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How long does ISO certification take? The stages, step by step

From application to certificate usually takes three to six months with CAS. The two audit stages are short; the time in between is where it varies.

Published by CAS — Conformity Assessment Services · 24 September 2026 · 3 min read
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How long does ISO certification take? The stages, step by step

Key takeaways

  1. 1Application and proposal. CAS reviews the application and sends a fixed-cost proposal, usually within two business days.
  2. 2Stage 1. A readiness audit, usually one to two days, on-site or remote. It ends with documented conclusions on whether you are ready for Stage 2.
  3. 3The interval. ISO/IEC 17021-1 requires the interval to take account of what you need to resolve from Stage 1; Stage 1 results may postpone or cancel Stage 2.
  4. 4Stage 2. The certification audit, its length set by the audit-time rules for your standard.

With CAS, a first certification usually takes three to six months from application to certificate. The audits themselves take days; most of the calendar time is the interval between the two audit stages, and that interval depends on your organisation.

The steps and what each takes

  • Application and proposal. CAS reviews the application and sends a fixed-cost proposal, usually within two business days.
  • Stage 1. A readiness audit, usually one to two days, on-site or remote. It ends with documented conclusions on whether you are ready for Stage 2.
  • The interval. ISO/IEC 17021-1 requires the interval to take account of what you need to resolve from Stage 1; Stage 1 results may postpone or cancel Stage 2.
  • Stage 2. The certification audit, its length set by the audit-time rules for your standard.
  • Decision. An independent certification decision by a person who was not on the audit team, then the certificate.

What makes it longer or shorter

The main variable is how ready your management system is, and Stage 1 is what establishes that. CAS does not prepare or implement management systems — that would compromise the independence of the audit — so the preparation time is yours to plan.

After the certificate

The three-year cycle begins with the certification decision. Surveillance audits take place at least once each calendar year, the first no later than 12 months after the certification decision, and a recertification audit takes place in the third year before the certificate expires (ISO/IEC 17021-1, clause 9.1.3).

For the full map from application to decision, read the granting path in one map.

Apply for certification →Verify a certificate

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