International ISO Certification Body

Frequently Asked Questions

Straight answers, before you ask.

Everything we’re commonly asked about ISO certification, our process, and how an AmericanQMS certificate is recognized.

About AmericanQMS

Who is AmericanQMS?

AmericanQMS is an American conformity assessment body with U.S.-based leadership and an international operations team. We train organizations to internationally published ISO standards, audit their operations against those standards, and issue certificates upon successful completion. Our certifications serve organizations across the United States and international markets that need credible, accessible quality assurance for customers, supply chains, tenders, and supplier qualification.

Is AmericanQMS affiliated with the U.S. government?

No. AmericanQMS is a private company. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any United States federal, state, or local government agency, nor by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or any national accreditation body.

Where do you operate?

Our leadership is U.S.-based. Our operations team supports certification programs across the United States and international markets. Audits are conducted on-site or remotely depending on standard, location, and scope.

Standards we certify

Which ISO standards do you certify against?

We currently conduct conformity assessments for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 13485, ISO 22000, ISO 20000-1, ISO 50001, and ISO 22301. See the full list with detail on the Standards page.

Can I certify against a standard not on your list?

Likely yes. We work across the broader ISO catalog as well as related management system standards. Contact us with the specific standard and your business context and we’ll confirm fit.

Can I certify against multiple standards at once?

Yes — in fact this is one of the strongest reasons to choose a multi-standard body. Combined audits across, for example, ISO 9001 + ISO 14001 + ISO 45001 reduce duplicated documentation, audit days, and disruption while keeping process and auditors consistent.

What ISO standard version do you certify against?

We certify against the current published revision of each ISO standard at the time of audit. For ISO 9001 that is 2015; for ISO/IEC 27001 that is 2022; for ISO 45001 that is 2018, and so on.

Certification process

How long does the certification process take?

Most organizations complete the full process — gap assessment through certificate issuance — in approximately 6 to 12 weeks depending on the standard, current state of operations, and the speed at which your team can implement required documentation and practices.

What are the audit stages?

We run the same Stage 1 + Stage 2 audit cycle that accredited bodies use. Stage 1 is a documented readiness review confirming your management system is implemented and ready for full audit. Stage 2 is the full audit against the published ISO standard, conducted by an qualified auditor, with documented findings and corrective actions if required.

Do you offer remote audits?

Yes. Audits can be conducted on-site, remote, or hybrid depending on the standard, the scope, and the nature of operations being audited. Some standards or specific evidence types require physical observation; we’ll confirm the appropriate format during scoping.

What happens if you find nonconformities?

Findings are documented with a defined corrective-action requirement and timeline. Minor findings can typically be closed via evidence submission; major findings may require a follow-up audit. Closure of findings is required before the certificate is issued or maintained.

Certificate & verification

How long is the certificate valid?

Three years from issuance, subject to successful annual surveillance audits. At year 3 a recertification audit renews the cycle.

Can my customers verify my certificate?

Yes. Any party can confirm the status, scope, issue date, and expiry of an AmericanQMS certificate through our public Certificate Verification portal — using either the certificate number or the certified company name.

What’s included in annual surveillance?

Annual surveillance is a documented review confirming your management system remains in conformity with the applicable ISO standard. It is a lighter-touch audit than the initial Stage 2 and is included in your three-year certification cycle to maintain the certificate.

Can a certificate be suspended or withdrawn?

Yes. If surveillance findings reveal a serious lapse in conformity that is not addressed within the required timeline, the certificate may be suspended or withdrawn. Suspended and withdrawn certificates are reflected publicly in the verification portal.

Engagement & pricing

How is engagement priced?

Pricing depends on the standard(s), organization size, number of locations, scope of operations, and audit format. Tell us about your operation through Get Certified and we’ll respond within one business day with a clear scope, timeline, and quote.

What’s included in the engagement?

The initial engagement covers gap assessment, training, documentation guidance, Stage 1 audit, Stage 2 audit, corrective action support, certificate issuance, and verification record. Annual surveillance is then scoped and quoted separately for years 2 and 3.

Do you provide consulting if we need help implementing?

We provide training and structured documentation guidance as part of the certification engagement — enough for most organizations to reach conformity. For deeper hands-on implementation work, we can recommend independent consultants we’ve worked alongside.

Have a question we didn’t answer?

Reach out and we’ll respond within one business day.