On this information page, we explain the German Accessibility Act (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz, or BFSG).
Further information is also available from local chambers of commerce and industry. You can use Jimdo's interactive self-check tool to get an initial idea of whether your website might be affected.
What is the German Accessibility Act?
The German Accessibility Act will come into effect on June 28, 2025. Its goal is to improve digital accessibility in Germany. The law transposes the requirements of the European Accessibility Act into German law, ensuring accessible access to websites and mobile applications.
The aim of the law is to make it easier for people with disabilities to access everyday products and services. This includes both physical products and digital offerings such as websites, apps, smartphones, ATMs, public transportation, and banking services. These must be designed so that people with different abilities (e.g., visual, auditory, or mobility impairments) can use them without barriers.
For certain businesses, this means they must design their offerings to be accessible, enabling equal participation for everyone. They are required to follow specific rules to ensure their products and services are accessible.
By implementing the BFSG in Germany and the European Accessibility Act across Europe, accessibility requirements for products and digital services are being standardized to promote equal access for people with disabilities not only nationally, but across all EU member states.
Who is affected by the Accessibility Act?
Individuals are not affected by the BFSG. Only commercial providers (businesses) must comply with accessibility requirements—unless they fall under the exemption of the small-business regulation:
Microenterprises with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover or balance sheet total of no more than €2 million are largely exempt from the requirements.
Among commercial providers, the BFSG only applies to websites that offer transaction-based services to consumers—e.g., if you sell goods, offer bookings, or accept payments online.
Pure informational websites without options for purchasing or booking are not considered “services in electronic commerce” and are generally not subject to the BFSG accessibility requirements.
This applies if you, for example, only inform visitors about your services or business location without offering anything for sale directly on the website.
To illustrate, here are two examples:
- Example 1: You are self-employed as a coach and use your website to inform visitors about your services. Clients must contact you by phone to book an appointment. → You’re probably not affected.
- Example 2: You run a successful physical therapy practice with more than 10 employees. Patients can book appointments directly via your website. → You could be affected.
You can use Jimdo’s interactive self-check to assess whether your website needs to comply with the Accessibility Act.
Jimdo’s Commitment to Accessibility
We’re committed to continuously improving the accessibility of our services to support people with different abilities and enable equal access. Our goal is to enhance the user experience and reduce barriers.
As part of this commitment, we conduct regular reviews of our services and actively support our users in creating accessible websites that comply with current standards and guidelines.
Jimdo takes the following steps to ensure accessibility is an integral part of our product and tech development:
-
Following Industry Standards:
We follow internal engineering guidelines that include accessibility standards and best practices.
-
Training and Awareness:
We train our developers in accessibility topics to ensure accessibility is considered at every stage of software and product development.
-
Integrating Accessibility into Our Design System:
We use our design system to establish an accessible foundation for all our products.
-
User Research and Testing:
We test new features and services by involving users with disabilities.
-
Tracking Progress and Improvements:
We’ve adapted our development processes to incorporate accessibility, not only in new features but also in the revision and improvement of existing ones.
-
Third-party Audits:
We work with independent reviewers to assess our products for compliance with legal accessibility requirements.
-
Customer Feedback:
We actively listen to our users to improve the accessibility of our products. If you’d like to provide feedback, please email us at barrierefreiheit@jimdo.com.
-
Third-party Integrations:
Jimdo is generally not responsible for the accessibility of third-party integrations. However, we work closely with our partners and hold them accountable to resolve issues and ensure accessibility in their products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for the accessibility of my website?
Ultimately, the owner of a commercial website is responsible for ensuring it meets the requirements of the BFSG. Jimdo supports you with guidelines to help improve your website's accessibility.
How can I check if my website is accessible?
One way to assess your website’s accessibility is by using public accessibility checklists. In our accessibility guidelines, we provide basic tips and guidance. However, please note that these tips cannot replace a full evaluation by an accessibility expert.
You can find the guidelines here:
Are websites created with Jimdo products accessible?
Our goal is to offer Jimdo users a simple and flexible system to build websites according to their individual needs and ideas. We strive to make our products suitable and user-friendly for most users and use cases. However, we’re aware that there may be special requirements that our products do not fully meet.
-
Jimdo:
At this time, not all Jimdo websites can be made fully accessible, but we are actively working to improve accessibility across all Jimdo sites. We know how important accessibility is and are continuously working on updates and improvements based on accessibility guidelines and best practices. Our goal is to make our products accessible for all users, regardless of ability.
-
Creator:
Jimdo Creator focuses on flexibility and creativity. It provides users with a wide range of features to design their websites individually. This also means that depending on how the site is built, it may not be fully accessible to everyone.
How can I make my website accessible?
We’ve created accessibility guidelines for Jimdo users, offering help with contrast ratios, alt texts, site structure, and other important aspects of accessibility.
You can find the guidelines here:
Will Jimdo make changes automatically or do I have to take action?
We are constantly working to improve the accessibility of our platform and will implement updates and improvements when necessary. In most cases, these changes are implemented automatically in the background. However, in exceptional cases, some changes may require your active involvement. If so, we’ll reach out to inform you.
Do I have to state in my shop or on my website that the BFSG does not apply to me?
According to the BFSG, businesses are not required to publicly state that they are not subject to the law. So there is no need to include a notice in your shop indicating an exemption from the BFSG. A declaration of accessibility is also not required if the BFSG does not apply to you—at least not in the shop itself. Only if authorities request it may you need to provide a statement.
If you voluntarily choose to implement (partial) accessibility measures, you are of course welcome to communicate this. A voluntary note like "We are not legally required to provide accessibility, but we are committed to user-friendly design and have implemented the following measures: ..." can build trust and demonstrate transparency.
However, this is not a legal requirement.
How can I contact Jimdo with questions about accessibility?
If you have special requirements or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at barrierefreiheit@jimdo.com. Our support team will be happy to help and advise you.