Last updated: 21 June 2026
Most people think of universal design as something public agencies have to deal with — municipalities, NAV, government websites. That is not correct. If you have a website aimed at the general public, you are in all likelihood covered by a requirement that has been Norwegian law since 2014. And most sites quietly fail to meet it.
What universal design really means
It is not a separate "version for disabled people". It is building the site so that it works for everyone — including those who navigate with a keyboard instead of a mouse, use a screen reader or magnification, or have reduced sight, hearing, motor function or cognition. And it does not only concern permanent needs: strong sun on the screen, a broken arm or a noisy room makes all of us temporarily dependent on things being made properly.
The standard behind the requirement (WCAG) rests on four simple principles: content should be perceivable, operable, understandable and robust. In practice these are concrete things, not vague ideals.
What the law actually requires in Norway
This is the requirement fewest people know they are breaking: since 2014 — and from 2021 for all websites regardless of age — private businesses must also meet a selection of WCAG criteria at level A and AA. For websites that is 35 of the criteria, for apps 29. The legal basis lies in the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act (likestillings- og diskrimineringsloven) and the regulation on universal design of ICT solutions.
The Norwegian Authority for Universal Design of ICT (Tilsynet for universell utforming av ikt) supervises this, and can order rectification and impose coercive fines if the shortcomings are not fixed. Sanctions usually come after a supervisory case where you have been given a deadline, not as a fine out of the blue. But the requirement applies whether anyone is looking or not.
One useful clarification: an accessibility statement is only mandatory for the public sector. As a private business you do not need one. The technical requirements below still apply to you — it is the content on the site that has to be in order, not a form about it.
The EU is tightening the pressure
On top of the Norwegian requirement comes the European Accessibility Act. It took effect in the EU from 28 June 2025 and extends accessibility requirements to a range of consumer-facing services — e-commerce, banking services, e-books and more. Norway is obliged to implement it through the EEA Agreement, and that process is still ongoing.
The practical point for you: if you sell products or services to customers in the EU, you may already have to comply with the act in order to operate in that market — regardless of how far the Norwegian implementation has come. The smallest microbusinesses (under 10 employees and under two million euros in turnover) are exempt from parts of the requirements, but "we are small" is a weaker shield than many think.
Why this pays off anyway
Turn it from an obligation into an opportunity. A significant share of visitors have some form of reduced function, permanent or situational. An inaccessible site rejects them quietly — they rarely send an email to complain, they just leave.
Accessible sites also tend to be better for everyone: clearer structure, better contrast, sensible navigation. And the same semantic structure a screen reader depends on is the one search engines read. Accessibility and visibility pull in the same direction. Good universal design is rarely wasted work.
Where to start
Much of this comes down to concrete measures:
- Text alternatives (alt text) on images that actually carry meaning
- Sufficient colour contrast between text and background
- Everything should be operable with the keyboard alone, not just a mouse
- Forms with clear labels, not just placeholder text that disappears
- A logical heading structure, and never colour alone as the carrier of information
Start with a test. Automated tools are useful, but only catch part of the picture — typically around a third of the problems. The rest requires manual testing, preferably with a keyboard and a screen reader. A test tells you where you actually stand, and that is worth more than guessing.
It is about who you let in
An inaccessible site is not broken in a way you notice yourself. It works fine for you. It is broken for those who cannot use it — and they disappear without saying anything. Building for everyone is not charity. It is simply not shutting customers out at the door.
We build with this in mind from the start, and can review an existing site to see where it stands. But the important thing is not who does the job — it is that someone gets to it before it becomes a supervisory case or a lost customer.
A short clarification at the end: this is a general overview, not legal advice. If you are in doubt about what applies to your particular business, you should check with someone who knows the rules in detail. But if you have thought through the points above, you are well ahead of most.