Industry-recognized PDF Declarations

In many cases, users of PDF files wish to leverage profiles of PDF to meet specific needs.

The primary purpose of the PDF Declarations specification is to define how to represent a machine-readable declaration of adherence to a specific profile of PDF in an easy-to-process manner, allowing software that doesn't understand PDF to nonetheless have access to PDF Declarations.

PDF Declarations can be added to PDF files' XMP metadata in accordance with the PDF Declarations specification. The PDF Declarations specification also includes an XMP Extension Schema (as an embedded file) that can be used for PDF/A-1, PDF/A-2, and PDF/A-3 conforming files which require XMP Extension Schema for all XMP metadata (see XMP Extension Schema templates).

Below is a list of industry-agreed PDF Declarations. This list is not exhaustive, but only PDF Declarations listed on this page are likely to be application-independent. The PDF Association will consider new PDF Declaration definitions on request. Contact declarations@pdfa.org for more information.

Check the change history.

Well-Tagged PDF (WTPDF), Conformance level for reuse

The author of a PDF file including this PDF Declaration is asserting that the document conforms to the conformance level for reuse in the PDF Association's specification for Well-Tagged PDF (WTPDF): Using Tagged PDF for Accessibility and Reuse in PDF 2.0.

PDF validated as conforming to Well-Tagged PDF (WTPDF), conformance level for reuse

The author of a PDF file including this PDF Declaration is asserting that the document has been validated as conforming to Well-Tagged PDF, conformance level for reuse.

Well-Tagged PDF (WTPDF): Conformance level for accessibility

The author of a PDF file including this PDF Declaration is asserting that the document conforms to the conformance level for accessibility in the PDF Association's specification for Well-Tagged PDF (WTPDF): Using Tagged PDF for Accessibility and Reuse in PDF 2.0.

WCAG 2.2 Level A

The author of a PDF file including this PDF Declaration is asserting that the document conforms to the WCAG 2.2 Level A specification.

WCAG 2.2 Level AA

The author of a PDF file including this PDF Declaration is asserting that the document conforms to the WCAG 2.2 Level AA specification.

WCAG 2.2 Level AAA

The author of a PDF file including this PDF Declaration is asserting that the document conforms to the WCAG 2.2 Level AAA specification.

PDF validated as conforming to PDF/UA-1

The author of a PDF/UA file including this PDF Declaration is asserting that the document has been validated as conforming to PDF/UA-1 (ISO 14289-1).

PDF validated as conforming to PDF/UA-2

The author of a PDF/UA file including this PDF Declaration is asserting that the document has been validated as conforming to PDF/UA-2 (ISO 14289-2).

PDF validated as conforming to Well-Tagged PDF (WTPDF), conformance level for accessibility

The author of a PDF file including this PDF Declaration is asserting that the document has been validated as conforming to Well-Tagged PDF (WTPDF), conformance level for accessibility.

ISO/TS 32005

The author of a PDF file including this PDF Declaration is asserting that the document conforms to the ISO/TS 32005 technical specification.

HIPAA

The author of a PDF file including this PDF Declaration is asserting that the document does not contain information covered by HIPAA privacy regulations

Example Declaration

A document including a PDF Declaration of conformance with WCAG 2.2 Level AA might represent such a PDF Declaration with the following XMP metadata:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> 
<rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"> 
 <rdf:Description rdf:about="" xmlns:pdfd="https://pdfa.org/declarations/">         
  <pdfd:declarations>
   <rdf:Bag> 
    <!-- Declaration of conformity with WCAG 2.2 Level AA --> 
    <rdf:li rdf:parseType="Resource"> 
     <pdfd:conformsTo>http://pdfa.org/declarations#wcag22aa</pdfd:conformsTo> 
     <!-- Optional entries permitted by the Declaration mechanism --> 
     <pdfd:claimData>
      <rdf:Bag> 
       <rdf:li rdf:parseType="Resource"> 
        <!-- Optional properties of an individual claim --> 
        <pdfd:claimBy>Validator company</pdfd:claimBy> 
        <pdfd:claimDate>2023-07-01</pdfd:claimDate> 
        <pdfd:claimCredentials>Validation credentials</pdfd:claimCredentials>
        <pdfd:claimReport>https://validator-entity.org/report12345.html</pdfd:claimReport> 
       </rdf:li> 
      </rdf:Bag> 
     </pdfd:claimData> 
    </rdf:li> 
   </rdf:Bag> 
  </pdfd:declarations> 
 </rdf:Description> 
</rdf:RDF>

Change History

June 4, 2023: correct WCAG version typo in URI identifier for WCAG 2.2 Level AAA (was ...#wcag21aaa) reported by email.

April 18, 2024: corrected WTPDF declarations to only use a # separator between the URI path and fragment components. Add additional anchors to match most declarations. See PDF Errata 395.

February 13, 2025: WCAG Level 2.2 Level AA had incorrect version "2.1". Corrected to "2.2" to match other WCAG Conformance Levels.