RGAA (Référentiel Général d'Amélioration de l'Accessibilité) is France's official web accessibility standard. Maintained by DINUM, it provides a French-language operational transposition of WCAG 2.1 AA with 106 criteria and detailed test procedures. RGAA 4.1.2 is the current version as of 2023. Unlike WCAG, RGAA includes prescriptive test conditions that make auditor judgments more consistent across French public sector projects.

Who must comply with RGAA in 2026?

In 2026, RGAA compliance is mandatory for: (1) all French public sector bodies without exception; (2) private companies generating more than €250 million annual revenue from French operations, following the 2023 ordinance. Online platforms and apps targeting French users from any country must also comply if they fall in scope. Arcom (formerly CSA) is the supervisory authority since 2023 and can impose fines of up to €20,000 per non-compliant service per year.

How do I publish an RGAA accessibility statement (déclaration d'accessibilité)?

The RGAA accessibility statement must: declare the conformance level (fully / partially / non-conformant) based on a formal audit; list non-accessible content with justification; provide contact information for reporting issues; mention recourse mechanisms (Défenseur des droits). It must be publicly accessible from every page, typically via the footer. DINUM provides a statement generator on accessibilite.numerique.gouv.fr. The statement must be updated at least annually or after significant site changes.

What penalties apply for RGAA non-compliance?

Arcom can issue: (1) a formal notice (mise en demeure) requiring remediation within a set deadline; (2) fines of up to €20,000 per non-compliant online service per year for operators who fail to comply with the notice. Public bodies face reputational sanctions and ministerial oversight in addition to fines. Private sector sanctions have been in effect since the 2023 ordinance came into force.

When will RGAA 5 be released?

DINUM announced RGAA 5 for late 2026. It will integrate WCAG 2.2 criteria (adding the 6 new Level AA criteria from WCAG 2.2), extend scope to mobile applications and office documents, and maintain Arcom as the enforcement authority. Existing accessibility statements remain valid for 18 months after the RGAA 5 publication date. scan-access.com will support RGAA 5 as soon as it is officially published by DINUM.

Is RGAA the same as WCAG?

RGAA is a French operational transposition of WCAG, not a replacement. Every RGAA 4.1.2 criterion maps to one or more WCAG 2.1 success criteria. However, RGAA adds prescriptive test conditions and French-specific requirements (mandatory skip links, specific focus visibility rules) that go slightly beyond the WCAG baseline. A site that passes RGAA 4.1.2 is effectively WCAG 2.1 AA compliant, but the reverse is not strictly true.

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RGAA 4.1.2

RGAA 4.1.2 (Référentiel Général d'Amélioration de l'Accessibilité) is the official French transposition of WCAG 2.1 AA, maintained by DINUM (Direction interministérielle du numérique). Version 4.1.2, published in 2023, contains 106 criteria organized under 13 themes — Images, Frames, Colors, Multimedia, Tables, Links, Scripts, Mandatory elements, Structure, Presentation, Forms, Navigation, and Consultation. Each criterion has one or more test procedures and a dedicated technical sheet. Unlike WCAG, which is principles-based, RGAA offers a more prescriptive set of test conditions, making it easier to apply consistently across French public sector projects.

Status

DINUM (France)

In force

2023

Auto coverage

~35 %

Detailed coverage

What ScanAccess detects on RGAA 4.1.2

1.1Images — Alternative textAuto
3.2Colors — Contrast ratioAuto
8.2Mandatory elements — Valid codeAuto
9.1Structure — Heading hierarchyAuto
11.1Forms — LabelsAuto
12.1Navigation — Skip linksAuto
6.1Links — Link purposeAuto
7.1Scripts — Keyboard accessibilityAuto
4.1Multimedia — Transcripts and captionsAuto
10.7Presentation — Focus visibilityAuto

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