Banking & Financial Services Hub
Consumer banking, payment services, and financial products fall squarely within the European Accessibility Act's core scope. From online banking portals to ATM terminals, organisations must ensure every touchpoint is usable by people with visual, motor, cognitive, and hearing impairments.
- ›European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882)
- ›PSD3 (Proposal COM/2023/366)
- ›EN 301 549 v3.2.1
- ›WCAG 2.2 Level AA
- ›EN 301 549 Chapter 8 (Hardware)
- ›EN 301 549 Chapter 9 (Web)
- ›EN 301 549 Chapter 11 (Software)
Compliance Requirements
Strong Customer Authentication (SCA)
All SCA flows — including biometric prompts, one-time passcodes via SMS, and in-app approval notifications — must be operable without relying solely on a single sensory channel. Biometric methods must offer a non-biometric fallback. SMS OTP screens must be compatible with screen readers and not auto-dismiss before a user can act.
ATM & Self-Service Terminals
Physical ATMs and cash deposit machines must comply with EN 301 549 Chapter 8. This includes: headphone jack for audio output, at least one tactile function key or Braille keypad overlay, reachable controls within the 1200mm height range, privacy shield on audio output, and timeout extensions for users who need more time.
Online Banking Portal
Transaction history, balance displays, fund transfers, standing orders, and statement downloads must all meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA. Tables must use proper header markup. Date pickers must be keyboard-navigable. Errors in payment forms must be described in text, not colour alone, with recovery instructions.
Mobile Banking Applications
iOS and Android apps must respect OS-level accessibility settings: Dynamic Type / font scaling, VoiceOver / TalkBack, high-contrast and reduced-motion modes. Custom gesture controls must have single-tap or switch-access alternatives. Touch targets must be at least 44×44pt (iOS) or 48×48dp (Android).
Customer Communications
Account statements, regulatory notices, marketing communications, and contractual documents delivered digitally must be available in accessible formats. PDFs must be tagged. HTML email must be screen-reader compatible. Customers must be able to request accessible format alternatives without incurring a surcharge.
Accessible Error Handling & Recovery
When a payment or authentication fails, error messages must: identify the field with the error, describe the problem in plain language, suggest a corrective action, and not clear previously entered valid data. Timeout warnings must appear before the session expires, giving users at least 20 seconds to respond.
In-Branch & Telephony Channels
Telephone banking must be accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing customers via Text Relay (or equivalent national relay service) and Real-Time Text (RTT) where technically available. In-branch ICT terminals for customer self-service (loan applications, KYC kiosks) must follow EN 301 549 hardware requirements.
Chatbots & Virtual Assistants
AI-powered chat interfaces embedded in online banking must be keyboard operable, announce status updates to screen readers via ARIA live regions, and provide a route to a human agent. Conversation history must be accessible and exportable in a structured format.
Practical Steps to Compliance
- 1
Conduct a WCAG 2.2 AA audit of all web and app interfaces — prioritise login, SCA flows, and payment journeys
- 2
Audit every ATM model in your fleet against EN 301 549 Chapter 8; log any hardware gaps
- 3
Review your PDF statement generation pipeline — ensure all outputs are tagged PDFs
- 4
Test your mobile app with VoiceOver (iOS) and TalkBack (Android) using real screen-reader users
- 5
Publish an Accessibility Statement listing known issues, workarounds, and a feedback contact
- 6
Document any disproportionate burden assessments with financial evidence and review dates
- 7
Train customer-facing staff on how to assist customers using assistive technology or relay services
Exemptions & Proportionate Burden
Microenterprises (fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover below €2 million) are exempt from product requirements but not service requirements. Disproportionate burden claims must be documented and reviewed every 5 years.
Recommended Tools for This Sector
These AccessibilityRef tools are specifically relevant to your compliance needs. Use them to test, assess, and document your accessibility posture.
Banking & Financial Checklist
Sector-specific EAA Annex I §IV compliance checklist covering core banking, authentication, calculators, messaging, and ATM accessibility.
Open tool →Self-Service Terminal Checklist
ATMs and in-branch kiosks must meet EN 301 549 Chapter 8 physical accessibility requirements.
Open tool →Contrast Checker
Verify colour contrast on banking portals — transaction tables, error messages, and form fields all need 4.5:1 ratio.
Open tool →Focus Order Visualiser
Test keyboard navigation through login, payment, and transfer flows — every step must be reachable without a mouse.
Open tool →Document Auditor
Audit PDF bank statements and account documents for accessibility — tagged structure, reading order, alt text.
Open tool →Mobile Checker
Check your mobile banking app for touch target sizing, viewport scaling, and form label accessibility.
Open tool →Self-Assessment Pipeline
Run a full 30-point WCAG 2.2 / EAA self-assessment of your banking platform and export a compliance report.
Open tool →Accessibility Statement Wizard
Generate the mandatory EAA Annex V accessibility statement for your banking service.
Open tool →Important Legal Disclaimer
This tool is a self-assessment aid only and does not constitute legal advice or a formally certified compliance assessment. Outputs — including reports, scores, checklists, and accessibility statements — are for internal use and should be reviewed by a qualified legal representative or independent accessibility auditor before being relied upon for regulatory, procurement, or public-disclosure purposes. All assessment risk lies with the internal assessor. accessibilityref, its developers, and staff accept zero liability for losses arising from use of or reliance on these outputs. Always verify against official sources: the W3C WCAG 2.2 Recommendation, the European Accessibility Act (Directive 2019/882), and your national enforcement authority.