Who has to comply
Public-sector sites and apps under RGAA since 2005; private-sector services covered by Article 47 of Loi 2005-102 as amended by the 2023 EAA transposition law.
France is one of the largest consumer markets in the EU and, thanks to Loi du 9 mars 2023, one of the strictest on sanctions. A non-EU seller shipping into France is caught by the country-of-consumption rule the same way a French provider is, and France's fixed €25,000 penalty for simply failing to publish a compliant accessibility statement means a foreign store can be sanctioned on a paperwork gap alone, before any deep technical audit. If your French-facing site prices in euros and delivers to French addresses, plan for the RGAA declaration and score, not just a WCAG pass.
What the law actually requires
RGAA sets the technical bar at WCAG 2.1 Level AA via RGAA 4.1. On top of it, RGAA + Loi du 9 mars 2023 lists these operational duties:
- Compliance with RGAA (currently version 4.1, aligned with WCAG 2.1 AA)
- Public accessibility declaration with a measured conformance score
- Multi-year accessibility action plan published online
- Annual update of the action plan
- Designated accessibility contact and feedback mechanism
Penalties and how enforcement actually works
Up to 4% of total annual turnover for serious or repeated non-compliance; €25,000 fixed penalty for missing accessibility statement.
France splits enforcement across two bodies with distinct remits: the DGCCRF, the consumer-protection directorate that already runs market sweeps and can levy the turnover-linked fines, and ARCOM for audiovisual and media services. The DGCCRF is an active, sweep-capable regulator rather than a purely complaint-driven one, and France's system is unusual in mandating a published conformance percentage under RGAA, so an incorrect or missing score is itself a citable breach. Expect a formal mise en demeure giving a remediation window before financial penalties escalate.
Public-sector obligations
France also has a separate public-sector law: Article 47 of Loi 2005-102 — public-sector accessibility since 2005, audited via RGAA criteria. It predates the EAA and remains in force for government and public-funded sites. Public bodies must publish a conformance statement and re-audit periodically.
Reading the RGAA at the source
The law is cited as Référentiel général d'amélioration de l'accessibilité (RGAA + Loi du 9 mars 2023). Enforcement: DGCCRF (consumer protection) and ARCOM. Key date: 28 June 2025 (private), already enforced for public sector. For the exact wording, read the official reference for France listed under Sources below.
Sources
- RGAA 4.1 (DINUM)
- European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019/882) · European Commission
Links checked 12 October 2026. Not legal advice. Methodology · About Certvo
Frequently asked questions
Is RGAA the same as WCAG?
RGAA is the French national methodology — it incorporates all 78 WCAG 2.1 success criteria and adds detailed test procedures for each.
How is conformance measured?
RGAA mandates a percentage score: passed criteria divided by applicable criteria. Sites must publish this score on their accessibility page.