Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®)
Prove your product’s accessibility and compliance to buyers with an accurate Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®) from the most recognized brand in the industry. Simplify the process with an expert partner.
- Meet B2B and public-sector procurement requirements.
- Comply with the ADA, Section 508, and the EAA.
- Simplify the process with an expert partner.
Trusted by the world’s leading brands
"We're able to provide VPATs on platform with confidence! We've brought focus to coding for ADA compliance as part of everyday life.”
– Patrick Lucas, Product Manager, ACI Worldwide
What is a VPAT?
A VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) is the accepted template for documenting a digital product’s conformance with accessibility standards like WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549. Once completed, the VPAT becomes an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR). While often used interchangeably, a VPAT refers to the template, and an ACR is the finalized document.
ACRs are widely used in B2B and B2G procurement. An ACR from a reputable third-party can help you demonstrate accessibility compliance to buyers and position your company as a trusted, inclusive vendor in both the private and public sectors.
Access our guide to navigating the VPAT
Our how-to guide provides actionable advice for navigating every step of the VPAT process, equipping you with the knowledge you need to reliably document your product’s accessibility. Request this resource today to start closing deals and demonstrating your organization’s commitment to inclusion.
of professionals say their organization requires documented proof of accessibility when purchasing digital products.
Engage VPAT expertise
With both new and existing contracts on the line, it’s best to approach the VPAT process with an expert partner. A VPAT is a complicated document requiring technical knowledge and multi-faceted testing capabilities.
Improved marketability
A professional VPAT completed by the industry leader demonstrates your commitment to accessibility, making your product more appealing to organizations prioritizing inclusivity.
Ongoing partnership
We provide more than just a one-time VPAT. We help you stay up to date with evolving standards and keep your VPAT current.
Industry-leading expertise
We’re a pioneering force in digital accessibility with a deep understanding of accessibility laws like the ADA, Section 508, WCAG, and EN 301 549.
Increase credibility & trust
We’ve worked with hundreds of digital product vendors to produce reliable, accurate ACRs. We complete more than 600 VPATs annually.
Customized support
Our customers benefit from tailored guidance aligned to their unique products. From identifying target standards to remediating issues, we’ll support you at every stage of the VPAT process.
“Level Access’s iterative VPAT process was compatible with our focus on software quality. By supporting us through multiple rounds of assessment and remediation, Level Access provided feedback that helped us to meaningfully improve the usability of our product.”
– David Thede, President, dtSearch
Our approach to VPATs
With 25 years of experience, we take a comprehensive approach to VPATs, combining technical expertise and multi-faceted testing.
We follow a 5-step process:
Understand critical user flows.
Test user flows using a combination of assistive technologies and browsers.
Provide results identifying accessibility issues, with actionable guidance for fixing them.
Partner with your team to support prioritization or troubleshoot complex issues.
Deliver an objective, reliable, fully accessibility VPAT report (ACR).
Start with a VPAT, succeed with a sustainable process
The Level Access solution gets you started with a VPAT but ultimately supports a sustainable process, the key to long-term accessibility success. Like any other evaluation, a VPAT report—or ACR—is a point-in-time snapshot of your product’s accessibility. As your product evolves, and new content and features are added, it can slip out of compliance. That’s why ongoing support is crucial.
Continuous compliance
We'll help you keep your products conformant with accessibility standards like WCAG and Section 508, so you can continue to meet buyers’ demands and minimize legal and reputational risks.
Improved accessibility over time
Our solution provides integrated tools, training, and regular evaluations to embed accessibility throughout the product life cycle, saving costs on reactive fixes and ensuring critical features stay inclusive as your product evolves.
Competitive edge
An ongoing VPAT process demonstrates your commitment to accessibility, making your product more attractive to procurement teams in government and enterprise sectors, and positioning your business as a trusted, inclusive vendor.
“Level Access not only provided us with a completed VPAT, but also a process that helped us build a better product.”
– David Thede, President, dtSearch
Recognition
What our customers say
Prove product accessibility, unlock new business.
Ready to obtain a credible VPAT that supports procurement, compliance, and customer retention? Our accessibility experts are ready to help.
FAQs
Is a VPAT mandatory?
Completing a VPAT is not mandated by law; however, it’s common for organizations purchasing third-party products to require a VPAT report, or ACR, from potential vendors. So, while obtaining a VPAT report is not necessary for legal compliance, it may be necessary to sell your product.
What are the different types of VPAT?
Different editions of the VPAT are available to help organizations document conformance with different laws and standards. The most recent VPAT version, VPAT 2.5, includes four editions:
- VPAT 2.5 WCAG: used to demonstrate conformance with WCAG
- VPAT 2.5 EU: used to demonstrate conformance with EN 301 549, the harmonized European standard
- VPAT 2.5 508: used to demonstrate conformance with the standards in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
- VPAT 2.5 INT: used to demonstrate conformance with all three standards previously listed
Do I need a VPAT?
If your organization sells digital products to U.S. government organizations, you will almost certainly need to obtain a VPAT report to meet your buyers’ procurement requirements. However, even if you sell primarily to private-sector businesses, your buyers may request a completed VPAT to ensure that purchasing your products won’t jeopardize their accessibility and compliance goals. Obtaining a VPAT report is a wise decision for any B2B or B2G product company aiming to maximize their market share and protect existing customer relationships.
Is VPAT the same as WCAG?
The acronyms VPAT and WCAG refer to two separate but related resources. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are a set of standards for creating accessible digital experiences. A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, or VPAT, is a template that is used to document the accessibility of digital products. A VPAT allows an organization to report on how well their product conforms with established standards, including WCAG. So while a VPAT is not the same as WCAG, understanding WCAG is an important part of completing a VPAT.