PIPELINEGuide
How long does an accessible website take? Realistic timeline
A project for an accessible website is not a weekend job, but not a six-month project either. What happens in which order, where it typically stalls, and how to shorten the timeline.
An accessible website takes 3 to 6 weeks in practice. The biggest time factor is almost never the implementation itself, but how quickly content, access, and decisions come from your side.
01 — Timeframe
How long it takes
- Typical duration
- 3 to 6 weeks
- Price
- Individual based on effort
The timeline starts after approval of the quote. Lead time for initial meeting and quote: typically one to two weeks. We provide a fixed price after this initial meeting.
02 — Process
The steps in detail
Audit
Automated testing finds about a third of the issues. The rest requires manual testing — keyboard, screen reader, magnification.
Prioritize
What blocks use, what is a cosmetic flaw. That's the order in which issues are fixed.
Fix
Implementation, mostly in design and markup, less often in functionality.
Document
Re-audit, report, and accessibility statement for the website.
03 — Bottlenecks
What typically causes delays
- Content and deliveries. By far the most common cause of delay. Text, images, price lists, access credentials — what's missing blocks progress.
- Decisions. When it's unclear who approves, the project waits. A named contact person with decision-making authority noticeably shortens the timeline.
- Access to third-party systems. Getting access to inventory management, phone systems, or CRM regularly takes longer than the integration itself.
- Endless review rounds. Two correction rounds are normal, five are a sign that the goal wasn't clear at the start.
04 — Scope
What's included
- Testing against WCAG 2.1 Level AA, automated and manual
- Keyboard operability throughout the entire flow, including forms
- Contrast, font sizes, and focus indication
- Meaningful alt text and correct heading structure
- Forms with labels and clear error messages
- Audit report and accessibility statement as documentation
05 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
Are we affected by the Barrierefreiheitsgesetz?
The Austrian Accessibility Act has been in force since June 28, 2025, and primarily applies to online services in the consumer sector: online shops, bookings, e-ticketing, banking services. Microenterprises with fewer than ten employees and less than two million euros in revenue are exempt for services — but not for the sale of products. A purely informational site without sales is generally not covered.
How much work is involved for an existing site?
It varies widely. A well-built site often only needs contrast corrections, alternative texts, and focus indicators. A site with custom-built controls without keyboard support can be more work than building from scratch.
What is the most common error?
Forms without linked labels and controls that cannot be reached with the keyboard. Both go unnoticed by anyone working with a mouse — and make the site unusable for others.
Can we implement this step by step?
Yes, by priority: first the defects that completely block usage, then those that make it difficult. This can be spread across several stages without taking the site offline in the meantime.
Does this also apply to PDF documents on the website?
Yes, if they contain essential information — such as price lists or downloadable forms. PDFs must also be structured with alternative texts.
What happens in case of violations?
The Sozialministeriumservice is responsible. Administrative penalties of up to 80,000 euros are provided for. In the initial phase, the focus was mainly on advice rather than penalties, but that's no guarantee for the future — proceedings are already underway.
Is an accessibility overlay sufficient?
No. These overlays do not fix the underlying problems and are largely rejected by disability advocacy groups. They can even create additional barriers. Accessibility is created in the markup, not in a layer on top.
06 — Next
Related pages
- Accessible Website — Overview
- Accessible Website — Process
- Accessible Website — Ongoing Operations
- Accessible Website — Provider Comparison
- Accessible Website — Risks
- Accessible Website — Checklist
- Accessible Website — How It Works
- Accessible website — integration
- Have a website created
- Web design
- Website relaunch
- All guides
Accessible Website by Region
Next step
We'll look at your starting position.
Tell us what's eating up time today. That becomes an assessment with effort and benefit — and only then an offer.