Page structure

Accessible page landmarks: Examples and Testing

Published by whatisADA / Grow Wild Agency · Updated September 11, 2026

What to build

Landmarks identify major page regions such as navigation, main content, search and the footer. Prefer native elements and give repeated regions distinct names when the user needs to tell them apart.

A practical example

A documentation page has primary navigation, article content and a separate “Related guides” navigation region. Useful names help a screen-reader user choose the intended region directly.

How to check it

List landmarks through a screen reader or inspect the accessibility tree.
Check for one clear main content region and appropriately identified repeated navigation regions.
Compare the landmark order with the visual and reading order and remove redundant wrapper landmarks.

What can be missed

More regions do not always mean better navigation. Do not label every card as a landmark or add redundant roles to native elements without a specific compatibility reason.

Markup and state contract

This concise markup illustrates names, relationships or state. Custom controls also need the keyboard interaction and state updates described in the checks and primary source; this snippet is not a complete component.

<header>Site identity</header>
<nav aria-label="Main">Primary links</nav>
<main><h1>Documentation</h1></main>
<footer>Contact and policy links</footer>

Record your test

Use this worksheet to record what you actually checked. Notes stay on this device when you choose Save; they are not sent to us. Avoid personal or confidential information on shared devices.

Page and state testedBrowser, assistive technology and date

Check 1: List landmarks through a screen reader or inspect the accessibility tree.
Check 2: Check for one clear main content region and appropriately identified repeated navigation regions.
Check 3: Compare the landmark order with the visual and reading order and remove redundant wrapper landmarks.

Evidence, exceptions and follow-up

These are your observations, not automated results or a conformance certificate. A complete evaluation needs appropriate scope, supported technologies, all applicable criteria and relevant page states.

Primary sources and scope

Primary implementation guidance

This is independent implementation guidance with original examples. The linked standard contains the full definitions, exceptions and conformance requirements. A criterion or checklist alone does not establish legal applicability or whole-site conformance.