Transferring Certification to a New Certification Body: What Changed?

For years, moving your management system certification (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, AS9100‑series, etc.) from one certification body (CB) to another was usually a simple paperwork exercise with little or no extra cost. That’s no longer a safe assumption. Today, all accredited transfers are governed by international rules (IAF MD 2) that require the receiving CB to perform a structured pre‑transfer review of your certificate, audit history, nonconformities and overall risk before they can accept you and continue your audit cycle.

How Transfers Work Now (All Standards)

Under the current IAF rules, a transfer is defined as recognition of an existing, valid accredited certificate by a new CB so they can issue their own certificate and pick up the audit program where the old one left off. To be eligible, your certification must be accredited, in good standing (not suspended), within scope for the new CB, and supported by sufficient information from the previous CB and/or your organization. The accepting CB has to conduct a documented pre‑transfer review (often off‑site) to verify status, review the last audit reports and nonconformities, and decide if they can simply continue the cycle or if they need additional audit time.

In many straightforward ISO 9001/14001/45001 transfers with clean audit histories, that pre‑transfer review can still be relatively light, but it is no longer “free” from a time perspective. CBs will typically bill at least part of a day to cover the review, administration, and any required follow‑up, and they are expected by their accreditation body to document the basis for accepting the transfer. If there are red flags—significant nonconformities, major organizational changes, complex multi‑site scopes, or limited information from the previous CB—the new CB may require additional on‑site time or treat the transfer more like a new client process.

Why Aerospace Transfers Are Stricter

On top of the generic IAF requirements, aerospace certifications (AS9100, AS9110, AS9120 and the upcoming IA9100‑series) have extra rules under the AS9104/1 scheme and OASIS. For aerospace, CBs must review detailed OASIS records, previous audit data, and OCAP risk analysis, and there are restrictions on auditor continuity and how soon an auditor who worked for one CB can audit the same client for a different CB. Transfers close to recertification, or for organizations with significant issues, can trigger a requirement for a full Stage 1 and Stage 2‑type effort rather than a simple continuation of the cycle, which means more audit time and higher cost.

Practically, this means aerospace clients should expect every transfer to involve at least a documented off‑site transfer review and often a minimum of one billable audit day, with more time if risk factors are present. CB day rates vary, but you should plan on real money and real effort, not a free change of logo on the certificate.

So, Should You Transfer?

Transferring CBs can still make sense—poor service, lack of aerospace or sector expertise, slow responsiveness, or strategic consolidation across multiple sites are all valid reasons. But you should assume three things going in:

• There will be a structured eligibility and pre‑transfer review, not just a quick form.
• There will be cost, often tied to at least a fraction of a day at the CB’s standard rate, and possibly more in aerospace or high‑risk situations.
• Transfers very close to recertification or with problem histories may be treated almost like a new certification.

Before you sign anything, get a written proposal from the prospective CB that clearly spells out: what their transfer review looks like, how much audit time they expect in year one, and the total cost across the full remaining cycle, not just the “transfer fee.” Then negotiate. Ask whether they are willing to reduce administrative fees, remote‑audit charges, or first‑cycle surveillance costs to help offset the one‑time transfer work. You may not get every concession, but you should not go into a transfer blind.