Certification versus accreditation
Certification is when an independent body confirms that your management system meets a standard. Accreditation is when an accreditation body confirms that the certification body is competent to do that, for a defined scope.
Updated 5 November 2026
Two different things
People often mix up certification and accreditation. They are separate steps done by different organizations.
- Certification is carried out by a certification body. It audits your organization and decides whether your management system meets a standard such as ISO 9001.
- Accreditation is carried out by an accreditation body. It assesses the certification body and confirms it is competent and impartial.
ISO writes the standards. It does not certify organizations and does not accredit certification bodies. The requirements for bodies certifying management systems are in ISO/IEC 17021-1.
A clear comparison
| Certification | Accreditation | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is assessed | An organization, such as your business | A certification body (or a laboratory) |
| Who assesses | A certification body | An accreditation body |
| What is confirmed | The management system meets a standard | The body is competent for a defined scope |
| Result | A certificate with a scope | An accreditation with a scope |
| Typical standard for the assessor | ISO/IEC 17021-1 for bodies certifying management systems | Accreditation bodies assess against it |
| Who does ISO involve | Writes the standard, does not certify | Writes the standard, does not accredit |
Accreditation is scope-specific
Accreditation is not a blanket status. A certification body is accredited for specific standards and activity areas, by a specific accreditation body, for a stated period. A body accredited for one standard or sector is not automatically accredited for another.
So the useful question is not whether the certification body is accredited, but whether it is accredited for your standard and your activities. Check the scope of accreditation, not only the logo.
Laboratories follow a different route
Testing and calibration laboratories show competence through accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025. They are accredited, not certified. See ISO/IEC 17025.
Mutual recognition
Accreditation bodies work together internationally so that certificates from accredited bodies can be accepted across borders. The IAF and ILAC handed over their work to Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI) on 1 January 2026. Whether a particular buyer accepts a certificate still depends on that buyer's own requirements. See ISO certification for tenders.
What MIYAAR CONNECT is
We are neither a certification body nor an accreditation body. We help you understand standards and send inquiries to independent certification bodies. We check evidence of a partner's accreditation before matching, as explained in how we match, but you should confirm accreditation yourself before signing.
Next step
Accreditation check shows how to read a certificate and validate accreditation. For the wider picture, see what is ISO certification.
Sources
- ANSI Blog: ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015, requirements for certification bodies (checked 5 November 2026)
- APAC: Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated to replace IAF and ILAC (checked 5 November 2026)
Check before you sign
Learn how to read a certificate and check the accreditation behind it.