Accessibility / BFSG 2025
BFSG for online shops: what shop owners need to know now
Online shops are explicitly among the services covered by the BFSG. This guide shows the typical barriers in a shop, what the law means for you and how to check your shop in a few minutes.
01 Background
Why the BFSG applies to your shop
The Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) has applied since 28 June 2025. Online shops are expressly among the services in electronic commerce that fall within its scope. The technical benchmark is WCAG 2.1 AA, via the European standard EN 301 549. This guide gives you an initial orientation and is not legal advice.
02 Typical barriers
Common barriers in a shop
Many shops fail on the same recurring issues. These are the barriers our instant check finds most often:
03 What this means for you
What this means for you
These are general risk notes, not legal advice. They help you gauge what non-compliance can entail.
Enforcement and risk
Compliance is monitored by the market surveillance authorities of the federal states. Breaches can lead to complaints, orders and fines, and may also trigger competition-law warnings from competitors.
Microenterprise exemption
For services, microenterprises are exempt: fewer than 10 employees and no more than 2 million euros in annual turnover or balance sheet total. Both criteria must be met. This is a rough pointer, not a legal assessment.
Whether an exemption applies in your specific case should be assessed professionally.
Not sure whether the BFSG applies to you? Read our guide on who is affected.
04 Next steps
Check your shop in three steps
Run the free instant check
Enter your shop address and see in seconds where your shop meets WCAG 2.1 AA and where it falls short.
Fix issues by priority
Work through the findings in order of impact, starting with the barriers that affect the most customers and the checkout.
Publish an accessibility statement
Provide an accessibility statement describing the state of accessibility and how customers can report barriers.
Next step: read our guide on the accessibility statement and its mandatory content.
Run a medical practice? Read our dedicated guide on the BFSG for medical practices.
05 Frequently asked
Questions about the BFSG for shops
Does the BFSG apply to my shop?
Online shops are expressly among the services in electronic commerce covered by the BFSG. Microenterprises may be exempt for services (fewer than 10 employees and no more than 2 million euros turnover or balance sheet total). Whether you are specifically affected should be assessed case by case.
Is an accessibility overlay enough?
No. Accessibility overlays do not solve the problem. They sit on top of your shop and cannot reliably fix underlying barriers such as missing labels, poor contrast or keyboard traps; in some cases they make things worse. Real accessibility has to be built into the shop itself.
How quickly can I check my shop?
The free instant check runs in seconds without sign-up and shows where your shop meets the requirements and where it does not. It offers automated guidance and does not replace a manual audit.
Check your shop now
Run the free instant check and see in seconds where your shop stands on accessibility.
More about the BFSG instant check
This guide provides orientation and does not replace legal advice.