VPAT vs ACR — what's the difference?
The short version: a VPAT is the empty template, and an ACR — Accessibility Conformance Report — is what you have once you fill that template in for a real product. The VPAT is published and maintained by ITI; the ACR is the document you hand to a customer. Because nobody distributes a blank VPAT to a buyer, the word "VPAT" has come to mean the finished report in everyday use. When a procurement officer emails "please send your VPAT," they want your ACR.
The distinction matters in two places. First, in editions: VPAT 2.5 comes in a WCAG edition, a Section 508 edition, an EU (EN 301 549) edition, and an international edition that combines all three. The edition you choose determines which criteria tables appear in the resulting ACR. Second, in authority: a VPAT/ACR is a self-assessment. It is not a certification, not an audit report, and not a legal guarantee. Some vendors strengthen it by basing the ratings on third-party testing, but the document itself carries no external seal.
Practically, you produce an ACR by working through the VPAT template criterion by criterion: choose a conformance level, write remarks, and assemble the tables under the standard front matter. That is exactly what VPAT Studio automates — it holds the VPAT 2.5 criteria as structured data and exports the completed ACR as PDF and DOCX without anything leaving your browser.
Open the ACR builder — free, no upload
Getting the terminology right in a buyer conversation
- If asked for "a VPAT," deliver a completed ACR — the filled-in report, not a blank template.
- Confirm the edition: WCAG, Section 508, EU EN 301 549, or the international combined edition.
- State clearly that the report is a self-assessment unless it is backed by third-party testing.
- Date it and version it to the product release it describes, so buyers know it is current.
Questions
So are VPAT and ACR the same thing?
Functionally, in conversation, yes. Technically the VPAT is the template and the ACR is the completed document. A buyer asking for your VPAT wants the ACR.
Which edition should I send?
Match the standard the buyer cites. U.S. federal and most public-sector buyers want the Section 508 edition; many commercial buyers accept the WCAG edition; European buyers may ask for the EN 301 549 edition.
Does an ACR expire?
It is tied to a product version and a date. When the product changes materially, re-issue the ACR against the new release rather than relying on an old one.