Main landmark should not be contained in another landmark

WCAG 1.3.1
Info and Relationships

Accessibility isn’t only about avoiding violations — it’s about ensuring your product can be used confidently by everyone. This guide explains the principle of this rule, shows what goes wrong in real-world code, and provides a verified fix that meets WCAG and the European Accessibility Act (EAA).

Why this matters and how to fix it

Why this matters

The main landmark represents the unique primary content of a page. Nesting it breaks navigation and may confuse assistive technologies.

How to fix this issue

Keep <main> or role='main' as a top-level landmark, not inside <article>, <section>, <header>, or <footer>.

Automated detection · Manual review recommended

Developer guidance

There must be exactly one <main> landmark per page, placed directly under <body>.

Code examples

Incorrect Implementation

<article>
  <main>
    <h1>Main Content</h1>
  </main>
</article>

Correct Implementation

<main>
  <h1>Main Content</h1>
</main>
<article>Additional content</article>
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