The 36-month certification cycle
An ICEQC certificate is issued for the approved period shown in the certificate record, normally a 36-month cycle. The certificate confirms conformity at the effective date of the decision and remains subject to continuing conformity, scheduled surveillance, change review and status controls throughout the cycle.
Certification is not a permanent award. The current Public Certificate Register record, not a saved certificate image or earlier announcement, establishes whether certification is active and what scope and dates currently apply.
Continuing obligations of every certificate holder
- Maintain every applicable requirement across the complete certified scope.
- Keep the legal holder, certified object, included operations, exclusions and public scope accurate.
- Retain current controlled documents and implementation records sufficient to demonstrate continuing conformity.
- Cooperate with scheduled and special surveillance and provide required access within the stated period.
- Notify ICEQC promptly of material changes, serious incidents and matters that may affect conformity or public confidence in the certificate.
- Use the certificate, ICEQC name and certification mark only for the authorized holder, scope, period and current status.
- Stop or correct a certification claim when the scope or status no longer supports it.
Scheduled surveillance at months 12 and 24
The standard three-year cycle includes scheduled surveillance at approximately month 12 and month 24. Surveillance verifies continuing conformity and is not limited to checking whether documents remain on file. ICEQC may examine implementation records, monitoring results, changes, complaints, incidents, previous findings, public claims and other evidence relevant to continued conformity.
The surveillance plan considers the certification object, certified scope, previous conclusions, material changes, risk of an incorrect continuing-status conclusion and evidence needed to maintain confidence across the cycle. The certificate holder submits requested evidence and arranges access through the Online Application Centre.
Material changes that must be reported
Legal identity and control
Legal name, registration, ownership, accountable control, merger, acquisition, restructuring, insolvency or cessation of relevant operations.
Certified scope
Sites, education activities, services, platforms, models, versions, user or learner groups, delivery modes, markets, jurisdictions, exclusions or material third-party arrangements.
Governance and responsible personnel
Changes that materially affect decision authority, safeguarding, academic or product responsibility, technical control, competence or oversight of the certified object.
Technology, product or delivery
Major releases, integrations, architecture, data use, automated functions, intended use, manufacture, supply, safety, accessibility or delivery changes relevant to an applicable requirement.
Legal and regulatory position
Loss, restriction or material change of a licence, authorization, approval, registration, legal duty or enforcement position relevant to the scope.
Incidents and external findings
Serious safeguarding, privacy, security, safety, integrity, service, product, legal or regulatory matters that may indicate loss of conformity.
How ICEQC treats a reported change
ICEQC records the change, determines whether it affects the certified object, scope, applicability or conformity basis and identifies the evidence and review required. The outcome may be no scope action, an updated public record, additional verification, special surveillance, scope reduction, suspension or a new certification decision.
The certificate holder must not describe a new site, service, version, model, integration, delivery mode or jurisdiction as certified until ICEQC has completed the required review and the Public Certificate Register expressly includes it.
Findings during surveillance
A surveillance nonconformity is recorded against the same published requirement-level rule used for initial certification. The certificate holder must correct the condition and provide updated implementation evidence within the applicable period. ICEQC verifies whether remediation is complete.
The seriousness, extent and effect of an open finding may require special surveillance or certificate-status action. Previous certification does not allow a current nonconformity to be offset by earlier performance or by conformity elsewhere in the scope.
Certificate status and its meaning
Active
The certificate is within its stated period and no current status action prevents the holder from making authorized claims for the published scope.
Suspended
Certification is temporarily not in active standing. The holder must comply with the stated claim restrictions and required actions while ICEQC determines whether restoration is justified.
Reduced
Part of the former scope has been removed. Claims must be limited to the scope currently shown in the Public Certificate Register.
Withdrawn
Certification has ended by status action. The former holder must cease certification claims and use of the certificate and mark as required.
Expired
The certification period ended without an effective renewed certificate. A previous certificate image does not establish current certification.
Certification claims, certificates and marks
Every claim must identify or remain consistent with the certificate holder, certification object, certified scope, applicable ICEQC documents and editions, certificate number, dates and current status. A claim must not extend to a parent, subsidiary, franchisee, customer, partner, programme, service, product or site that is outside the public record.
Certification must not be represented as government authorization, statutory accreditation, licensing, degree recognition, academic equivalence, ranking, endorsement or a guarantee of future performance. Suspected misuse may be reported through the public misuse-reporting route.
Scope extension, reduction and other changes
A requested extension is assessed before the additional activity is certified. ICEQC confirms the revised boundary and applicability, identifies the required evidence, conducts the necessary verification and obtains an authorized decision. The expanded scope takes effect only when the decision and public record are issued.
A reduction may be requested by the holder or required where continuing conformity is not established for part of the scope. The holder must update all public claims and materials to reflect the current reduced scope.
Renewal and expiry
Renewal requires a timely application, confirmation of the current object and scope, updated applicability, evidence verification, closure of any nonconformity, independent technical review and a new certification decision. Surveillance completion does not by itself renew the certificate.
If the renewal decision is not effective before the current expiry date, the certificate expires unless a published ICEQC rule expressly provides otherwise. ICEQC does not backdate certification to remove a period in which no active certificate existed.