Is a VPAT legally required?

VPATs are not legally required in the private sector, but are a practical requirement for federal procurement under Section 508. Many state agencies, universities, and enterprises also require them.

How old is too old for a VPAT?

A VPAT more than two years old is generally considered outdated, especially for products with major updates. Request a VPAT covering the specific product version you are evaluating.

What file formats does VPAT Score accept?

VPAT Score accepts PDF and Word (.docx) files. Both are parsed automatically — no conversion needed before uploading.

How is the accessibility grade calculated?

Each WCAG criterion carries an impact multiplier based on real-world user impact. The final score produces a letter grade (A through F) and a separate weighted risk rating (Low, Moderate, High, or Critical).

How many free reviews do I get?

Every account includes 5 free reviews per month. No credit card is required to register.

Is VPAT Score suitable for government procurement?

Yes. VPAT Score evaluates conformance against Section 508 criteria and produces consistent, repeatable assessments that support defensible procurement decisions.

What is a VPAT? — VPAT Explained

What Does VPAT Stand For?

VPAT stands for Voluntary Product Accessibility Template. The template was created by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) as a standard format for vendors to document their products' accessibility conformance.

What Is a VPAT Used For?

VPATs are used by procurement teams — including government agencies, universities, enterprises, and healthcare organizations — to evaluate the accessibility of software before purchasing it. A VPAT tells buyers how well a product conforms to accessibility standards like WCAG 2.1 and Section 508.

What Does a VPAT Contain?

A standard VPAT includes:

Product name, version, and evaluation date
A conformance table for each applicable standard (WCAG 2.1 Level A, AA; Section 508)
For each criterion: the conformance level (Supports, Partially Supports, Does Not Support, Not Applicable) and remarks
Contact information for follow-up questions

What Is a VPAT 2.x?

VPAT 2.x refers to the current generation of the VPAT template, updated to reflect the WCAG 2.1 standard and Section 508's 2017 refresh. Most VPATs produced after 2018 should be in VPAT 2.x format. When a vendor provides a VPAT 1.x, it may not cover current accessibility requirements.

What Is the Difference Between a VPAT and an ACR?

A VPAT is the blank template. An ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report) is the completed document that a vendor fills out. In common usage, both terms refer to the same thing: the vendor's filled-in accessibility self-declaration. You may see either term used by vendors, agencies, or tools like VPAT Score.

How Do You Evaluate a VPAT?

A rigorous VPAT evaluation goes beyond skimming for "Supports" responses. It requires reviewing each criterion's claimed conformance level, checking remarks for hedge language ("with exceptions," "workaround available"), and understanding which criteria carry the highest accessibility impact for real users. VPAT Score automates this process and produces an objective letter grade and risk rating.

Who Creates VPATs?

VPATs are created and maintained by software vendors. The quality of VPATs varies widely — some are thorough and backed by independent testing, while others are incomplete, outdated, or inflated with conformance claims that are not substantiated.

What Is a VPAT?

Everything You Need to Know About VPATs