Criteria Table — Assigning Conformance Ratings in VPAT

In this tutorial, you will learn about Criteria Table. We cover key concepts, practical examples, and best practices to help you master this topic.

The VPAT criteria table lists every WCAG success criterion with a conformance rating (Supports, Partially Supports, Does Not Support, Not Applicable) and remarks explaining the rating, forming the core of the conformance report.

What You'll Learn

You will learn how to fill out the criteria table correctly, how to assign conformance ratings, and how to write effective remarks.

Why It Matters

The criteria table is the heart of the VPAT. Buyers scrutinize this section most closely. Accurate ratings and clear remarks make your VPAT credible.

Real-World Use

DodaTech's VPAT criteria table uses specific, honest ratings. Every Partially Supports entry includes documentation of what is not supported and what the user should expect.

flowchart TD
  A[Criteria Table] --> B[Column 1: Criteria]
  A --> C[Column 2: Conformance Level]
  A --> D[Column 3: Rating]
  A --> E[Column 4: Remarks]
  B --> F[WCAG SC number and title]
  C --> G[A, AA, or AAA]
  D --> H[Supports / Partially / Does Not / NA]
  E --> I[Why and how]

How to Assign Ratings

Supports

Assign Supports when the criterion is fully met with no known exceptions. All features pass. Testing confirms Compliance.

Partially Supports

Assign Partially Supports when most features meet the criterion but there are known exceptions. Document each exception in the remarks.

Does Not Support

Assign Does Not Support when most features fail the criterion. Major redesign needed.

Not Applicable

Assign Not Applicable when the criterion genuinely does not apply. For example, 1.2.1 (audio-only content) for a product with no audio. Explain why it does not apply.

Writing Effective Remarks

Good Remarks

All form inputs have programmatically associated labels. Tested with NVDA 2024. No known exceptions.

Most text meets 4.5:1 contrast. Error messages at 3.5:1 do not meet minimum contrast. Exception documented in Appendix A.

Bad Remarks

Works fine. — Too vague. Needs specific testing information.

Passes. — Does not explain how you determined it passes.

N/A — Not Applicable needs an explanation of why.

function createCriteriaEntry(criterion, rating, remarks) {
  return {
    criterion: criterion,
    rating: rating,
    remarks: remarks,
    isValid: ['Supports', 'Partially Supports', 'Does Not Support', 'Not Applicable'].includes(rating),
    date: '2026-06-28'
  };
}

const entry1 = createCriteriaEntry(
  '1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A)',
  'Supports',
  'All images have descriptive alt text. Decorative images use empty alt. Tested with NVDA 2024.'
);

const entry2 = createCriteriaEntry(
  '1.4.3 Contrast Minimum (Level AA)',
  'Partially Supports',
  'Most text meets 4.5:1 contrast. Disabled button text at 3.0:1 is documented in the appendix.'
);

console.log(entry1);
console.log(entry2);

Expected output:

{ criterion: '1.1.1 Non-text Content (Level A)', rating: 'Supports', remarks: 'All images have descriptive alt text. Decorative images use empty alt. Tested with NVDA 2024.', isValid: true, date: '2026-06-28' }
{ criterion: '1.4.3 Contrast Minimum (Level AA)', rating: 'Partially Supports', remarks: 'Most text meets 4.5:1 contrast. Disabled button text at 3.0:1 is documented in the appendix.', isValid: true, date: '2026-06-28' }

Common Mistakes

1. Overusing Supports

A VPAT with Supports on every criterion is not credible. Buyers expect some Partially Supports and Does Not Support entries for honest reporting.

2. Underusing Remarks

A blank or generic remark tells buyers you did not test. Every entry needs specific remarks.

3. Ratings That Do Not Match Remarks

If a remark describes exceptions but the rating is Supports, that is inconsistent. Fix either the rating or the remarks.

4. Not Explaining Partially Supports

Every Partially Supports entry must explain what specific areas fail. Without details, the rating is useless.

5. Using Not Applicable Too Broadly

Criteria that clearly apply should not be marked Not Applicable. Only use this rating when the criterion genuinely does not apply.

6. Inconsistent Criteria Order

List criteria in WCAG numerical order. Random order makes the VPAT difficult to review.

7. No Appendix for Exceptions

If you have exceptions for Partially Supports entries, document them in an appendix referenced by the remarks.

Practice Questions

1. What are the four conformance ratings in a VPAT?

Supports, Partially Supports, Does Not Support, and Not Applicable.

2. When should a criterion be rated Partially Supports?

When most features meet the criterion but there are known, documented exceptions.

3. What should remarks include for a Supports rating?

Confirmation that the criterion is met, how it was tested, and that no exceptions exist.

4. Why is an appendix helpful for Partially Supports entries?

It provides detailed documentation of each exception without cluttering the main table.

5. Challenge: Pick 10 WCAG criteria relevant to a web application. Assign a realistic conformance rating for each. Write remarks for two of them.

FAQ

Mini Project

Create a criteria table excerpt for a web application with 10 entries. Include a mix of Supports, Partially Supports, and Not Applicable ratings with detailed remarks.

What's Next

Learn about Evaluation Methods for testing and documenting conformance. Then explore Remarks and Explanations in detail.