fields with labels, not just grey placeholder text.
• Link texts that make sense on their own instead of "click here".
• Text can be enlarged without the page falling apart.

You can check a lot for free, for example with Lighthouse in Chrome's developer tools (the "Accessibility" section) or with WAVE (wave.webaim.org). Automated tests do not find everything, though. A short test using only the keyboard belongs in every check.

Frequently asked questions

Is an accessibility plugin enough?

So-called overlays use a script to show a bar with font size and contrast switches. They usually do not fix the actual problems in the code, which is why experts advise against them. A site that is built cleanly from the ground up is better.

Do I have to rebuild my existing site immediately?

If you fall under the exemption or only have an information site, the BFSG does not force you to. With the next redesign, though, it is worth including the basics above.