Quick answer
- PDF/A is a stricter version of PDF, built to keep fonts, colours and layout exactly as they are for decades, not just today.
- More courts and agencies now ask for it, including the US Supreme Court's e-filing system and New York's state courts.
- Turn a normal PDF into PDF/A with PDF to PDF/A, which embeds the fonts and strips what the format doesn't allow.
- Scanned pages need OCR PDF first if you want the stricter PDF/A-1a level, since it asks for real, searchable text.
What Is PDF/A?
PDF/A is a locked down version of the PDF format, built so a file still opens correctly decades from now. It keeps the fonts, colours and layout inside the file instead of depending on anything outside it.
- Embedded fonts: every font the page uses is saved inside the file, so the text can't shift or turn into empty boxes on another computer.
- No outside links: PDF/A can't point to fonts, colour profiles or files stored elsewhere. Everything it needs has to travel inside the file itself.
- No passwords or scripts: PDF/A bans encryption, embedded audio and video, and JavaScript, since those can stop a file opening properly later.
- An ISO standard: PDF/A is defined by the ISO 19005 standard, so a PDF/A reader today, or one built in 30 years, should open it the same way.
Why Do Courts and Governments Ask for PDF/A?
Because a plain PDF can depend on fonts or software that might not exist later, and courts need filings that stay readable for decades, sometimes permanently.
- The US Supreme Court's e-filing system asks that documents be uploaded as PDF/A files, not plain PDFs.
- New York's courts require every e-filed PDF to be certified as PDF/A compliant before the court will accept it.
- October 2024: the US federal courts' upgraded filing system began enforcing stricter checks on PDF formatting, pushing filers toward PDF/A.
- June 2024: a National Archives deadline pushed federal agencies to send permanent records electronically, with PDF/A as one accepted way to package scanned pages.
What Do PDF/A-1a and PDF/A-1b Mean?
They're two levels of the same standard. PDF/A-1a asks for tagged structure and real, searchable text, while PDF/A-1b only locks in how the page looks.
- PDF/A-1a: the strict level. It needs a tagged structure and a real text layer behind every word, so search tools and screen readers can use it.
- PDF/A-1b: the basic level. It locks in how the page looks forever, but skips the text layer, so it suits a scanned page with no OCR PDF step.
- Later parts of the standard, PDF/A-2 and PDF/A-3, added support for layers and attached files, but most courts still ask for PDF/A-1a or PDF/A-1b.
How Do I Turn a PDF Into PDF/A?
Run it through a converter built for the standard. PDF to PDF/A checks the file, embeds the fonts and strips anything PDF/A doesn't allow.
- Starting from the original file: if you still have the Word document, export it with Word to PDF first, then run the PDF/A step. This keeps the formatting cleaner than converting twice.
- Scanned pages: run OCR PDF first if you need the stricter PDF/A-1a level, since that level requires real, searchable text behind the picture.
- Locked files: PDF/A can't contain a password, so remove it with Unlock PDF before you try to convert the file.
What if the File Won't Convert?
Usually the PDF is damaged, locked or using a font the converter can't embed. Fix that first, then run the PDF/A step again.
- Damaged file: if the conversion fails outright, run Repair PDF first, since a broken file structure blocks PDF/A conversion.
- Password protected: PDF/A doesn't allow encryption, so a locked file will always fail until you remove the password with Unlock PDF.
- Missing fonts: a font the converter can't embed may be swapped for a close match, which can shift spacing a little. Check the result before you file it.
Try the tools
Try it on your own file. The tools are free and you don't need an account.
Common questions
Can I open a PDF/A file in a normal PDF reader?
Yes. PDF/A files open in the same readers as any other PDF, like a browser or Acrobat. The only difference is what's stored inside the file.
Does converting a PDF to PDF/A change how it looks?
No. The page should look exactly the same. Conversion changes what the file stores inside it, like fonts and colour data, not the layout you see.
Is PDF/A the same as a flattened PDF?
No. Flatten PDF merges form fields and markup into the page so they can't be edited. PDF/A is about keeping a file readable for decades, not locking its fields.
Do I need PDF/A for personal or everyday PDFs?
Not usually. PDF/A matters most for court filings, government records and anything you need to open and trust decades from now. Most everyday PDFs are fine as they are.
Can a password protected PDF be converted to PDF/A?
Not directly. PDF/A doesn't allow encryption, so you need to remove the password first with Unlock PDF, then run the PDF/A conversion.
This post is general information about working with PDFs, not legal or security advice. Check anything important with someone qualified. Posts are written with AI help, based on how our tools actually work. About VelloDoc
