October 16, 2026
Mandatory accessibility statement link in France? What the homepage mention and « Accessibilité » page require
In France, the homepage of an online public communication service must display one of three mentions defined by the RGAA, the French accessibility framework: « Accessibilité : totalement conforme » (fully compliant), « Accessibilité : partiellement conforme » (partially compliant) or « Accessibilité : non conforme » (non-compliant). The wording you use depends on whether a currently valid audit result exists and on the share of RGAA control criteria your site meets, with a threshold at 50%. The mention may be a link to the « Accessibilité » page or to the accessibility statement. If you are searching for the mandatory accessibility statement link in France, the precise rule is this: the mention is mandatory and making it a link is optional. The dedicated « Accessibilité » page must be directly reachable from the homepage and from any page of the site, and it holds the accessibility statement and contains, or links to, the multi-year accessibility plan and the current year's action plan. This guide sets out these rules as published by DINUM, the French government's digital agency, on the official RGAA website, then turns them into concrete checks. These obligations apply to services within the RGAA's scope: the official site covers that in a separate page, « Rappel du champ d'application », which you should read to confirm whether your organisation is concerned.
The mandatory accessibility mention: three possible wordings
The rule leaves no room for creativity: the homepage of an online public communication service must display one of the three mentions. There is no fourth option and the wording is fixed in French. A sentence such as "we are working on accessibility" does not replace it.
Each wording matches a specific situation described by the RGAA:
- « Accessibilité : totalement conforme »: all RGAA control criteria are met.
- « Accessibilité : partiellement conforme »: at least 50% of RGAA control criteria are met.
- « Accessibilité : non conforme »: there is no currently valid audit result to measure compliance with the criteria, or fewer than 50% of RGAA control criteria are met.
Choosing the right mention for your compliance level
The starting point is not a general impression of quality but a currently valid audit result measuring compliance with RGAA control criteria. Without one, only « Accessibilité : non conforme » is possible, even if your site looks well built.
Once you have an audit result, the choice follows directly from the rate of criteria met. For example: a site meeting 49% of the criteria shows « non conforme »; one meeting 50% or 85% shows « partiellement conforme »; only a site meeting every criterion can show « totalement conforme ».
The mention reflects a measured state at a given time. As your site changes, its compliance can change too. Continuous accessibility monitoring helps you catch regressions introduced by a release before they pile up.
Is the accessibility statement link mandatory? Where to display the mention
The required location is the homepage. The rules published by DINUM do not give a more precise position on the page. As an example, the official RGAA website shows « Accessibilité : totalement conforme » in its footer, next to the sitemap and legal notice links.
The mention may be clickable. If it is, it leads either to the « Accessibilité » page or directly to the accessibility statement. This is an option, not an obligation: a plain, non-clickable mention meets the rule. Linking to the « Accessibilité » page is often the simplest choice, since that page already gathers the expected documents.
The « Accessibilité » page: required content
Beyond the mention, websites have a dedicated page called « Accessibilité ». It must be directly reachable from the homepage and from any page of the service. A link in an element shared by every page, such as the footer, is a practical way to meet that condition.
The page contains:
- the accessibility statement, following the model set by the RGAA;
- the multi-year accessibility plan (schéma pluriannuel), or a link to it;
- the action plan for the current year, or a link to it.
Page address and document consistency
The RGAA recommends a standardised address such as « www.sitename.extension/accessibilite ». It is a recommendation, not an obligation, but it helps users and anyone checking your compliance find the page.
The accessibility statement must follow the model set by the framework, and the official RGAA site publishes an example you can use as a basis. Keep the homepage mention consistent with your audit result: showing « partiellement conforme » while the audit gives a rate below 50% does not meet the rule: below 50%, the required mention is « Accessibilité : non conforme ».
Checklist for the mention and the « Accessibilité » page
If your service falls within scope, run these checks in order:
- Do you have a currently valid audit result measuring compliance with RGAA control criteria? If not, the mention is « Accessibilité : non conforme ».
- If so, what share of criteria is met? Under 50%: « non conforme »; 50% or more: « partiellement conforme »; 100%: « totalement conforme ».
- Is the exact official wording on the homepage?
- If it is clickable, does it lead to the « Accessibilité » page or to the accessibility statement?
- Is the « Accessibilité » page directly reachable from the homepage and from every other page?
- Does it contain the statement following the model, the multi-year plan (or its link) and the current year's action plan (or its link)?
- Does its address follow the recommended « /accessibilite » form?
RGAA 4.1.2 today, RGAA 5 announced: don't wait
The version shown on the official RGAA site is 4.1.2. DINUM states that RGAA version 5 is being drafted, with publication planned for the end of 2026, and that this does not call into question the relevance of ongoing or upcoming accessibility work, which must under no circumstances be suspended or postponed. A free test of your pages gives you a first view of the issues to fix ahead of the audit your mention will be based on.
Frequently asked questions
Is an accessibility mention mandatory on a French website homepage?
Yes for online public communication services within the RGAA's scope: the homepage must display « Accessibilité : totalement conforme », « Accessibilité : partiellement conforme » or « Accessibilité : non conforme ».
Which mention should a site that has never been audited display?
« Accessibilité : non conforme ». The RGAA requires it when no currently valid audit result exists to measure compliance with the criteria.
What percentage makes a site partially compliant under the RGAA?
At least 50% of RGAA control criteria met. Below 50%, the mention is « non conforme »; only meeting every criterion allows « totalement conforme ».
Does the accessibility mention have to be a link?
No. It may be clickable, and if so it leads to the « Accessibilité » page or to the accessibility statement.
What must a French accessibility page contain?
The accessibility statement following the RGAA model, the multi-year accessibility plan or a link to it, and the current year's action plan or a link to it. It must be directly reachable from the homepage and from any page.
What URL should the accessibility page use?
The RGAA recommends a standardised address such as « www.sitename.extension/accessibilite ». It is a recommendation, not an obligation.
Further reading on Conformly
Sources
This article relies on the official sources listed at the end of the page.