An organisation generally needs between 3 and 6 months to qualify for small to medium-sized businesses, and it might go up to 12 months for large-sized businesses. But it does differ according to company size, management system, audit preparation, and number of employees. The ISO certificate is valid for 3 years. To keep the certification valid, a yearly surveillance audit is required.
So get international standards ISO Certification for your company as it would be a vital move towards enhancing reliability as well as functionality. Nonetheless, when outlining your working methods or approaches, the first question on every administration team’s mind would certainly be how long ISO certification does take from start to finish. Are you concentrating on having ISO certification for Quality Management (ISO 9001), for Data Security (ISO/IEC 27001), or perhaps for Environmental management System (ISO 14001)? Knowing the time taken would help you establish realistic objectives, arrange assets, and ready the staff accordingly.
For ISO certification, get your ideal partner, AQC World, an approved ISO certification body recognized by United Accreditation Foundation (UAF), EGAC, which will help you pass through the entire ISO certification process timeline smoothly and effectively.
| Table of Contents |
| 1. |
What Factors Influence Time Taken for ISO Certification |
| 2. |
How Much Time Does a Regular ISO Certification Procedure Need? |
| 3. |
What Is the Average ISO Certification Time for Popular Standards? |
| 4. |
How Long Is ISO Certification Valid? |
| 5. |
What Is the ISO Certification Renewal Procedure? |
| 6. |
Final Thought |
What Factors Influence Time Taken for ISO Certification
Obviously, every ISO certification period isn’t always equivalent, as it will depend upon certain points; just like:
- Your organization’s scale: A business with 10 employees would not need to put as much time as large international organisations having a multitude of branches.
- The existence of other certifications previously: Your own gap study and following many SOPs inside your firm will save you weeks of preparation.
- Range associated with qualification: If you're planning on receiving 1 certification out of the entire 2 or even 3 departments, as it requires fewer days than trying to obtain a company-wide ISO certification.
- Arrangements involving Sources: if you’ve designated internal representatives or are contracting an individual specialist whose got expertise in ISO certifications, it can be really quick.
How Much Time Does a Regular ISO Certification Procedure Need?
A business organisation generally needs time between 3 to 6 months to qualify for small to medium companies, and it might go up to 12 months for big businesses; listed below is the step-by-step process:-
- Enquiry- Scope, standard and timeline reviewed with your team.
- Application Review- Formal application validated against accreditation rules.
- Stage 1 Audit- Readiness review documentation, scope, system maturity.
- Stage 2 Audit- On-site implementation audit against the standard.
- Certification Decision- Independent technical review and impartial decision.
- Certificate Issuance- Accredited certificate issued with surveillance plan.
- Annual Service- Documentation updates, surveillance audits, and ISO certification adherence.
Explore proper step-by-step preparation by studying our blog on How to Get ISO Certified.
What Is the Average ISO Certification Time Period for Popular Standards?
Depending on the specific ISO standard you are pursuing, the typical ISO certification time period can vary across different standard versions:
| ISO Standard & Version |
Core Focus Area |
Average Implementation Timeline |
| ISO 9001:2015 |
Quality Management System (QMS) |
3 to 6 Months |
| ISO 14001:2015 |
Environmental Management System (EMS) |
3 to 6 Months |
| ISO 45001:2018 |
Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) |
3 to 6 Months |
| ISO 22000:2018 |
Food Safety Management System (FSMS) |
4 to 8 Months |
| ISO/IEC 27001:2022 |
Information Security Management (ISMS) |
4 to 8 Months |
| ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018 |
IT Service Management System (ITSMS) |
4 to 8 Months |
| ISO 13485:2016 |
Medical Devices Quality Management System (MDQMS) |
6 to 9 Months |
| ISO 50001:2018 |
Energy Management System (EnMS) |
4 to 8 Months |
| FSSC 22000 V6 |
Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) |
4 to 8 Months |
How Long Is It Valid?
The ISO qualification certificates you obtain are valid for 3 years. To prevent suspension for the duration of these 3 years and to keep your certification standing active, organizations have to go through regular external reviews called the "Surveillance audits," and every 3 years, a "Renewal". Here, the exact period timeline continues like:-
Year 1: Initial Certification Audit (Stage 1 & Stage 2)
Year 2: 1st Surveillance Audit (Checks ongoing compliance and improvements)
Year 3: 2nd Surveillance Audit (Ensures system stability)
You're able to analyze these rules carefully for review regarding every approval and adherence policies are mentioned here: AQC Certification Rules.
Renewal Procedure for ISO Certifications
During the initial several months of the actual third year, renewal procedures really kick in, and an ISO certification renewal period is called for; if it goes successfully, you will acquire a new certificate for 3 years.
ISO validity and timeline
Duration of getting: About 3 to 6 months, but it differs according to difficulties, company size, and preparation time required for ISO certification.
Validity: Each official ISO certificate is valid for 3 years.
Management: Yearly surveillance Audits are needed in years 2 to 3 to keep the certificate valid.
Renewal: A Recertification Audit is needed at the end of the 3-year cycle to increase the validity for a further 3 years.
Final Thought
Understanding the ISO certification process helps organizations plan their resources, budget, and certification requirements more effectively. Whilst a 3-to 6-month timeframe could vary in accordance with any organization's structure as well as its needs; using an accredited and established certification organization such as Assurance Quality Certification LLC assists you throughout your certification journey. Our experienced and committed team is readily available 24/7.
FAQs
Valid for 3 years with annual passing Surveillance Audits in Years 2 and 3.
Cycles every 3 years through a complete Recertification Audit before the expiration of the certificate.
Size of the company, operational difficulty, documentation, and expertise of the team.
An annual mini-audit takes place during year 1 and year 2 to make sure your management system remains confirmative through your 3-year cycle.
An official accredited certificate will be issued by the accredited ISO certification body, such as ourselves, AQC World).
Stage 1 looks at document existence and whether documents are ready for assessment. Stage 2 looks at the operational level and whether processes are followed.