Does ISO certification expire?

What is its expiry date, and what will you have to do to get your certification renewed once it does expire?

In this blog, we’ll discuss the basics, and explain everything you should know about  ISO certification expirations and renewals.

Most ISO certifications last 3 years, though some expire annually

The majority of ISO certifications last 3 years. ISO 9001 certification for quality management systems, for example, is valid for 3 years after it’s obtained. Once the expiration date is reached, the certificate expires and no longer applies to your company.

However, not every certification lasts 3 years. Some must be renewed annually. There are many different ISO certifications, so the length of time during which the certification is valid can vary quite a bit.

If you’re not sure how long your ISO certification will last, consult the certification itself – the certificate will typically have an issue date, as well as an expiry date. This will give you a better idea of when you can expect to renew your ISO certification.

Can my ISO certification be renewed when it expires?

Yes! When your certificate expires, you can simply be re-assessed by an external auditor, similar to your initial ISO certification audit. An accredited certification body like Citation Certification will come to your organisation, assess the relevant systems, and make recommendations on how you can improve your standard operating procedures.

For example, the auditor may perform surveillance audits of your facility, review internal documentation, look at your overall business performance and how it’s tracked, and follow the standard to determine whether or not you are still meeting ISO requirements.

Then, they will submit a report and provide you with 15 days to make any necessary refinements. If everything goes well, you will keep your ISO certification, and it will be renewed for the appropriate period of time – usually 3 years, but this varies depending on the specifics of the ISO certification.

How can I prepare for renewing my ISO certification?

If you’ve already obtained ISO certification, the good news is that you’re probably already doing things right – and as long as you have continued to maintain best practices related to your ISO certification, and no major negative changes have happened at your organisation, renewal will not be an issue.

However, there are still some steps you can take to simplify the process when it’s time to have your ISO certification renewed. Here are a few tips.

• Plan ahead and review previous assessments – First, it’s a good idea to plan ahead and take a look at your previous ISO assessments and related documentation to understand where you did well and where you needed improvement. You can use this information to improve your organization, processes, and other systems before your recertification.
• Conduct internal system reviews – Internal auditing and system reviews should be done at least once a year, if not more often. With an internal audit, you can identify any potentially troublesome areas that may pose an issue when it’s time to renew your ISO certification – and take care of them early.
• Make appropriate changes and document them – Whenever you do notice an issue during internal system reviews, it’s best to flag them and deal with them right away. Fixing the problem and documenting the fix will be helpful when your ISO certification is up for renewal.

Need to renew your ISO accreditation? Citation Certification is here to help!

At Citation Certification, we’re a JAS-ANZ accredited certification body, and are fully capable of certifying and recertifying organisations in Australia for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, ISO 45001, and ISO 55001.

If your ISO certification is expiring, our team is here to help. Contact us to speak with one of our ISO consultants now, and get the assistance you need.