Does my Shopify store need a VPAT?

A Shopify store needs a VPAT when a buyer, procurement team, or enterprise or government customer requests conformance documentation, or when selling into markets that expect an accessibility statement and conformance evidence. It is documentation, not a legal requirement that Paperfort can certify on your behalf.

What is the difference between a VPAT and an ACR?

A VPAT is the blank ITI template. An ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report) is that VPAT once it has been completed with your product’s test results. Paperfort delivers the completed version.

How does Paperfort generate a VPAT for Shopify?

Paperfort runs an automated axe-core scan of your storefront against WCAG 2.2 Level AA and completes a VPAT 2.5 from the results. Automated scans detect roughly 30 to 50 percent of WCAG issues, so the VPAT documents what the automated scan finds and flags where a qualified professional should review further.

Is a VPAT a guarantee of ADA compliance?

No. A VPAT is a conformance report, not a compliance guarantee. It documents how a product measures against accessibility standards; it does not guarantee ADA compliance or prevent litigation, and Paperfort does not provide legal advice.

VPAT for Shopify

VPAT for Shopify: what it is and how to get a VPAT 2.5 for your store.

A VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) 2.5 is a standardized document, published by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), that describes how a product conforms to accessibility standards including WCAG 2.2, Section 508, and EN 301 549. For a Shopify store, a VPAT documents how the storefront measures against those standards. Once filled in with test results, a VPAT is called an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR).

TL;DR. A Shopify VPAT 2.5 is conformance documentation that procurement and enterprise/B2B buyers request. Paperfort generates one from an automated axe-core WCAG 2.2 AA scan. A $249 one-time bundle or $29–$149/mo plans. It is documentation, not legal advice or a compliance guarantee.

What is a VPAT 2.5?

A VPAT 2.5 is a standardized template published by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) for reporting how a product conforms to accessibility standards. Revision 2.5 is the edition with separate WCAG, Section 508, EU (EN 301 549), and international editions. It is the version enterprise and government buyers request, distinguished from a short consumer-facing accessibility summary.

VPAT 2.5: A Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, rev 2.5, published by ITI — a standardized document describing how a product conforms to accessibility standards including WCAG 2.2, Section 508, and EN 301 549.
WCAG 2.2 AA: The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, version 2.2, at conformance Level AA — the W3C-recommended success criteria most evaluations measure against.
Section 508: The U.S. federal accessibility requirement for information and communication technology procured by federal agencies.
EN 301 549: The European harmonized accessibility standard for ICT products and services, referenced by the European Accessibility Act.

Why does a Shopify store need a VPAT?

Most Shopify merchants encounter a VPAT request in one of three concrete scenarios.

Procurement. Enterprise and B2B buyers request a VPAT or ACR before purchasing from you or renewing — conformance documentation is a checkbox in their vendor-review process.
Selling into the EU. The European Accessibility Act has been enforceable since June 28, 2025 and requires in-scope e-commerce services to meet accessibility requirements and publish an accessibility statement.
Responding to a demand letter. When an ADA Title III demand letter arrives, having a dated VPAT and audit report on file is documentation you can hand to your counsel. It is not a guarantee against litigation.

VPAT vs ACR vs accessibility statement.

Three related documents that are often confused. A VPAT is the blank ITI template. An ACR is the VPAT once it has been completed with your product’s test results. An accessibility statement is a public, plain-language page on your own domain describing your accessibility commitment and feedback channel.

ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report): A VPAT once completed with your product’s actual test results. When people say they have “a VPAT,” they usually mean an ACR.
Accessibility statement: A public, plain-language page on your own domain describing your accessibility commitment and a real feedback channel.

Paperfort delivers a completed VPAT 2.5 (that is, an ACR) plus a hosted accessibility statement page on your own domain.

How do I get a VPAT 2.5 for my Shopify store?

Install the Paperfort Shopify app, or order the $249 audit bundle.
Paperfort runs an automated axe-core scan against WCAG 2.2 Level AA.
You receive three documents — the audit report, a hosted /accessibility statement, and a completed VPAT 2.5 (ACR).
Publish the statement page on your own domain.
Ticket the prioritized remediation findings to your developer.

Automated scans detect roughly 30–50% of WCAG issues, so the VPAT documents what the automated scan finds and flags where a qualified professional should review further.

What standards does a Paperfort Shopify VPAT cover?

A Paperfort VPAT covers WCAG 2.2 (Levels A and AA), Section 508, and EN 301 549, in ITI VPAT 2.5 format. VPAT 2.5 is the edition with the international and EU (EN 301 549) and 508 editions that enterprise and government buyers request — distinct from a short consumer-facing accessibility summary.

Accessibility experts and the Overlay Fact Sheet community note that overlays and similar tools do not, on their own, ensure that a site conforms to WCAG.
Expert consensus, overlayfactsheet.com

By the numbers

The procurement and compliance context.

June 28, 2025 — the date the European Accessibility Act became enforceable for in-scope e-commerce services (EAA).
5,000+ ADA digital-accessibility lawsuits filed in 2025 including state-court filings (reported by UsableNet).
≈77% of accessibility-suit targets are ecommerce sites (industry trackers).
30–50% of WCAG issues are detectable by automated scans — the honest limit of any automated tool, including Paperfort.

Answers

VPAT for Shopify: common questions.

Last reviewed June 2026. Paperfort produces defensible documentation and a prioritized remediation plan — not legal advice, and not a promise of compliance.

What is a VPAT 2.5?: A VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template) 2.5 is a standardized document, published by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), that describes how a product conforms to accessibility standards including WCAG 2.2, Section 508, and EN 301 549. Once filled in with test results, a VPAT is called an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR).
Does my Shopify store need a VPAT?: A Shopify store needs a VPAT when a buyer, procurement team, or enterprise or government customer requests conformance documentation, or when selling into markets that expect an accessibility statement and conformance evidence. It is documentation, not a legal requirement that Paperfort can certify on your behalf.
What is the difference between a VPAT and an ACR?: A VPAT is the blank ITI template. An ACR (Accessibility Conformance Report) is that VPAT once it has been completed with your product’s test results. Paperfort delivers the completed version.
How does Paperfort generate a VPAT for Shopify?: Paperfort runs an automated axe-core scan of your storefront against WCAG 2.2 Level AA and completes a VPAT 2.5 from the results. Automated scans detect roughly 30 to 50 percent of WCAG issues, so the VPAT documents what the automated scan finds and flags where a qualified professional should review further.
Is a VPAT a guarantee of ADA compliance?: No. A VPAT is a conformance report, not a compliance guarantee. It documents how a product measures against accessibility standards; it does not guarantee ADA compliance or prevent litigation, and Paperfort does not provide legal advice.

Related reading: the 2025 ADA website-litigation data, documentation a sued merchant can hand to counsel, and the comparisons — the accessiBe alternative, the UserWay alternative, and the AudioEye alternative — or the $249 audit bundle and the Shopify accessibility guides.

Get the $249 audit bundle → See subscription plans

Paperfort produces defensible documentation and a prioritized remediation plan. It is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice; it does not guarantee lawsuit prevention or automatic ADA/WCAG compliance. Automated scans detect roughly 30–50% of WCAG issues; Paperfort documents what an automated axe-core scan finds and flags where a qualified professional should review further.