Understanding VPAT

Learn more about Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) and Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR). 

• What is a VPAT?
• Why are there different VPAT types and requirements?
• What is an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR)?
• What if certain features of my product don’t conform?
• Partner with Level Access to complete a VPAT
• Request VPAT documentation
• Request a VPAT preview 
• VPAT FAQs

What is a VPAT?

A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, or VPAT^®, is the industry-accepted method of documenting a digital product’s accessibility. A VPAT report, also known as Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR), describes how well different types of information and communication technology (ICT), including hardware, software, and electronic content, conform with established accessibility standards.

Vendors of digital offerings, including software products and web platforms, are frequently asked to provide a completed VPAT as part of the procurement process. VPAT documents enable contracting officials and procurement teams to evaluate the accessibility of commercial products and services. They also allow manufacturers and vendors to report whether their product meets applicable accessibility standards.

Note: You must test the product for accessibility, before you can document the results in the VPAT document and submit them as your Accessibility Conformance Report.

Why are there different VPAT types and requirements?

Different editions of the VPAT reflect different standards, including WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549. Similarly, there are different versions of each VPAT edition, which account for updates to accessibility standards. The current version of each VPAT edition is revision 2.5.  

How to select a VPAT edition for your organization? To learn more, go to Which VPAT edition should I use?

What is an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR)?

When you add information to the VPAT template, you end up with an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR). When a potential customer requests a VPAT document, they’re requesting an ACR. At a minimum, an ACR includes the following sections:

• Report title
• VPAT heading information
• Name of product/product version
• Report date
• Product description
• Contact information
• Additional notes
• Evaluation methods
• Applicable standards/guidelines. For example, WCAG.
• Conformance level terms
• A summary table of the standards included in the report
• Tables required under the specific VPAT edition

What if certain features of my product don’t conform?

An ACR provides details about a product's accessibility beyond indicating its conformance level. The Conformance Level column indicate whether your product satisfies specific criteria in the tested accessibility standard:

Partner with Level Access specialists to complete a VPAT

Level Access experts offer comprehensive approach to completing VPATs and partners with your team to:

• Understand your most critical user flows.
• Test those flows using assistive technology (AT).
• Deliver audit results inclusive of accessibility barriers revealed and guidance to fix those errors.
• Support your team to help resolve the more complex errors.
• Deliver an objective, unbiased ACR (a completed VPAT).
• Engage with our team today to ensure your product conforms with global accessibility standards. and obtain an ACR that satisfies your buyers’ requirements. 

Request VPAT documentation

To learn more, refer to Level Access VPAT Process.

To proceed and request our services, contact us.

Request a VPAT preview

A VPAT preview is an unverified preview of your accessibility conformance report, delivered in the MS Word format. A VPAT preview is not reviewed or certified by third‑party accessibility specialists and does not include an official compliance seal, unlike expert-evaluated VPATs. For details, go to  VPAT preview.

VPAT FAQs

Find answers to common questions about authoring VPATs.

Q: What's a VPAT preview and what's a VPAT created by specialists? 

A: A VPAT preview is not certified by a third-party specialists and does not carry an official compliance seal of approval, as do expert-evaluated VPATs created by accessibility specialists. Use VPAT previews to quickly assess accessibility health of your digital assets. Request a specialist VPAT to obtain compliance-ready documentation. 

Q: How is a distinction made between Partially Supports and Does Not Support? 

A: Primarily, we assess user impact. A single severe issue that significantly disrupts the user experience may result in a Does Not Support rating. Conversely, multiple smaller issues that collectively have a limited impact on usability may lead to Partially Supports. It’s not about the quantity of issues—it’s about their overall effect on the user experience.

Q: Do VPAT authors retest the app themselves when writing the VPAT? 

A: Typically, no. Authors rely on the findings from the manual evaluation after remediation has been validated. However, if a rating is borderline or unclear, they may spot-check the environment or reach out to testers for additional context. 

Q: Is the VPAT based solely on pass/fail status of issues?
A: No. Authors go beyond pass/fail counts and interpret the nature and impact of each issue. They use descriptions, screenshots, and context to assess how findings affect accessibility, aiming for a fair and accurate representation.

Q: When is additional testing or clarification needed during VPAT authoring?
A: Only when a success criterion’s rating is close to the threshold and requires nuance. In those cases, authors may consult testers or perform limited testing to ensure the rating reflects both accuracy and fairness.

Q: What is the typical source of information for VPAT creation?
A: The manual evaluation report, including validated findings, issue descriptions, and screenshots. This documentation is usually sufficient to determine ratings and write the VPAT without re-accessing the app.