What is a VPAT and Why Do Companies Need One?
If your company sells software or digital services to government agencies, universities, or large enterprises, you have almost certainly been asked for a VPAT. This article explains exactly what it is, why it matters, and how to create one without spending weeks on it.
VPAT 2.5 · WCAG 2.2 · Section 508 · EN 301 549
What Exactly is a VPAT?
A VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) is a standardized document that describes how a software product, website, or digital service conforms to accessibility standards. It was created by the IT Industry Council (ITI) and is the accepted format for communicating accessibility conformance in government and enterprise procurement.
The word "voluntary" in the name is a bit misleading. While no law forces a company to fill out a VPAT, the document is effectively mandatory for any vendor that wants to sell to US federal agencies, many state governments, public universities, or large enterprises with accessibility procurement policies.
The current version is VPAT 2.5, which covers three major accessibility standards in a single document: WCAG 2.2 (the international web content standard), Section 508 (the US federal law), and EN 301 549 (the European standard). Each criterion in these standards gets its own row in the VPAT, and the vendor must assign a conformance level and provide remarks explaining the product's behavior.
How VPAT Conformance Levels Work
Every criterion in a VPAT gets one of four conformance levels. These levels tell the buyer exactly how well the product meets each accessibility requirement.
The product fully meets this criterion with no known exceptions. This is the ideal outcome for every row in the VPAT.
The product meets some but not all requirements of this criterion, or meets it in some contexts but not others. Remarks should explain the gap.
The product does not meet this criterion. This is a known accessibility failure that requires remediation before the product can claim conformance.
This criterion does not apply to the product. For example, a text-only tool would mark audio description criteria as Not Applicable.
Which Companies Are Required to Provide a VPAT?
The short answer is: any company that sells software, websites, or digital products to organizations that have accessibility procurement requirements. In practice, this covers a very wide range of buyers.
US Federal Agencies are the most well-known example. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies to ensure that the electronic and information technology they procure is accessible to people with disabilities. Before purchasing any software, agencies typically request a VPAT as part of the evaluation process. Vendors who cannot provide one are often disqualified from consideration.
State and local governments increasingly follow the same pattern. Many states have adopted their own accessibility laws that mirror Section 508, and their procurement teams ask for VPATs just as federal agencies do.
Universities and educational institutions are another major category. Schools that receive federal funding are subject to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and often Section 508 as well. When a university evaluates a new learning management system, student portal, or administrative tool, a VPAT is a standard part of the vendor evaluation.
Large enterprises with mature accessibility programs also require VPATs from their software vendors. Companies in healthcare, finance, and insurance are particularly likely to have formal accessibility procurement policies that require conformance documentation.
Generate a VPAT 2.5 Automatically
Creating a VPAT manually means running accessibility tests, mapping every violation to the correct WCAG criterion, assigning conformance levels, and writing remarks for each one. ConformPilot does all of that automatically.
Scan Your Website
Enter your URL and ConformPilot scans every page using axe-core, Pa11y, and Lighthouse. Authenticated pages behind a login are supported too.
Auto-Map to VPAT Criteria
Every violation is automatically mapped to the correct WCAG 2.2, Section 508, and EN 301 549 criterion with the appropriate conformance level.
Download VPAT 2.5 Word Doc
Download a complete, professionally formatted VPAT 2.5 Word document ready to submit to any government agency or enterprise procurement team.
Common Questions About VPATs
What does VPAT stand for?
VPAT stands for Voluntary Product Accessibility Template. It is a standardized document published by the IT Industry Council (ITI) that vendors use to describe how their product or service conforms to accessibility standards such as WCAG 2.2, Section 508, and EN 301 549.
Is a VPAT legally required?
A VPAT is not a law itself, but it is required by law in many procurement contexts. US federal agencies are required under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act to purchase accessible technology. To prove accessibility, vendors must submit a VPAT as part of the procurement process. Many state governments and universities have similar requirements.
What is the difference between a VPAT and an accessibility audit?
An accessibility audit is the process of testing a product against WCAG or Section 508 criteria. A VPAT is the formal document that records the results of that audit in a standardized format. You need to perform an audit first, then use the findings to fill out the VPAT.
What is VPAT 2.5?
VPAT 2.5 is the latest version of the VPAT template. It covers WCAG 2.2, Section 508, and EN 301 549 in a single document. It replaced earlier versions and is now the standard format expected by government agencies and enterprise procurement teams.
How long does it take to create a VPAT?
Creating a VPAT manually can take anywhere from several days to several weeks, depending on the size and complexity of the product. ConformPilot automates the process by scanning your website and generating a complete VPAT 2.5 Word document in minutes.
Who can write a VPAT?
A VPAT can be written by the product vendor, an internal accessibility team, or a third-party accessibility consultant. The document must accurately reflect the product's conformance level for each criterion. Using automated tools like ConformPilot helps ensure the findings are accurate and consistently documented.
Stop Writing VPATs by Hand
ConformPilot scans your website, maps every violation to VPAT criteria, and generates a complete Word document. The whole process takes minutes, not weeks.