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Accessibility laws by country: what each one requires

Most countries have two kinds of accessibility rules: a law that makes disability discrimination unlawful and says who must act, and technical standards that say how wide a door or how steep a ramp may be. This guide lists the main laws in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and the European Union, with a link to each official text.

This guide summarizes the sources it cites; it is not legal advice. The official texts are the reference.

The main laws at a glance

Main accessibility laws and what they do.
Where Law What it does Standards and guidance cited in these guides
United States Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) a federal civil rights law that prohibits disability discrimination by employers, state and local governments, businesses open to the public, transportation providers and others (ADA.gov introduction to the ADA) 2010 ADA Standards; PROWAG; ABA Standards; 14 CFR Part 382
United Kingdom Equality Act 2010 service providers must not discriminate against disabled people, and have a duty to make reasonable adjustments (Equality Act 2010, section 29, subsections 1 and 7) Inclusive Mobility
Canada Accessible Canada Act aims at a Canada without barriers on or before January 1, 2040, in the areas under federal authority (Accessible Canada Act, section 5) —
Australia Disability Discrimination Act 1992 makes it unlawful to discriminate on the ground of disability in access to premises and in providing goods, services and facilities (Disability Discrimination Act 1992, sections 23 and 24) —
European Union Directive (EU) 2019/882; Regulation (EC) 1107/2006 accessibility requirements for products and services, applied from June 28, 2025 (Directive (EU) 2019/882, article 31); the rights of disabled air passengers (Regulation (EC) 1107/2006) —

United Kingdom: the Equality Act 2010

A person who provides a service to the public, for payment or not, must not discriminate against a disabled person by not providing the service, in the terms on which it is provided, by ending it, or by any other detriment (Equality Act 2010, section 29, subsections 1 and 2).

The duty to make reasonable adjustments has three requirements: to change a provision, criterion or practice that puts disabled people at a substantial disadvantage, to deal with a physical feature that does so, and to provide an auxiliary aid. Where it concerns information, the reasonable steps include providing it in an accessible format, and the disabled person cannot be made to pay for the adjustment (Equality Act 2010, section 20, subsections 2 to 7).

Canada: the Accessible Canada Act

The Act, assented to on June 21, 2019, aims at a Canada without barriers on or before January 1, 2040, by identifying and removing barriers and preventing new ones in employment, the built environment, information and communication technologies, other communication, procurement, the design and delivery of programs and services, and transportation, in the areas under federal authority (Accessible Canada Act, section 5).

It defines a barrier broadly: anything physical, architectural, technological or attitudinal, anything based on information or communications, or anything that results from a policy or a practice, that hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with an impairment (Accessible Canada Act, section 2).

Australia: the Disability Discrimination Act 1992

The Act aims to eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination on the ground of disability in work, accommodation, education, access to premises, clubs and sport, and the provision of goods, facilities, services and land (Disability Discrimination Act 1992, section 3). It is unlawful to refuse a person access to premises the public may enter, or to set worse terms for it, because of disability (Disability Discrimination Act 1992, section 23), and the same goes for goods, services and facilities (Disability Discrimination Act 1992, section 24).

The Minister may make disability standards in those areas, and contravening one is unlawful (Disability Discrimination Act 1992, sections 31 and 32).

European Union: products, services and air travel

Directive (EU) 2019/882, which the European Commission calls the European Accessibility Act (European Commission page on the European Accessibility Act), applies to products placed on the market and services provided to consumers after June 28, 2025: computers and their operating systems, payment terminals, ATMs, ticketing and check-in machines, consumer devices for electronic communications and audiovisual media, e-readers, consumer banking, e-books, e-commerce, and the websites, apps and e-tickets of air, bus, rail and waterborne transport (Directive (EU) 2019/882, article 2). Microenterprises that provide services are exempt from the service requirements (Directive (EU) 2019/882, article 4).

