WCAG 2.2 success criterion 3.2.3, Consistent Navigation, is a Level AA requirement: repeated navigation appears in the same order on every page.
Read the criterion in the W3C Recommendation, WCAG 2.2 (opens in a new tab).
How BearScan checks it
Repeated navigation appears in the same order on every page
Checked automatically: reads the HTML. Severity: low. Users with low vision or cognitive disabilities learn where navigation is. Reordering it between pages makes them relearn it each time.
An approximation: One page of each distinct layout is sampled (up to 60), and the links in each header, navigation and footer are lined up by destination. A breadcrumb trail (marked up as one, or made only of the page's own ancestors beside its current entry) is page-specific and is left out. Links shared by two or more pages must keep their relative order. Navigation that only appears in a page's body copy, or a menu opened by script that the fetched markup does not contain, is not seen.
How to fix it. Render the header, main menu and footer from shared templates so their items keep the same relative order on every page.
All WCAG 2.2 criteria · Next: 3.2.4 Consistent Identification
Questions
Is WCAG 3.2.3 required by the ADA?
The ADA doesn't name a technical standard for businesses, but the Justice Department's 2022 guidance points businesses to WCAG, and its 2024 rule for state and local governments adopted WCAG 2.1 Level AA, which includes 3.2.3.
Can an automated tool check WCAG 3.2.3?
Mostly. BearScan checks it automatically (reads the HTML). A clean result still isn't proof every page passes, only the pages scanned.
How do I fix a WCAG 3.2.3 failure?
Render the header, main menu and footer from shared templates so their items keep the same relative order on every page.