VPATs and ACRs: What You Need to Know

In today’s digital-first economy, accessibility is no longer a “nice-to-have”—it’s a competitive advantage. Buyers across sectors are prioritizing accessible digital tools and platforms, and organizations that can’t demonstrate accessibility risk losing out on major business opportunities. That’s where Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®) reports come in.

Whether you’re a software vendor responding to RFPs or a procurement officer evaluating solutions, understanding how VPATs work—and what makes a strong VPAT report—is critical.

What is a VPAT?

A VPAT is a standardized template used to document the accessibility of a digital product. Once completed, the VPAT document becomes what’s known as an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR). It outlines how well a product or service meets recognized accessibility standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or EN 301 549.

Originally developed by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) to support Section 508 compliance in U.S. federal procurement, the VPAT is now widely used in both the public and private sectors worldwide. A completed VPAT helps organizations communicate their product’s accessibility posture clearly and credibly to potential buyers.

What is an ACR?

The VPAT template itself is just the starting point. When you fill it out to assess a product’s accessibility, the resulting document is known as an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR). While people often use the terms VPAT and ACR interchangeably, technically speaking, the ACR is the final output—a completed, standardized VPAT report.

Buyers may ask for a “VPAT” as part of an RFP, but what they really need is an ACR—one that clearly reflects how the product measures up to accessibility requirements.

What are the different types of VPATs?

Not all VPATs are the same. Different buyers, in different regions, require conformance with different standards. That’s why multiple VPAT editions exist, each tailored to specific compliance requirements.

The most recent version of the template is VPAT 2.5, and it comes in four editions, depending on your market:

VPAT Edition	Focus	Usage	Applicable Standards
VPAT 2.5 508	Section 508 compliance	Used by U.S. federal agencies	Revised Section 508 (includes WCAG 2.0 AA)
VPAT 2.5 WCAG	WCAG conformance	Used by private-sector businesses and U.S. state / local governments	WCAG 2.0, 2.1, 2.2 (ISO/IEC 40500)
VPAT 2.5 EU	European accessibility standards	Used in European Union (EU) public-sector procurement	EN 301 549 (includes WCAG 2.0 and 2.1)
VPAT 2.5 INT	International standards	Ideal for global organizations needing multi-jurisdictional coverage	Section 508, EN 301 549, WCAG 2.0, 2.1, 2.2

Choosing the right VPAT edition ensures your VPAT report meets the expectations of your target customers and markets.

How do I obtain a VPAT report?

Completing a VPAT to produce an accurate ACR isn’t just a paperwork task—it’s a technical process. For that reason, the first step to obtain a VPAT report for your product is to enlist the help of an accessibility expert. This expert will:

• Audit the product or service against the relevant standards (e.g., WCAG 2.2).
• Document conformance levels for each criterion in the standard.
• Provide clear, defensible evidence of findings.

It’s important to ensure you engage an expert that has both the technical knowledge and industry credibility needed to create a VPAT report that buyers trust.

What’s in a VPAT report?

A VPAT report typically includes the following sections:

• Product name and version
• Report title and date
• Evaluation methods
• Accessibility standards/guidelines (e.g., WCAG 2.2)
• Contact information
• Summary of applicable standards
• Conformance level explanations
• Tables detailing support for each requirement

At a high level, the report starts with background information about the product evaluated, and the evaluation methodology used. From there, it contains a series of tables, with rows that correspond to specific criteria within the relevant standards. Each row provides information about the product’s level of conformance with the corresponding criterion.

Conformance levels are indicated with the following terms:

• Supports: Fully meets the requirement
• Partially supports: Some elements meet the requirement
• Does not support: The requirement is largely unmet
• Not applicable: The requirement is not relevant to the product

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

Your buyers may not require that your product is 100% accessible at the time of sale—but your VPAT report must be accurate. If your product does not support certain accessibility criteria, be transparent about its limitations and your plans to address them.

Provide detailed notes on:

• Which areas of the product don’t conform
• Why the issues exist
• Whether fixes are planned
• How users are affected (or not)

This level of clarity builds trust with buyers and shows that your team takes accessibility seriously.

The Level Access approach to VPATs

At Level Access, we partner with organizations to create credible VPAT reports that close deals. Our comprehensive approach is designed to give your product a competitive edge:

• We audit core user flows using assistive technologies.
• We identify accessibility barriers and offer remediation guidance.
• We support your team through fixes and validation.
• We deliver objective, reputable ACRs.

If your organization is preparing to complete a VPAT, don’t go it alone. Our team has supported thousands of companies in achieving accessibility at scale—with the documentation to prove it.

At Level Access, we’ve spent more than 25 years at the forefront of accessibility innovation. Our end-to-end solution, powered by AI, spans the three pillars of successful accessibility programs: Audit & Test, Build & Fix, and Governance & Reporting. Contact Level Access today to learn how we can support your journey toward sustainable accessibility and compliance.

Frequently asked questions

Is a VPAT a certification of compliance?

A completed VPAT, or ACR, is not a certification of compliance nor intended to serve as a pass / fail document. The intention of the ACR is to provide greater insight into the degree to which a product meets specific accessibility standards. It enables vendors and purchasers to have more purposeful and direct discussions during the procurement process.

Is an ACR (a completed VPAT) required for a website or web app?

A VPAT only comes into play for websites and web-based content that are part of a product offering. A completed VPAT (or an ACR) is required for this content if you are contracting with a U.S. government entity. Suppose you sell a product with web-based elements to private-sector companies. In that case, a VPAT can be a valuable tool for demonstrating the accessibility compliance of your product offering, and it’s better to have one prepared and ready instead of rushing to create one last minute. Accessibility statements can be used to document the accessibility of a website that is not part of a product.

Is a VPAT or an ACR required for a mobile app?

This depends on the use case and go-to-market approach. Completing an ACR is necessary if the app’s usage falls under Section 508 or other applicable requirements or if procurement teams request one. You can discuss the specifics with an expert.