For air travel, Regulation (EC) 1107/2006 sets the rights of disabled passengers at EU airports; see accessible travel.

The United States and the Spanish-speaking countries

The ADA and its 2010 Standards are covered measurement by measurement in ADA compliance and the guides it links to; the Standards as a document, chapter by chapter, in 2010 ADA Standards, and the rules for state and local governments in ADA Title II. The UN convention behind many national laws asks countries to develop, promulgate and monitor minimum standards and guidelines for the accessibility of facilities and services open to the public (Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, article 9).

For Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Peru, the Spanish guide Normas de accesibilidad por país lists each law and technical standard.

Frequently asked questions

What is the main accessibility law in the United States?

The Americans with Disabilities Act, a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities (ADA.gov introduction to the ADA).

What is the accessibility law in the UK?

The Equality Act 2010: service providers must not discriminate against disabled people and must make reasonable adjustments (Equality Act 2010, section 29; Equality Act 2010, section 20).

What is the Accessible Canada Act?

A federal law, assented to on June 21, 2019, that aims at a Canada without barriers on or before January 1, 2040 (Accessible Canada Act, section 5).

What does Australia’s Disability Discrimination Act cover?

Discrimination on the ground of disability in work, accommodation, education, access to premises, clubs and sport, and goods, facilities, services and land (Disability Discrimination Act 1992, section 3).

When did the European Accessibility Act start to apply?

Member States apply its rules from June 28, 2025 (Directive (EU) 2019/882, article 31).

More accessibility guides

  • ADA compliance: a checklist for small businesses, with the 2010 Standards section behind each item.
  • Universal design: the seven principles, with an example from a building for each.
  • Accessibility symbols: what the wheelchair symbol means, where it is required and the other access symbols.
  • Accessible travel: your rights on flights in the US and the EU, accessible hotel rooms, and what to ask before you book.
  • 2010 ADA Standards: what each of the ten chapters covers, since when the Standards apply and to which buildings, with the guide for each element.
  • ADA Title II: what state and local governments have to make accessible: existing buildings, new construction, streets and curb ramps, parks, programs and the 2024 web rule.
  • All accessibility guides

Sources

Every figure in this guide comes from one of these official texts, which we read in October 2026.

  1. Introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act. U.S. Department of Justice (ADA.gov), read October 2026.
  2. Equality Act 2010, section 29: provision of services. UK Parliament, on legislation.gov.uk, text in force, read October 2026.
  3. Equality Act 2010, section 20: duty to make adjustments. UK Parliament, on legislation.gov.uk, text in force, read October 2026.
  4. Accessible Canada Act (S.C. 2019, c. 10). Parliament of Canada, on the Justice Laws Website, assented to June 21, 2019; current text read October 2026.
  5. Disability Discrimination Act 1992. Parliament of Australia, on the Federal Register of Legislation, compilation of October 8, 2026 (C2026C00456).
  6. Directive (EU) 2019/882 on the accessibility requirements for products and services. European Parliament and Council of the European Union, OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, of April 17, 2019; Member States apply it from June 28, 2025.
  7. 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design. U.S. Department of Justice, published September 15, 2010; required for new work since March 15, 2012.
  8. Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG). U.S. Access Board, final rule published August 8, 2023.
  9. Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Accessibility Standards. U.S. Access Board, current edition, read October 2026.
  10. 14 CFR Part 382, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel. U.S. Department of Transportation, in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, read October 2026.
  11. Inclusive Mobility: A Guide to Best Practice on Access to Pedestrian and Transport Infrastructure. Department for Transport (UK), December 2021, published January 10, 2022.
  12. Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air. European Parliament and Council of the European Union, OJ L 204, 26.7.2006, of July 5, 2006; applies from July 26, 2008, and its articles 3 and 4 from July 26, 2007.
  13. European Accessibility Act (EAA). European Commission, read October 2026.
  14. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. United Nations, open for signature since March 30, 2007.

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