guide
AODA on Sanity: complete compliance checklist
Implementing AODA compliance on Sanity means addressing the platform's specific failure modes (schema design without required alt text, portable text renderers losing semantics) while applying Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act success criteria across content, code, and editorial workflow.
AODA in 60 seconds
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is a 2005 Ontario law that mandates accessibility for the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors operating in Ontario — including a digital requirement that public-facing websites conform to WCAG 2.0 Level AA.
Sanity accessibility — what you are starting with
Sanity's headless model means accessibility is delivered downstream. The Studio is reasonably accessible; the failure mode is schema design and front-end rendering.
AODA setup checklist for Sanity
1. Require alt text in image schema: Validation rules at schema level.
2. Audit Portable Text renderer: Map block types to semantic HTML.
Common AODA failures on Sanity
• Schema design without required alt text
• Portable Text renderers losing semantics
Putting it together
Combine AODA's Level AA requirements with Sanity's native tooling. Bake accessibility into your component library and editorial workflow; instrument axe-core in CI for regression.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Cited answers. Sourced. Updated as standards and case law change.
Is Sanity AODA-compliant out of the box?
Sanity Studio targets WCAG 2.1 AA. Consuming-app accessibility is the larger consideration.
What is the easiest path to AODA compliance on Sanity?
Start with the platform's most-accessible default theme (where applicable), audit each installed plugin/extension/module, train content authors on alt text and heading hierarchy, and instrument axe-core in your CI pipeline.
Is Sanity Studio accessible?
Sanity Studio targets WCAG 2.1 AA. Consuming-app accessibility is the larger consideration.
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