Conformance levels in a VPAT are the standardized terms that describe how a product measures against each WCAG success criterion. The ITI defines five: Supports, Partially Supports, Does Not Support, Not Applicable, and Not Evaluated (restricted to AAA criteria). An audit (fully manual evaluation) is the only way to determine these levels accurately, since automated scans catch only a fraction of real-world issues.
The completed document with these levels assigned is the Accessibility Conformance Report, or ACR. The VPAT is the blank template. Filling it in correctly requires audit data, not guesswork.
| Conformance Level | When to Use It |
|---|---|
| Supports | The product fully meets the success criterion across all evaluated content and components. |
| Partially Supports | Some parts of the product meet the criterion and others do not. The remarks column documents what fails. |
| Does Not Support | The product fails the criterion across the majority of relevant content or components. |
| Not Applicable | The criterion does not apply to the product. Example: a static site marking video captions as Not Applicable when no video exists. |
Where the Four Levels Come From
The four conformance terms are defined by the ITI (Information Technology Industry Council), which publishes the VPAT template. They apply to every edition: WCAG, Section 508, EN 301 549, and INT. The WCAG edition is the most common selection for SaaS companies and the default for most Accessible.org clients.
Each success criterion in the template gets one level. The remarks column to the right of the level is where context lives, and that context is what makes the report credible.
What Does Each Level Actually Mean?
Supports means the product meets the criterion. Not most of the time. All of the time across what was evaluated.
Partially Supports is the most-used level on real-world ACRs. It signals that some elements pass and others do not, with the remarks column explaining where the issues live.
Does Not Support is reserved for criteria that fail at scale. If the entire product lacks a feature required by the criterion (no skip link anywhere, no captions on any video), Does Not Support is the honest call.
Not Applicable applies when the criterion has no relevance to the product. A web app with no audio content marks audio-related criteria as Not Applicable. The remarks column should briefly note why.
How an Audit Determines the Level
An auditor evaluates the product against each WCAG success criterion at the chosen level (typically 2.1 AA or 2.2 AA). The audit identifies issues tied to specific criteria. Those audit findings map directly to conformance levels in the ACR.
If the audit identifies any issues against a criterion, that criterion is not Supports. If issues exist but are limited in scope, the level is Partially Supports. If issues are widespread or the requirement is entirely unmet, the level is Does Not Support.
This is why a VPAT filled out without an audit carries little weight. Procurement teams and accessibility reviewers know the difference. An ACR backed by audit data is documentation. One that is not is a self-assessment.
Common Mistakes When Assigning Levels
Marking everything as Supports. This is the fastest way to lose credibility. Real products almost always have at least a few criteria that land in Partially Supports.
Using Not Applicable too liberally. The criterion has to genuinely not apply. Skipping a hard one by labeling it N/A is something experienced reviewers catch quickly.
Leaving the remarks column blank on Partially Supports or Does Not Support entries. The level alone is not enough. The remarks explain what fails and, where appropriate, what is planned.
Mixing up the VPAT and the ACR. The VPAT is the template. The ACR is the completed report. Buyers want the ACR.
Choosing the Right WCAG Level First
Before assigning conformance to individual criteria, the report has to declare which standard it is measuring against. Most ACRs reference WCAG 2.1 AA. WCAG 2.2 AA is being requested with growing frequency, particularly in procurement for government, healthcare, and EdTech. The chosen version affects which success criteria are evaluated and, therefore, which levels appear in the table.
For a deeper look at how the conformance report fits into the broader process, the VPAT and ACR overview covers scope, editions, and what buyers expect to see.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fill in a VPAT without an audit?
Technically yes. Practically, no. An ACR that is not anchored to audit findings is a self-assessment, and procurement teams treat it that way. Without an evaluation against each success criterion, the conformance levels are guesses.
What is the difference between Supports and Partially Supports?
Supports means the product passes the criterion across the evaluated scope with zero identified issues. Partially Supports means some content or components pass and others do not. If even one issue ties to the criterion, the level is Partially Supports, not Supports.
Does an ACR expire?
ACRs do not have a formal expiration date. They should be updated after significant product changes, a new release cycle, or movement to a different WCAG version. A stale ACR loses freshness with buyers quickly.
Who should assign the conformance levels?
An auditor with the experience to evaluate the product against WCAG and document findings accurately. Independently issued ACRs carry more weight in procurement than internally completed ones because the reviewer is removed from the product team.
Accessible.org issues ACRs informed by audits, with conformance levels assigned based on what was actually evaluated, not what was assumed. Contact Accessible.org to request a VPAT/ACR for your product.
