PDF/A Validator Online — Verify PDF/A-1b, 2b & 3b (ISO 19005) Compliance
Validate PDF documents for ISO 19005 (PDF/A-1b, PDF/A-2b, PDF/A-3b, and PDF/A-4) archival compliance online for free. Check fonts, XMP, and color profiles.
Drag and drop your .pdf document or click below. Stream analysis and ISO 19005 compliance validation happen entirely in your browser.
How PDF/A Validation Works
Audit any PDF document against ISO 19005 archiving standards in three simple steps — all binary parsing and stream analysis run locally inside your browser.
Upload PDF Document
Select or drag your PDF file into the local validator workspace. Every byte is read into client memory without transmitting data across the network.
Analyze ISO 19005 Structure
The in-browser parser inspects font dictionaries, XMP metadata schemas, color intents, and forbidden active content against ISO standards.
Inspect Diagnostic Report
Review comprehensive pass/fail status flags, conformance level tags (PDF/A-1b/2b/3b), and structured XMP metadata payloads instantly.
Utilvo In-Browser vs Cloud PDF/A Validators
Where private client-side AST inspection differs from remote validation services that upload your confidential archives.
| Pipeline Capability | Utilvo In-Browser | Cloud PDF/A Validators |
|---|---|---|
| Document confidentiality & privacy | 100% local browser execution; confidential legal and medical records never leave your device | Mandatory upload to remote servers where files are stored and processed on third-party cloud hardware |
| Stream inspection engine | Client-side binary and AST inspection powered by pdf.js without server latency | Opaque remote server queues subject to throttling, network delays, and external API downtime |
| Diagnostic precision | Deep inspection of font subsets, color intents, XMP packets, and active script flags | Generic pass/fail indicators without transparent error breakdown or raw metadata access |
| Usage quotas & file limits | Completely unrestricted audits with zero daily limits, file caps, or required registrations | Paywalled validation quotas or strict file size limits on free user accounts |
| Data retention policy | Zero server retention; files exist purely in volatile browser RAM and are purged on tab close | Temporary or indefinite file caching in remote storage buckets |
ISO 19005 Archival Rules for Embedded Fonts, XMP & OutputIntents
Four technical deep-dives into how the validator verifies font embedding, color output intents, and standardized XMP schemas.
Font & Glyph Self-Containment Checks
ISO 19005 strictly forbids external font dependencies. The validator checks every font dictionary in the PDF catalog, verifying that character widths, glyph subsets, and ToUnicode mappings are completely embedded within the document stream.
XMP Extension Schema Extraction
Standardized archiving requires declarative metadata. The engine isolates the document’s XML metadata stream and parses pdfaid:part and pdfaid:conformance declarations, ensuring compatibility with court and government archiving systems.
Detection of Forbidden Dynamic Content
Long-term archiving requires deterministic visual rendering. The parser scans the object table for forbidden elements like JavaScript action dictionaries, interactive multimedia annotations, and external stream references.
Zero-Leak Client-Side Sandboxing
Highly sensitive records such as corporate contracts and patient records require absolute confidentiality. Running the complete binary validation in local JavaScript guarantees that documents never cross the network perimeter.
Why Courts & Government Portals Reject Non-Compliant PDF/A Files
Run through these four checkpoints to prepare your documents for seamless compliance with ISO 19005 standards.
- 1Verify font embedding across all pages — ensure that every unique typeface used in headings, body text, and tables includes its complete font program in the file.
- 2Remove encryption passwords — ISO 19005 strictly prohibits password-locked files; ensure the document is unlocked before final archiving.
- 3Verify color profile output intents — documents using device-specific CMYK or RGB spaces must include standard ICC profile output intent dictionaries.
- 4Check metadata completeness — confirm document title, author, and creation dates are populated accurately in the XMP metadata catalog.
PDF/A vs Adjacent Document Formats
How standard PDF documents compare to specialized ISO 19005 archival standards and adjacent specifications.
| Format | Standard | Self-Contained | Active Scripts | Embeds | Primary Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 32000-2 | Optional | Allowed | None mandated | Subject of this validator | |
| PDF/A-1b | ISO 19005-1 | Mandatory | Forbidden | Fonts, color, XMP | Basic visual preservation |
| PDF/A-2b | ISO 19005-2 | Mandatory | Forbidden | Fonts, JPEG 2000, XMP | Modern digital archiving |
| PDF/A-3 | ISO 19005-3 | Mandatory | Forbidden | Embedded XML attachments | Electronic invoices & dossiers |
| PDF/E | ISO 24517 | Mandatory | Restricted | 3D & geospatial models | Engineering & CAD storage |
| PDF/UA | ISO 14289 | Mandatory | Restricted | Semantic tagging & alt text | Universal accessibility standard |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about ISO 19005 validation, archival conformance profiles, and local stream inspection.
1What is the primary function of the PDF/A Validator?
It inspects PDF document streams against ISO 19005 compliance rules to verify long-term archival readiness, font embedding, and metadata integrity.
2Which PDF/A conformance profiles does the validator inspect?
The tool audits files against PDF/A-1 (ISO 19005-1), PDF/A-2 (ISO 19005-2), and PDF/A-3 (ISO 19005-3) across conformance levels b (basic visual), u (Unicode), and a (accessible).
3Why does a standard PDF fail PDF/A compliance checks?
Standard PDFs frequently fail because of non-embedded fonts, device-dependent color spaces without ICC output intents, encryption passwords, or embedded JavaScript.
4Does the validator examine embedded XMP metadata?
Yes. The validator extracts and parses the XMP metadata packet (ISO 16684-1), verifying mandatory PDF/A identification schema tags and creation dates.
5Are sensitive legal files uploaded to external servers during validation?
Never. All PDF binary inspections, stream analysis, and conformance checks execute 100% client-side inside your browser sandbox with zero network transmission.
6Can the validator repair non-compliant PDF files automatically?
The validator identifies specific violations such as missing XMP tags or uncompressed streams. To generate a fully compliant file, you can pass your document through our PDF to PDF/A Converter tool.
Related PDF to PDF/A Conversion & ISO Validation Tools
Pair the PDF/A validator with these companion utilities to complete your archiving and document workflow.