Official Sync:2026-03-15

Germany: Accessibility Law

BFSG

Compliance Summary

Enforcement Body

BMAS

Penalty Structure

Up to €100,000

Compliance Deadline

2025-06-28

Cure Period

3 months (§ 12 BFSG)

Verbatim Law Details

"Das Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz (BFSG) vom 22. Juli 2021, zuletzt geändert durch Artikel 16 des Gesetzes vom 12. Juli 2024, sieht in § 14 Bußgelder von bis zu 100.000 Euro vor. Die Marktüberwachungsbehörde ist die Bundesnetzagentur für Telekommunikation und die zuständige Landesbehörden für Produkte."

Key Articles

  • §

    § 1 (Scope)

    Defines which products and services fall under German accessibility law — the broadest scope in the EU, explicitly listing ATMs, ticketing machines, and consumer terminals.

    EAA Directive, Article 2
  • §

    § 2 (Definitions)

    Key legal definitions: economic operator, product, service, person with disability, assistive technology. Forms the interpretive foundation for all obligations.

    EAA Directive, Article 3
  • §

    § 3 (Accessibility requirements)

    The technical accessibility standard — products and services must be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. References harmonised European standards.

    EAA Directive, Article 4
  • §

    § 12 (Obligations)

    Duties for all economic operators in the supply chain: manufacturers, importers, distributors, and service providers each have specific compliance responsibilities.

    EAA Directive, Article 7
  • §

    § 14 (Fines — up to €100,000)

    Administrative fines up to €100,000 for non-compliance. Bundesnetzagentur enforces for telecoms; Länder authorities handle product categories.

    EAA Directive, Article 30

Sectors in Scope

BankingE-commerceTransportTelephonye-BooksAudiovisualATMsTicketing machines

Exemptions

Microenterprises (fewer than 10 staff, annual turnover ≤ €2M) providing services are exempt. Products placed on market before 28 June 2025 may be sold until 28 June 2030.

Compliance Notes

Germany has strong market surveillance capacity. BMAS coordinates nationally; Länder authorities handle product categories. Key test: does the product/service qualify under Annex I of the EAA?

Important Legal Disclaimer

This tool is a self-assessment aid only and does not constitute legal advice or a formally certified compliance assessment. Outputs, including reports, scores, checklists, and accessibility statements, are for internal use and should be reviewed by a qualified legal representative or independent accessibility auditor before being relied upon for regulatory, procurement, or public-disclosure purposes. All assessment risk lies with the internal assessor. accessibilityref, its developers, and staff accept zero liability for losses arising from use of or reliance on these outputs. Always verify against official sources: the W3C WCAG 2.2 Recommendation, the European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882), and your national enforcement authority.