Can I change my ISO Certification Body

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Can I change my ISO Certification Body? 

Yes, you can. Occasionally, organisations will want to change their ISO Certification Body (CB). This can be for a variety of different reasons, such as dissatisfaction with costs or as a result of a bad experience with the service provided. Transferring certification is possible and when it is planned properly, can be a very easy thing to do.

Will my ISO Certificate be affected?

No, what you will need to do is select a new ISO Certification Body and talk to them about the transfer process. Typically, they will need a copy of your current ISO Certificate, and copies of the recent ISO audit reports. Following a review of these, they will issue a new Certificate in their name. This will carry over the current expiry date and should recognise the date from when you were first awarded ISO Certification.

Are there conditions to transferring my ISO Certificate? 

Yes, you cannot have any open non-conformances. When you transfer, you need to send your most recent ISO audit reports. These will have details of any non-conformances and their status. If necessary, the new ISO Certification Body will check with the outgoing one, although that is rare.

What happens if I have an outstanding Non-Conformance?

Occasionally, an organisation may have a dispute with a Certification Body about an issue that an auditor has raised. In these circumstances, it is better to work through the dispute first and if necessary, escalate the issue to UKAS. UKAS are there to act as referee, so a fair outcome is achieved. However, if this cannot be achieved, the new Certification Body may offer to transfer the Certificate only after they have completed a full Stage 2 Audit. Our advice is to check first.

Will my outgoing ISO Certification Body charge me for leaving?

It really depends on your contractual arrangements. Some ISO Certification Bodies will not charge, but others may have wrapped you up in a long-term contract which can incur cost. If you are within certain timescales of an upcoming audit, they may also charge you for the audit planning. If the company charge an 'Admin Fee', you are unlikely to have this element refunded.

How do I carry out the Change?   

In the first instance, contact your preferred CB and tell them you want to transfer your existing ISO Certificate. They will require you to complete an application form and send copies of your current certificate and previous audit reports. They will then send you a quote in the normal way, and this will detail the audit programme they will follow. Take care, as they may want to change your current audit regime; durations of audits can fluctuate.

Be aware, as we have had experience where relatively large companies have had very low durations and were surprised when their new audit body wanted to increase the days. Poor service from the existing supplier might hide poor governance! 

If you do move, it is important to stay in contact with both outgoing and incoming Certification Bodies to ensure that you don’t have any gaps in your certificate. Don't forget as well to tell your outgoing ISO Certification Body that you no longer need them.

Would you recommend anyone? 

We do work closely with the following CBs, and they have information on their websites if you follow the links. Give us a call if you want to talk through Transferring your ISO Certification to see how we can help. 

Certification Bodies

Certification Bodies	Process / Link to Transfer Information
Approachable Certification	Complete the online Information Request Form here
BSi	Contact the Sales Team; details here
LR	Contact the Sales Team; details here
NQA	Complete the online Information Request Form here

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