Check what a certificate actually covers

PRACTICAL GUIDANCE

The starting point

Verify the organisation, certificate status, scope and accreditation before relying on a certificate in a tender or supplier decision. Keep the result of the check with the decision it supports.

Read the whole certificate and its schedule

Our recommended first check records the legal entity, trading name if shown, standard and edition, certificate identifier, issuer, scope, locations and dates. Read any attached schedule; a front page may not identify all the sites or limitations.

Compare the scope with the service you will actually buy. A certificate for a supplier’s manufacturing operation may tell you little about a separately provided hosting service. A group brand does not necessarily mean every subsidiary is included. Resolve mismatches with the supplier and issuer before treating the certificate as relevant assurance.

Check current status through an authoritative route

For UKAS accredited management system certification, UKAS CertCheck provides a public verification route. Search using the certificate number or relevant organisation details and compare the returned record with the document.

A dated PDF can remain in circulation after a change in status. If a search produces no clear result, check spelling, entity names and identifiers, then use the issuer’s official verification route or contact details obtained independently. A missing search result should prompt investigation; it does not, by itself, establish that a document was forged.

Check the issuer’s accreditation scope

Use the accreditation body’s directory to verify that the issuer’s accreditation covers the relevant certification service. An accreditation logo on a document is a claim to check, not the verification itself.

CertSearch is now associated with Global ACI following the October 2026 transfer arrangements; the service has previously been known as IAF CertSearch. Current and legacy names may coexist during the transition. Follow official links and verify the relevant body and scope rather than judging authenticity from branding alone.

Keep an evidence record of the check

For a practical procurement record, capture what was checked, when, by whom, the authoritative source and any unresolved difference. Avoid distributing the full certificate more widely than necessary if it includes sensitive site or contact information.

Record the conclusion precisely. “Current certificate verified for the named entity and scope on this date” is more useful than “supplier approved”. The latter may imply that commercial, technical, privacy and operational questions have all been resolved when they have not. Identify the other checks your purchasing decision requires.

Investigate uncertainty and monitor important dependencies

If details conflict, ask the issuer to confirm the current record using independently obtained contact information. Describe the discrepancy neutrally and preserve the evidence. Do not publish an allegation of fraud solely because a certificate is difficult to find.

For an important supplier, decide how status changes will be monitored and who will respond. UKAS CertCheck offers tracking and alert functionality through registration. A certificate remains one input to a proportionate supplier assessment; consider the actual service, contract, responsibilities and dependency alongside it.

• Entity: is the organisation providing the service the organisation named?
• Scope: does the described activity and location match your reliance?
• Edition: is the edition current or legitimately within an applicable transition?
• Status: has current validity been checked with an authoritative source?
• Accreditation: does the issuer’s relevant accreditation support the claim?

Related guidance and practical next steps