A VPAT is a blank template. An ACR is that template filled in for one product at one version. When a buyer asks for "your VPAT," what they want is the completed ACR.
What the VPAT is
The Voluntary Product Accessibility Template is published by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI). It is a Word document with a fixed structure: product details, evaluation methods, the standards covered, a definitions table, and one table per set of criteria. Anyone can download it. On its own it says nothing about any product.
VPAT 2.5 is the current version at the time of writing. ITI revises the template periodically, so the practitioner re-verifies the current version at the start of each engagement and before any ACR is published.
What the ACR is
The Accessibility Conformance Report is the completed template. A usable ACR states:
- Product name and version, report date, and a contact
- Evaluation methods: tested browsers, operating systems, assistive technology, and who did the testing
- Which standards and editions were evaluated
- One row per criterion with a conformance level: Supports, Partially Supports, Does Not Support, Not Applicable, or Not Evaluated
- A remarks column that explains every result that is not Supports
The remarks column is where an ACR earns or loses trust. A reviewer reads it to learn what fails, for whom, and whether the vendor understands the defect.
The four editions
| Edition | What it covers | Who asks for it |
|---|---|---|
| WCAG | WCAG 2.x Level A and AA success criteria, with AAA optional | Enterprise, higher education, healthcare, most Canadian buyers |
| 508 | WCAG plus the Revised Section 508 Standards chapters for software, hardware, and support documentation | US federal agencies and public bodies that adopt Section 508 |
| EU | WCAG plus the EN 301 549 clauses | EU public bodies and buyers under the European Accessibility Act |
| INT | WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549 in one document | Vendors selling in both the US and the EU |
Sending the wrong edition is one of the most common reasons an ACR is returned. A US agency cannot accept a WCAG edition because the Section 508 chapters are missing. An EU buyer needs the EN 301 549 mapping that only the EU and INT editions carry.
Why the terminology matters in a deal
Procurement staff use the two words interchangeably, and that is fine. What matters is what you send back. A vendor who replies with a partly filled template, or a document labelled VPAT with no version, date, or tester, signals that this is their first time. A vendor who sends a dated ACR, names the edition, and attaches the evidence signals the opposite.
There is one more distinction worth keeping straight. Neither document is a certificate. An ACR reports test results at a point in time. It does not certify compliance with any law, and no consultant can make that certification for you.