ISO Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Third-party attestation related to a conformity assessment body, conveying formal demonstration of its competence, impartiality and consistent operation in performing specific conformity assessment activities (ISO/IEC 17000).

Third-party attestation related to products, processes, systems or persons (ISO 17021:2015). Accreditation and certification have different and specific meanings: certification bodies certify organisations, and accreditation bodies assess the certification bodies.

IACAB is an independent, impartial, non-profit accreditation body established in 2006. It accepts applications from conformity assessment bodies (CABs) operating anywhere in the world and operates in accordance with ISO/IEC 17011.

IACAB is a non-governmental body and is not connected with any government. Accreditation by IACAB does not imply government approval, and accredited bodies must not give that impression to the public.

Decisions on granting and continuing accreditation are made by the Accreditation Approval Committee.

IACAB-accredited certification bodies can be recognised by their use of the IACAB accreditation mark. Accreditation can also be verified through the IACAB Directory or by writing to info@iacab.org.

Contact the certification body that issued the certificate, or visit its website. Where the certification body is accredited by IACAB, you can also use the IACAB Directory.

Every certification body has a procedure for resolving complaints, disputes and appeals. The company should first write to the certification body.

If the certification body cannot resolve the matter, the company can approach the accreditation body with full details. If IACAB receives a complaint about a certification body it does not accredit, the complaint will be forwarded to the relevant accreditation body where possible.

Complaints should include the sender's name and address, supporting evidence, and details of the attempts made to resolve the matter with the certification body.

No. Membership of IAF is not a legal requirement for an accreditation body. However, in some markets and regulated sectors, certificates are only accepted when issued under accreditation from an IAF MLA signatory. Clients should check the requirements that apply to them.

Recognition of certificates is decided by each country, regulator or customer according to its own process. Prospective clients of accredited bodies should verify recognition for their market where required.

No. A certification body must not provide management system consultancy to the clients it certifies, as this would compromise its impartiality.

Costs include an application fee, programme fee, assessment fees, ongoing surveillance fees and travel. IACAB normally provides an estimate before the accreditation process begins. See Fees & Timeframes for the factors that affect cost.

Applications are registered and reviewed promptly. Expect a first response within one to two weeks. The process involves document review, pre-assessment, initial assessment and an accreditation decision. If the applicant is well prepared, the complete process typically takes six to eight months.