There has been a lot of talk about the new version of the quality management system standard, expected to be ISO 9001:2026; and at the end of August 2025 the Draft International Standard (DIS) was published for public comment.
But what does this mean to you if you are already certified to ISO 9001 or thinking of implementing the standard?
Our Advice on ISO 9001:2026 DIS
If you are currently certified to ISO 9001:2015, continue operating and improving your Quality Management System. This will prepare you well for any changes.
If you are not certified, don’t delay! ISO 9001:2015 will likely remain valid into 2029, which is an entire 3-year certification cycle! You might as well be getting the benefits now, rather than waiting.
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If you would like to be an early adopter of ISO 9001:2026, please contact us and we’ll add you to a list for discounted rates while our consultants gain experience and competence evidence for the new standard!
Below we explain what’s happening….
What is a DIS?
A Draft International Standards (DIS) is one stage in the process of releasing a new standard or a revision to an existing standard.
Before the DIS stage, committee drafts (CD) are created but these are not generally for public consumption. The committee draft is created from stakeholder input including National Standards bodies like BSI, ANSI, and other relevant organisations.
DIS is an important stage because it’s the first time the public can view a draft of the standard.
The comment period ends 20th October 2025
However there are further stages including the Final Draft International Standards (FDIS) and Publication. So things could still change within the standard.
The DIS stage is interesting to consultants like Assent Risk Management but it means little to users of standards such as those who are certified.
Do I Need to Do Anything?
In our opinion, no.
While it’s admirable to maintain awareness of what’s happening with the standard, making any changes to your QMS now could be a wasted effort for a few reason.
- The standard hasn’t been published yet, so there could still be changes as a result of the public consultation.
- There is no training or competence activity you can do for the new standard yet.
- The transition period hasn’t even started yet, so theres no action you can take regarding your certification.
- You still need to be compliant with the current standard (ISO 9001:2015) for your external audits and your current certificate.
When Will ISO 9001:2026 be Published?
Final publication of the standard could be impacted by the comments received during the DIS phase, so nothing is confirmed. However getting to the DIS stage does mean that we are a step closer. So 2026 is still realistic.
When Will ISO 9001:2026 Certification be Available?
For those certified to ISO 9001 or thinking of starting the process there are some other considerations.
Firstly accredited certification bodies will not be offering ISO 9001:2026 certification on the first day of publication.
This is because certification bodies need to train their auditors and prove they are compliant with the new version of the standard.
Then the accreditation bodies such as UKAS and ANAB need to audit and accredit them (the certification bodies). This takes some time and accreditation bodies usually issue a time table for this.
Factoring this in, actual ISO 9001:2026 certification could begin late 2026 or even 2027!
Then there is the transition period for those who are already certified. Usually 3-years, this gives organisations plenty of time to update their QMS to the latest requirements, run the system to generate evidence and conduct internal audits and management reviews.
This means current ISO 9001:2015 certificates will likely remain valid into 2029.
