The Section 508 edition of the VPAT reports against WCAG 2.0 Level A/AA and the Revised Section 508 standards for U.S. federal procurement. The INT (International) edition reports against WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549 in a single document. If your product is sold to U.S. federal agencies only, choose Section 508. If you sell into U.S. federal, European public sector, and global markets, choose INT.
The two editions share the same VPAT framework. The difference is scope. INT folds in European standards alongside U.S. requirements, while Section 508 stays focused on U.S. federal procurement.
| Attribute | Section 508 Edition | INT Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Standards covered | WCAG 2.0 A/AA and Revised Section 508 | WCAG 2.0 A/AA, Revised Section 508, and EN 301 549 |
| Primary buyer | U.S. federal agencies and contractors | Global buyers including EU public sector |
| Tables included | WCAG plus Section 508 chapters | WCAG, Section 508 chapters, and EN 301 549 chapters |
| Document length | Shorter | Longer due to added EN tables |
| Best for | U.S.-only procurement | Multi-region procurement and EAA-adjacent sales |
What the Section 508 Edition Covers
The Section 508 edition is built for U.S. federal procurement. Agencies subject to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act require vendors to document how their ICT product conforms to the Revised 508 standards.
This edition includes the WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA criteria, plus the functional performance criteria and chapters specific to Section 508: hardware, software, support documentation, and services. If your buyer is a U.S. federal agency, this edition gives them what they need without extra material that doesn’t apply to their procurement rules.
What the INT Edition Covers
The INT edition is the most complete VPAT format. It reports against WCAG 2.0 A/AA, the Revised Section 508 standards, and EN 301 549, which is the European accessibility standard referenced by the European Accessibility Act and EU public sector procurement directives.
Because EN 301 549 incorporates WCAG and adds further requirements specific to ICT in the European context, the INT edition gives a buyer in any region a single reference document. It is longer, but it covers more ground.
Which Edition Should You Choose?
The decision comes down to who buys your product.
Choose the Section 508 edition when your sales motion centers on U.S. federal agencies, federal contractors, or state governments that mirror 508 in their procurement language. The document stays focused, and buyers get exactly what their compliance teams look for.
Choose the INT edition when you sell internationally, target EU public sector buyers, or want one document that satisfies most procurement requests regardless of region. Many SaaS companies default to INT because it removes the question of “do we also need an EN report?” later.
If you are unsure, INT is the safer pick. You can always present the same product against U.S.-only standards from an INT document, but a Section 508 ACR will not satisfy a European buyer asking about EN 301 549.
How the Documents Look Different
Both editions start with the same intro sections: product information, evaluation methods, applicable standards, and terms. The body is where they diverge.
A Section 508 ACR has WCAG tables followed by Section 508 chapters. An INT ACR has WCAG tables, then Section 508 chapters, then EN 301 549 chapters covering things like ICT with two-way voice communication, ICT with video capabilities, web content, and non-web documents. The added EN tables make the INT document noticeably longer.
Does the Audit Process Change?
The underlying evaluation is the same regardless of edition. An auditor identifies conformance issues against WCAG 2.1 AA or 2.2 AA depending on what your buyers ask for, then maps results into the VPAT format you select.
The INT edition takes more time to complete because there are more tables to map findings into, but the core audit work, the manual evaluation against WCAG, does not change. Scans cannot determine conformance and only flag approximately 25% of issues, which is why an ACR has to be backed by a real audit, not automated output.
FAQs
Which VPAT edition is most requested?
For most SaaS companies selling broadly, INT is the most requested because it covers the widest range of buyer requirements in one document. Section 508 is most requested by vendors whose customer base is exclusively U.S. federal.
Can I have both editions for the same product?
Yes. Some vendors maintain both a Section 508 ACR and an INT ACR so they can present the right document for each buyer. The audit data behind both is the same, so producing both editions from one evaluation is simple.
Does the INT edition replace the EAA requirement?
An INT ACR documents conformance against EN 301 549, which is the technical standard tied to EAA obligations. It is the documentation many European buyers expect, but EAA compliance involves more than a single document. Treat the INT ACR as evidence, not as the entirety of an EAA program.
Is the WCAG edition different from these two?
Yes. The WCAG edition reports only against WCAG, with no Section 508 or EN 301 549 chapters. It is the shortest and most common edition for commercial buyers who do not have government procurement rules attached to the purchase.
Picking the right edition is a sales question more than a technical one. Match the document to the buyer, and the rest of the VPAT process moves faster.
Contact Accessible.org to request a VPAT quote for your product.
