Banner and contentinfo must be top-level landmarks
Rule
landmark-toplevel· Structure & semantics · impact moderate · Static + live
Why it matters
The banner (page header) and contentinfo (page footer) landmarks are meant to be page-level. Nesting them inside another landmark changes their meaning and confuses landmark navigation.
How to fix
Place the page <header> and <footer> as direct children of <body>, not inside <main>/<nav>/etc.
Example
<main><div role="contentinfo">©</div></main>
<main>Content</main><footer>©</footer>
WCAG success criteria
1.3.1 Info and Relationships — Level A
Structure and relationships conveyed visually (headings, lists, tables, labels, groups) must also be available programmatically.
Standards
This rule contributes to the following standards:
WCAG A EN 301 549 Best practice
| Standard | Criteria |
|---|---|
| EN 301 549 | 9.1.3.1 |