Standards
WCAG levels A, AA and AAA explained
WCAG AA: levels A, AA and AAA explained
WCAG classify their success criteria into three conformance levels. Knowing which one concerns you avoids aiming too low or too high.
Level A: the minimum
Level A covers the most blocking obstacles. It is an indispensable baseline, but insufficient on its own for most legal obligations.
Level AA: the legal target
Level AA adds essential requirements such as colour contrast and fully usable navigation. It is the level chosen by the European Accessibility Act through the EN 301 549 standard, and by nearly all regulations.
Level AAA: the most demanding
Level AAA aims for maximum accessibility. It is generally not required across a whole site, because some criteria are not achievable for all content types.
In practice, targeting WCAG 2.2 level AA is the right objective for compliance.
Frequently asked questions
Which WCAG level do laws require?
Level AA is the reference of the legal frameworks: the EN 301 549 standard, referenced by the European Accessibility Act, mirrors WCAG level AA criteria.
Does AA conformance include level A?
Yes. Conforming at level AA means meeting every level A criterion plus every level AA criterion.
Should you aim for level AAA?
AAA is a reinforced level, not the general reference: some of its criteria do not even apply to all content. Seriously reaching level AA comes first.
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