Rule ID: ace-landmark-contentinfo-top

Confirm that the contentinfo landmark region is positioned at the top level of the document

Sighted Keyboard Users Blind Deafblind Best Practice

What This Rule Checks

The role=”contentinfo” landmark, typically used for footer information, should be placed at the top level of the page and must not be nested inside other ARIA landmarks like role=”main” or role=”banner”. The contentinfo landmark contains metadata about the document or supplementary information (e.g., copyright notices or contact details). Ensuring it is top-level improves navigation for assistive technology users.

Who Is Affected

This issue primarily affects: Sighted Keyboard Users users, who can see the screen but navigate exclusively with a keyboard; Blind users, who rely entirely on screen readers or braille displays to navigate and interact with content; Deafblind users, who rely on braille displays and cannot access visual or auditory content.

Why This Matters

The contentinfo landmark (typically the site footer) should be at the top level so screen reader users can navigate directly to it. Nesting it inside another landmark hides it from the landmark navigation list.

How to Fix

Place Contentinfo at the Top Level: Ensure that elements with role=”contentinfo” or <footer> elements are at the top level of the page structure, not contained within other landmarks such as role=”main” or role=”navigation”.

Avoid Nesting Contentinfo Landmark: Do not nest the contentinfo landmark within other ARIA landmarks. This can confuse screen readers and make it more difficult for users to navigate through the document structure.

Code Examples

Incorrect Markup Solutions:

Code example

<!-- Footer nested inside main -->
<main>
  <footer>
    Copyright 2025
  </footer>
</main>

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Correct Markup Solutions:

Code example

<!-- Footer at top level -->
<main>
  <p>Content</p>
</main>

<footer>
  Copyright 2025 AccessibilityChecker.org
</footer>

Copy

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Nesting the site <footer> inside <main> or <section>.
Confusing section footers with the page contentinfo landmark.

Tip: Landmark regions let screen reader users jump directly to key sections of a page. They serve as the accessibility equivalent of a table of contents for page layout. Label landmarks when multiple of the same type exist.