A structured comparison of the eight PDF/A conformance levels defined by ISO 19005 Parts 1 to 3, each mapped to its practical archival use case. PDF/A-4 (ISO 19005-4:2020) is not yet covered. The matrix exists because the PDF/A levels are commonly conflated, and choosing the wrong level routinely causes archive ingestion failures.
Key findings
- PDF/A-1 forbids transparency, JPEG 2000 images, and embedded files; PDF/A-2 and PDF/A-3 allow all three.
- Embedded files are the only difference between PDF/A-2 and PDF/A-3 in this matrix: PDF/A-2 accepts only embedded PDF/A files, while PDF/A-3 accepts files in any format.
- The level letter describes the text layer, not appearance: level A requires tagged structure and Unicode mapping, level U requires Unicode mapping only, and level B requires neither.
- Embedded fonts and ICC-based color profiles are required at every level.
- Utilavo's PDF to PDF/A converter produces PDF/A-2b, the level that guarantees visual reproduction without requiring tagging.
Methodology
Each row is populated from the ISO 19005 part covering that level (Part 1 for PDF/A-1, Part 2 for PDF/A-2, Part 3 for PDF/A-3). Requirements are extracted as boolean flags or short strings; use_case captures the archival scenario the level was designed for. No transformation is applied; the matrix is a reference, not a measurement.
See the site-wide research methodology for shared test conditions and tooling.
Dataset
| PDF/A level | ISO standard | Based on | Transparency | JPEG 2000 | Embedded files | Tagged structure | Unicode text mapping | Embedded fonts | Color profiles | Typical use case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDF/A-1a | ISO 19005-1 (Level A) | PDF 1.4 | Forbidden | Forbidden | Forbidden | Required | Required | Required | Required (ICC) | Long-term preservation with tagged structure for accessibility and reflow |
| PDF/A-1b | ISO 19005-1 (Level B) | PDF 1.4 | Forbidden | Forbidden | Forbidden | Not required | Not required | Required | Required (ICC) | Long-term preservation guaranteeing visual reproduction only |
| PDF/A-2a | ISO 19005-2 (Level A) | PDF 1.7 | Allowed | Allowed | PDF/A files only | Required | Required | Required | Required (ICC) | PDF 1.7 features (transparency, JPEG 2000, OpenType, layers) with tagging |
| PDF/A-2b | ISO 19005-2 (Level B) | PDF 1.7 | Allowed | Allowed | PDF/A files only | Not required | Not required | Required | Required (ICC) | PDF 1.7 features with visual fidelity only |
| PDF/A-2u | ISO 19005-2 (Level U) | PDF 1.7 | Allowed | Allowed | PDF/A files only | Not required | Required | Required | Required (ICC) | PDF 1.7 features with searchable, copyable Unicode text |
| PDF/A-3a | ISO 19005-3 (Level A) | PDF 1.7 | Allowed | Allowed | Any format | Required | Required | Required | Required (ICC) | Tagged document with embedded source files in any format (e.g., XML invoice) |
| PDF/A-3b | ISO 19005-3 (Level B) | PDF 1.7 | Allowed | Allowed | Any format | Not required | Not required | Required | Required (ICC) | Embedded source files with visual fidelity only |
| PDF/A-3u | ISO 19005-3 (Level U) | PDF 1.7 | Allowed | Allowed | Any format | Not required | Required | Required | Required (ICC) | Embedded source files with Unicode text mapping |
Download raw data
The raw CSV contains every row in the table above plus any columns omitted from the rendered view.
Download CSVCitations
- ISO 19005-1:2005: PDF/A-1 (accessed )
- ISO 19005-2:2011: PDF/A-2 (accessed )
- ISO 19005-3:2012: PDF/A-3 (accessed )
Related tools
Related guides
Making PDFs Accessible: Tags, Structure, and Compliance
Learn how to create accessible PDF documents that meet WCAG and Section 508 requirements, including proper tagging, reading order, and alternative text.
How to Compress PDF Files for Email
Learn the best techniques to reduce PDF file size for email attachments, including compression levels, splitting strategies, and quality trade-offs.