Accessibility Compliance Documentation
VPAT and ACR Explained
A practical guide for business owners, product teams, and procurement stakeholders who need clear accessibility documentation without legal jargon.
What is a VPAT?
VPAT stands for Voluntary Product Accessibility Template. It is a standardized template used to report how a digital product aligns with accessibility requirements such as WCAG and EN 301 549.
A VPAT is not a certificate. It is a structured format for documenting conformance claims and known limitations in a transparent, reviewable way.
What is an ACR?
ACR stands for Accessibility Conformance Report. It is the completed report produced using the VPAT template.
In simple terms: the VPAT is the form, and the ACR is the filled-out result. Buyers and procurement teams usually ask for the ACR as evidence.
Key distinction
VPAT is the template framework. ACR is your product-specific conformance statement based on that framework, typically using VPAT 2.5.
Download the VPAT 2.5 template
Use the official VPAT 2.5 template as the starting point for your accessibility documentation and ACR workflow.
Why VPAT and ACR Matter for Business
Faster Procurement
Enterprise and public buyers often require accessibility documentation during vendor selection. A clear ACR reduces friction and shortens review cycles.
Lower Legal and Contract Risk
Documented conformance status helps teams identify gaps early, prioritize remediation, and avoid overpromising in contracts.
Stronger Internal Alignment
Product, legal, and customer-facing teams can rely on one shared source of truth about accessibility status and roadmap commitments.
Trust and Market Credibility
A well-prepared ACR shows maturity and transparency, which supports sales conversations and customer trust.
Step-by-Step: How to Create a Reliable ACR
1. Define product scope and target standards
List the exact product version, platform, and user flows being evaluated. Map the required standards for your market, typically WCAG 2.2 AA and EN 301 549 in Europe.
2. Run a complete accessibility assessment
Use both automated testing and manual expert review. Automated scans find many technical issues, while manual testing verifies keyboard access, focus behavior, semantics, and real-world usability.
3. Capture evidence criterion by criterion
For every applicable success criterion, record the conformance level and supporting evidence. Include known limitations and remediation plans where needed.
4. Fill out the VPAT template accurately
Use the latest VPAT template version and document each section with precise, non-marketing language. Avoid generic statements such as 'fully accessible' without evidence.
5. Produce the ACR and quality-check it
Your ACR is the completed report generated using the VPAT template. Run an internal quality review to ensure consistency, traceability, and legal clarity before sharing.
6. Publish, maintain, and update
Treat accessibility documentation as a living deliverable. Update the ACR after major releases, critical fixes, or changes in scope and standards.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Publishing outdated reports after major product changes.
- Marking criteria as supported without testing evidence.
- Relying only on automated scans for conformance claims.
- Using generic or marketing-heavy language in technical sections.
- Failing to include known issues and remediation timelines.
Need Help Producing an ACR You Can Defend?
GetWCAG combines automated scanning with expert manual review to produce a completed Accessibility Conformance Report based on the VPAT 2.5 template.