Published November 6, 2026

WCAG 1.4.12 Text Spacing, Level AA

Does WCAG require extra line and letter spacing?

Not as a default the author must ship. Success criterion 1.4.12 Text Spacing is Level AA. When content is implemented in a markup language that supports the properties, no information or functionality is lost if someone sets line height to at least 1.5 times the font size, spacing following paragraphs to at least 2 times the font size, letter spacing to at least 0.12 times the font size, and word spacing to at least 0.16 times the font size. The text is in the W3C WCAG 2.2 Recommendation.

What spacing must the page survive?

All four, changed together, with no other style property changed: line height 1.5, paragraph spacing 2 times the font size, letter spacing 0.12 times the font size, and word spacing 0.16 times the font size. The W3C explanation is in Understanding Success Criterion 1.4.12. Languages and scripts that do not use one of these properties in written text only have to meet the properties that exist for that language. A bookmarklet or user stylesheet is a common way to test the override.

How is text spacing different from resize and reflow?

1.4.4 Resize Text checks that text can reach 200% without loss of content. 1.4.10 Reflow checks a 320 CSS pixel width without two-direction scrolling. 1.4.12 is neither: it checks that user-increased spacing does not clip or overlap text. A page can pass 200% zoom and still fail text spacing if a card has a fixed height and overflow hidden. The 200% answer is on the resize text page. The 320 CSS pixel answer is on the reflow page.

What layouts usually fail?

Fixed pixel heights on text containers, overflow: hidden that cuts off a second line, and absolutely positioned labels that collide when letter spacing grows. Buttons and links still have to be readable and operable. Contrast of that text is a separate check on the color contrast page. Which version added 1.4.12 is on the WCAG 2.1 vs 2.2 page.

Does the Title II web rule include text spacing?

Yes. The Department of Justice rule for state and local government websites names WCAG 2.1 Level AA. That level includes 1.4.12. Governments with a population of 50,000 or more have until April 26, 2027. Smaller governments and special districts have until April 26, 2028. Who must comply is on the Title II web rule page. A scanner often does not apply a user stylesheet and then look for clipped text. A person checks that, which is why a passing score is not conformance, as covered on the scanner page. The fix belongs in the layout templates, which is remediation.