WCAG 2.2 for New Zealand business websites
WCAG 2.2 is the current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. This guide explains what it adds, where New Zealand rules require it and how to use it as a practical target when redesigning a business website.
Short answer
WCAG 2.2 adds nine success criteria to WCAG 2.1 and removes the 4.1.1 Parsing criterion. In New Zealand, the Government Web Standards that incorporate it apply to public service and other government agencies, not to most private businesses. For a business, WCAG 2.2 at level AA is a sensible voluntary target that makes a site easier for everyone to use.
What WCAG is
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). They describe how to make web content usable by people with disabilities, including people who are blind or have low vision, people who are deaf or hard of hearing, people with limited movement and people with cognitive or learning disabilities.
The guidelines are organised as testable success criteria, each assigned a level: A (the minimum), AA (the level most standards require) and AAA (the highest, not usually required for whole sites). Each version builds on the last, so meeting WCAG 2.2 also means meeting most of WCAG 2.1 and 2.0.
What WCAG 2.2 adds
W3C's summary of the changes lists nine new success criteria1:
| Criterion | What it asks for | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4.11 Focus Not Obscured (Minimum) | A sticky bar or pop-up must never cover the focused control entirely | AA |
| 2.4.12 Focus Not Obscured (Enhanced) | The focused control stays fully in view | AAA |
| 2.4.13 Focus Appearance | The keyboard highlight is big and bold enough to spot | AAA |
| 2.5.7 Dragging Movements | Sliders, maps and sortable lists offer a tap or click route as well as a drag | AA |
| 2.5.8 Target Size (Minimum) | Controls measure 24 by 24 CSS pixels or sit with enough clear space around them | AA |
| 3.2.6 Consistent Help | Phone numbers, chat or contact links appear in the same relative order on each page that has them | A |
| 3.3.7 Redundant Entry | A form remembers what someone already typed earlier in the same process | A |
| 3.3.8 Accessible Authentication (Minimum) | Signing in never hinges on a memory test or puzzle with no way around it | AA |
| 3.3.9 Accessible Authentication (Enhanced) | The same idea as 3.3.8 with fewer exceptions | AAA |
WCAG 2.2 also removes success criterion 4.1.1 Parsing, which W3C considers obsolete1.
Several of these additions are about usability as much as disability. Larger targets help anyone using a phone. Consistent help makes contact details easier to find. Not asking for the same information twice saves everyone time.
Who must follow WCAG 2.2 in New Zealand
Government agencies
The NZ Government Web Standards consist of the Web Accessibility Standard 1.2 and the Web Usability Standard 1.4. According to NZ Digital government, these took effect on 17 March 2025, and the Web Accessibility Standard incorporates WCAG 2.22. They apply to public service departments and other agencies in the executive branch of government2.
A new standard is being drafted
In 2026, NZ Digital government consulted on a draft Digital Accessibility Standard, with consultation running from 13 July to 7 August 20263. The draft is based on the European standard EN 301 549 and is expected to replace the Web Accessibility Standard 1.2, with early 2027 given as the expected timing3. The consultation version proposes giving existing technology until 2031 to comply3. As a draft, its details may change before it is finalised.
Private businesses
Most private businesses are not covered by the government web standards. That does not make accessibility irrelevant. Customers with disabilities are customers, and a site that shuts them out loses their business. Accessible sites also tend to be clearer, faster and easier to use on phones.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. If you supply services to government, or your business is in a sector with specific obligations, check your contracts and get advice.
Why use WCAG 2.2 as a target anyway
For a business redesigning its website, WCAG 2.2 at level AA has practical advantages:
- It is specific. Each criterion can be tested, so you know whether you have met it.
- It is widely understood. Designers, developers and testing tools all work with it.
- It future-proofs the site. Standards tend to converge on WCAG, including EN 301 549, on which the draft New Zealand standard is based.
- It improves usability for everyone. Clear headings, readable text and logical forms help all visitors.
Practical checks during a redesign
You do not need to be an expert to catch many common problems. These checks cover issues that appear often on small business sites.
Use the keyboard
Put your mouse aside and press Tab to move through the page. Can you see where you are at every step? Can you reach and use every link, button, menu and form? Does a sticky header ever cover the focused item? This last point is the new criterion 2.4.11.
Check tap targets
On a phone, try tapping every button and link. Are any so small or close together that you hit the wrong one? WCAG 2.2's minimum is 24 by 24 CSS pixels, with exceptions for things like links within a sentence1.
Check colour contrast
Text should stand out clearly from its background. Free contrast checkers tell you whether a combination meets the AA ratios, which are 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Large text means at least 24 CSS pixels, or about 19 pixels if bold. Pale grey text on white is a common failure.
Check headings
Each page should have one main heading, with subheadings in a logical order. Screen reader users often move through a page by headings, so they act as a table of contents.
Check images
Images that convey information need alternative text that describes them. Purely decorative images should be marked so screen readers skip them.
Check forms
Every field needs a visible label. Error messages should say what went wrong and how to fix it, and should not rely on colour alone. If a form asks for an address twice, such as billing and delivery, offer a "same as above" option to meet the redundant entry criterion.
Check help is consistent
If your phone number or contact link appears in the header on one page, it should keep the same relative order on every page where it appears, for example always after the menu.
Check logins
If your site has a customer login, make sure it works with password managers and does not rely on a puzzle without an alternative.
Testing tools and their limits
Automated checkers can find some problems quickly, such as missing alt text or low contrast. They cannot judge whether alt text is meaningful, whether headings make sense or whether a form is easy to complete. Use automated tools as a first pass, then check manually with a keyboard and, if possible, a screen reader.
Publishing an accessibility statement
An accessibility statement tells visitors what standard you aim for, any known issues and how to report problems. It shows you take accessibility seriously and gives people a way to get help. Keep it honest: state what you have tested and what you know is not yet right. Our own accessibility statement is an example.
Building accessibility into a redesign
Accessibility is far cheaper to build in than to add later. In a redesign, check contrast and target sizes at the design stage, use proper headings and labels in the build and test with a keyboard before launch. Every Repagevia redesign is tested against WCAG 2.2 at level AA for the pages we build.
WCAG 2.2 questions
Is my business legally required to meet WCAG 2.2?
Most private businesses in New Zealand are not covered by the government web standards that incorporate WCAG 2.2. Other obligations may apply depending on your sector and contracts. This is general information; get advice for your situation.
What is the difference between level AA and AAA?
Level AA covers the criteria most standards require. Level AAA is stricter and is not usually required for whole sites, because some AAA criteria cannot be met for all content.
Can an overlay or plugin make my site accessible?
Tools that claim to fix accessibility automatically cannot address most issues, such as unclear headings, poor form design or missing alternative text that requires human judgement. Building accessibility into the design and code is more reliable.
Sources
Each source was opened and checked against the sentence it supports on 3 November 2026.
- What's New in WCAG 2.2 Standards body
- NZ Government Web Standards Government
- The Digital Accessibility Standard (DAS), large print consultation version Government (draft for consultation)
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