ACR and VPAT® questions, answered plainly.

The VPAT® (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) is a free template published by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI); the current version is 2.5Rev (April 2025). Once it is filled in for a specific product, it is an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR). Buyers often say “VPAT” when they mean the completed ACR.

No. ITI states that there is no VPAT® certification and that it does not review or approve reports, and an ACR cannot make a product “ADA certified.” An ACR is the vendor’s own statement about how its product meets a standard. We make that statement accurate and specific; we don’t sell seals. See ITI’s VPAT® FAQ.

Either can. ITI says the product owner is likely the best source for the testing and that a third party isn’t required unless a solicitation asks for one. Some buyers ask about independent testing — the HECVAT’s question ITAC-11 asks whether a third-party expert audited your most recent version. We test independently and write the report; you review, approve and publish it under your name.

Follow the buyer. Public universities and state or local governments: the WCAG edition, because the ADA Title II rule uses WCAG 2.1 AA. Federal agencies: the Section 508 edition. Public buyers in the EU: the EU edition (EN 301 549). Several at once: the INT edition, which combines all three. The WCAG edition is $1,490; the 508, EU and INT editions are $1,990.

The ADA Title II rule and the HECVAT’s questions use WCAG 2.1 AA; the Revised 508 Standards use WCAG 2.0. ITI’s WCAG and INT editions include WCAG 2.2, which adds six Level A and AA criteria and removes 4.1.1 Parsing. We test WCAG 2.1 A and AA by default and WCAG 2.2 on request, at the same price.

ITI’s current EU and INT editions (2.5Rev) map to EN 301 549 V3.2.1. ETSI published V4.1.1 in September 2026, which aligns its web, document and software clauses with WCAG 2.2. If your buyer cites V4.1.1, tell us with your request and we will note in the report how the evaluation maps to it. Sources: ITI, ETSI EN 301 549 V4.1.1.

Five business days. The clock starts when we have three things: the 50% deposit, a working test account, and the agreed list of up to 15 screens or key flows. If your test environment goes down during testing, the date moves by the same amount of time and we tell you the same day, in writing.

$1,490 for the WCAG edition; $1,990 for the Section 508, EU or INT edition; $199 a month for ACR Care. Half when you accept the written quote, half on delivery, by card. If we miss the delivery date in your quote, you don’t pay. Full details are on the pricing page.

Then the ACR says so, criterion by criterion, and the fix list tells you what to fix first. GSA tells vendors that a product that doesn’t meet every Section 508 standard is still considered for purchase and compared with similar products. You can also fix the top issues, use the included retest within 90 days, and send the buyer the updated report.

No. We write what we found. If you believe a remark is factually wrong — a feature we misread, a version number — we re-check it and correct it at no charge.

There is no official expiry, but an ACR describes one version of your product. GSA notes that an updated ACR may be required whenever the product changes, and the HECVAT (ITAC-06) asks whether yours was created or updated for the version under consideration within the past 12 months. ACR Care updates it at major releases, up to twice a year.

No. We evaluate web-based products, including their responsive views in a mobile browser. Native iOS and Android apps, desktop software and hardware are out of scope, and the report says so.

VoiceOver with Safari on macOS, plus an inspection of the accessibility tree in Chromium. We don’t test JAWS or NVDA on Windows, TalkBack on Android, or VoiceOver on iPhone and iPad; if your buyer requires those, tell us before you order.

No. We don’t write or change your code. The fix list names each issue, where it is, the criterion, who it affects and how to fix it, so your developers can act on it directly.

No. They don’t change the code your users’ assistive technology meets. In April 2025 the FTC approved a final order requiring one overlay vendor to pay $1 million, and the HECVAT tells universities that “third-party overlays or add-ons are not sufficient for products to conform with accessibility standards.” See how we test.

Your product’s URL and version, the buyer’s request (email, questionnaire or solicitation), a test account with realistic data, and your deadline. We propose the list of screens and flows; you confirm it.

We use the test account only for the evaluation, don’t enter real personal data, and delete the credentials when the work is delivered. Your report and findings stay confidential; we never publish them or name you as a client without written permission.

A small, distributed team that does one thing: Accessibility Conformance Reports. Everything happens in writing — scope, questions, delivery — which gives you a record you can forward to your buyer. We reply within one U.S. business day.

No. We don’t advise on legal obligations, contract terms, warranties or indemnities, and we don’t guarantee conformance or a buyer’s decision. You review, approve and publish the ACR.