Quality
ISO 9001:2015
Quality management systems
ISO 9001:2015 is the previous edition of the quality management system standard. ISO replaced it with ISO 9001:2026 on 16 September 2026.
Previous edition, in transition
ISO 9001:2026 is the current edition of ISO 9001. Read about ISO 9001:2026.
Key facts
- Edition
- Previous edition, in transition (2015)
- Current edition
- ISO 9001:2026
- Transition period
- Contact us
It is now in transition: certificates that name ISO 9001:2015 can stay valid for a limited period while certified organisations move to the new edition. For new certification, see the current edition.
Who it suits
Organisations that hold an ISO 9001:2015 certificate and are preparing to move to ISO 9001:2026, and anyone checking a certificate that still names the 2015 edition. For new certification, see ISO 9001:2026.
Edition and transition
- This edition
- ISO 9001:2015Previous edition, in transition
- Current edition
- ISO 9001:2026Replaces this edition
- Transition period under ISAO accreditation
- Contact us
What the transition means
A certificate to ISO 9001:2015 does not lose its validity just because a new edition has been published. It can stay valid until the transition period ends or the certificate expires, whichever comes first, as long as it is not suspended or withdrawn. To move across, the organisation updates its quality management system and its certification body audits it against the new requirements, usually alongside a surveillance or recertification audit. If the audit shows that the system meets the new edition, the certification body issues a certificate that names ISO 9001:2026.
What changes in the 2026 edition
- Leaders are now expected to foster a culture of quality and ethical conduct, and staff awareness covers it too
- Actions on risks and actions on opportunities are planned separately
- Changes to the quality management system must be planned and controlled more thoroughly
- Clause 3 now defines a few core management system terms; ISO 9000 still holds the rest of the vocabulary
Edition history
ISO 9001:2015, the fifth edition, was published in September 2015 and replaced ISO 9001:2008. An amendment published in February 2024 asks the organisation to consider whether climate change matters to it when it reviews its context, and adds a note that interested parties may have expectations about climate change. ISO 9001:2026 replaced both the 2015 edition and its amendment on 16 September 2026.
Check a certificate for ISO 9001:2015
- Enter the certificate number or verification code at Verify a certificate, or scan the QR code on the certificate. The record shows the certificate's status today, for example valid, suspended, withdrawn or expired.
- Compare the organisation name, scope and sites on the record with the copy you were given. Check the expiry date as well: a certificate to this edition cannot stay valid beyond the end of the transition period.
- Check who issued the certificate, as named on the record. Where a certification body accredited by ISAO issued it, the record shows the status of that accreditation and its accreditation number, and says so if the accreditation did not cover ISO 9001:2015 when the certificate was issued.
- If the certificate is not on the register, ISAO cannot confirm it: it may have been issued under another accreditation, or a detail may be wrong. Ask the issuing body, and report a concern if something does not look right.
Related standards
This is ISAO’s own summary, not the text of the standard. Copies of ISO 9001:2015 can be bought from ISO or from national standards bodies.