{"id":9726,"date":"2026-07-07T13:22:27","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T11:22:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eigenart-filmproduktion.de\/accessible-videos-bfsg-requirements-and-costs-in-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-07-07T13:33:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T11:33:17","slug":"accessible-videos-bfsg-requirements-and-costs-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eigenart-filmproduktion.de\/en\/accessible-videos-bfsg-requirements-and-costs-in-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Accessible Videos & BFSG: Requirements and Costs in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Accessible Videos & BFSG: Requirements and Costs in 2026<\/h1>\n

The Accessibility Enhancement Act has been in effect since June 2025. Here\u2019s what that means for your corporate videos\u2014and what subtitles, transcripts, and audio descriptions realistically cost. <\/p>\n

Reading time: 10 minutes | Updated: July 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Accessibility Enhancement Act (BFSG) has been in effect since June 28, 2025\u2014and with it comes a question we\u2019ve encountered in nearly every project meeting since then: \u201cDo our videos now have to be accessible?\u201d The uncertainty is understandable: The law is complex, the fines are steep, and many guides get bogged down in legal jargon without explaining exactly how much accessibility in video production actually costs. <\/p>\n

This guide summarizes what we, as a film production company, have learned from our practical experience: who is covered by the BFSG, what exceptions apply, what makes a video accessible from a technical standpoint\u2014and what market rates you should expect to pay for subtitles, transcripts, audio description, and accessible players.<\/p>\n

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Important Note:<\/strong> This article does not constitute legal advice and is not a substitute for it. We are providing this information as of July 2026 to the best of our knowledge from a production perspective. Please consult an attorney to determine whether and how the BFSG applies to your company. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Short Answer: BFSG and Video Costs at a Glance<\/h2>\n
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The BFSG has been in effect since June 28, 2025. New videos that are part of a relevant consumer offering\u2014such as product videos in an online store or explanatory videos about banking and insurance services\u2014must be accessible. <\/strong> As a rough guide, the cost of retrofitting is as follows: professional subtitles, 5\u201315 euros per minute of video; transcripts, starting at 2 euros per minute; and audio description for a typical corporate video, 300\u20131,000 euros. Videos published before the deadline are exempt from the new requirements. Violations may result in fines of up to 100,000 euros. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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What exactly is the BFSG?<\/h2>\n

The Accessibility Enhancement Act transposes the European Accessibility Act (Directive (EU) 2019\/882) into German law. Its goal: to ensure that everyday digital products and services\u2014from ATMs to online stores to e-books\u2014are accessible to people with disabilities. Unlike earlier regulations, which applied only to public entities, the BFSG, for the first time, broadly holds the private sector<\/strong> accountable. <\/p>\n

This is a turning point for videos: Moving images are ubiquitous on websites, in online stores, and in apps\u2014and until now, they\u2019ve almost never been accessible. About 7.9 million people in Germany live with a recognized severe disability; in addition, there are millions who rely on captions depending on the situation, such as in noisy environments or when scrolling through a feed with the sound off. Accessibility is therefore not only a requirement, but it also simply expands the reach of every video. <\/p>\n

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Subtitles and transcripts make corporate videos accessible to more people\u2014far beyond the requirements of the BFSG.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Who is covered by the BFSG\u2014and who isn’t?<\/h2>\n

The BFSG does not apply across the board to \u201call websites.\u201d It covers certain products (including computers, smartphones, self-service terminals, and e-book readers) and certain consumer services<\/strong>. The following areas are particularly relevant to the video question: <\/p>\n