Which edition should you plan around?
ISO lists ISO 9001:2026 as the current quality management system standard. Its publication date is 16 September 2026. The 2015 edition is withdrawn. That publication change does not, by itself, establish the expiry date of an organization's existing certificate. Certificate holders should ask their certification body for the transition arrangements that apply to them.
The current edition's official page describes a standard usable across organization sizes and sectors. Its subject is the management of quality, including how processes are maintained and improved. Certification can be useful when customers request independently assessed assurance, but the standard itself does not require every organization to buy a certificate.
Who assesses and certifies?
ISO explains that independent certification bodies perform certification. ISO develops standards and does not certify organizations. When considering a body, ask about its relevant accreditation, the proposed audit scope and how the resulting certificate will describe your organization.
Prepare a clear scope before requesting quotes
Write down which legal entities, sites, products and services you intend to cover. Explain why you want certification and which customer asks it is intended to answer. Share the same scope with each prospective certification body so quotations can be compared meaningfully.
The checklist on this page is a starting point for those conversations. It does not reproduce the standard or replace an assessment of its requirements. Keep a separate record of the edition, your certification body's written transition advice, and the dates attached to your actual certificate. Those records are more useful than assuming a generic deadline applies to every organization.