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VPAT and ACR: Understanding Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates

By EZUD Published · Updated

VPAT and ACR: Understanding Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates

A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is a standardized document that describes how a product conforms to accessibility standards. When completed for a specific product, the resulting document is called an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR). VPATs and ACRs are the primary mechanism by which vendors communicate accessibility status to buyers, particularly in government and enterprise procurement.

What a VPAT/ACR Contains

The VPAT template, maintained by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), organizes accessibility criteria into sections based on the applicable standard:

  • WCAG 2.x (Levels A and AA): The most commonly referenced section for web and software products.
  • Revised Section 508: U.S. federal accessibility requirements for ICT.
  • EN 301 549: European standard for ICT accessibility, incorporating WCAG and additional requirements for documents, software, and hardware.

For each criterion, the vendor reports:

  • Conformance Level: Supports, Partially Supports, Does Not Support, or Not Applicable.
  • Remarks and Explanations: Details about the level of support, known issues, and context.

Why VPATs/ACRs Matter

Procurement decisions

U.S. federal agencies are required by Section 508 to procure accessible ICT. A VPAT/ACR is the standard evidence format. Without one, a product is effectively disqualified from government sales.

Increasingly, state governments, universities, and large enterprises also require VPATs as part of procurement evaluations.

Transparency

A well-written ACR gives buyers an honest picture of a product’s accessibility. It enables informed decisions about which products meet their needs and which require workarounds or remediation commitments.

Internal accountability

The process of completing a VPAT forces an organization to systematically evaluate its product against accessibility standards. This evaluation often surfaces issues that were previously unknown.

Creating a VPAT/ACR

Step 1: Choose the correct template version

ITI maintains three VPAT versions:

  • VPAT 2.5 WCAG: For products evaluated against WCAG 2.x only.
  • VPAT 2.5 Revised Section 508: For products evaluated against Section 508 and WCAG.
  • VPAT 2.5 EU: For products evaluated against EN 301 549.
  • VPAT 2.5 INT: Combines all three for products sold globally.

Select the version that matches your market. For most U.S. government sales, the Revised Section 508 edition is appropriate. For global products, use the INT edition.

Step 2: Conduct an accessibility evaluation

A VPAT/ACR is only as credible as the evaluation behind it. Conduct a thorough accessibility audit combining:

  • Automated testing with axe-core, Pa11y, or similar tools
  • Manual testing with screen readers (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver), keyboard, and magnification
  • Ideally, usability testing with disabled users

Document findings for every applicable criterion.

Step 3: Complete the template honestly

For each criterion:

  • Supports: The product fully meets the criterion with no known issues.
  • Partially Supports: The product meets the criterion in some cases but not all. Explain the gaps.
  • Does Not Support: The product does not meet the criterion. Explain the barrier and any planned remediation.
  • Not Applicable: The criterion does not apply to the product (e.g., audio-only criteria for a text-based product).

The “Remarks and Explanations” column is critical. Vague entries like “Partially Supports” without explanation undermine credibility. Specific entries like “Partially Supports. Custom date picker is not keyboard-operable. Remediation planned for Q3 2025” build trust and inform buyers.

Step 4: Review and publish

  • Have the completed ACR reviewed by someone other than the person who conducted the evaluation.
  • Publish the ACR on your website, typically linked from your accessibility statement.
  • Update the ACR with each major product release or at least annually.

Common Mistakes

  • Self-evaluation without testing. Completing a VPAT based on developer assumptions rather than actual testing produces inaccurate results that erode buyer trust.
  • Outdated VPATs. A VPAT from three years ago does not reflect the current product. Buyers will notice.
  • Overstating conformance. Claiming “Supports” for criteria that your product does not meet is dishonest and creates legal risk if buyers rely on the claim.
  • Ignoring the document. Publishing a VPAT and never updating it signals that accessibility is not a sustained priority.

Third-Party VPAT Services

If your team lacks the expertise to conduct a credible evaluation, engage a third-party accessibility firm (Deque, Level Access, TPGi, Knowbility) to audit the product and produce the ACR. Third-party ACRs carry more credibility with procurement evaluators than self-assessments.

Connecting VPATs to Broader Strategy

A VPAT is not an end in itself. It is one output of a broader accessibility program that includes auditing, remediation planning, governance, and continuous monitoring. Organizations that invest in these upstream activities produce more accurate VPATs and have fewer gaps to explain.

Key Takeaways

  • A VPAT is the template; an ACR is the completed document for a specific product.
  • ACRs are essential for government and enterprise procurement and are increasingly expected by all buyers.
  • Base the ACR on thorough automated and manual testing, not assumptions.
  • Be honest about conformance levels and provide specific explanations for partial or non-support.
  • Update the ACR with each major release and link it from your accessibility statement.

Sources

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