Right-to-left language without dir Accessibility Checkpoint

Description

The lang attribute specifies a language written right-to-left, so dir=rtl is needed to change the text layout direction.

Help

Add dir="rtl" next to the lang attribute.

Applicable standards

• WCAG 2.0 (Success Criteria: 1.3.2 level A)
• WCAG 2.1 (Success Criteria: 1.3.2 level A)
• WCAG 2.2 (Success Criteria: 1.3.2 level A)
• Section 508 (2017) (Success Criteria: 1.3.2 level A)
• EN 301 549 (Success Criteria: 1.3.2 level A)

Note: Section 508 Refresh (2017) checkpoints are equivalent to WCAG 2.0 level A and level AA checkpoints. EN 301 549 checkpoints are equivalent to WCAG 2.1 level A and level AA checkpoints.

Change history

• 2026.62 Oct 2026 Tightened detection, so that Kurdish and Kazakh written in Arabic script are right to left, and Urdu written in Latin script is left to right. No longer reported where dir would make no difference to the order of the text, such as a language name on its own, or text that already inherits a writing direction.
• 2026.61 Aug 2026 Improved detection of additional RTL languages including Kashmiri and Urdu.
• 6.47 Dec 2022 Improved detection.
• 5.38 Jul 2020 Implemented dir inheritance.
• 5.30 Jul 2018 Added.

This page describes a web site issue detected in HTML documents by SortSite Desktop and OnDemand Suite.

Rule ID: AccLangRequiresDir