Certification without ICEQC charges
ICEQC does not charge for any certification activity. Application review, scope confirmation, verification, corrective-action verification, technical review, certification decisions, certificate issuance, surveillance, scope changes and renewal are free of charge. No regional partner may collect an ICEQC certification fee or represent an optional service charge as an ICEQC charge.
Optional partner services
Basic application coordination and formal transmission of materials are free of charge and do not require the purchase of a service. A regional partner may offer optional in-depth assistance under a separate agreement specifying the work, price and responsibilities. The applicant may decline those services. Purchase, refusal or payment for optional assistance has no bearing on conformity, priority, review or certification decisions.
Formal material transmission
Initial applications, formal supplementary materials, corrective-action evidence, surveillance materials, scope-change materials and renewal materials shall be transmitted by the effective regional partner mandated for the case. The applicant retains responsibility for the legal identity, scope, declarations and evidence and shall confirm the complete package before transmission. A draft, an applicant confirmation or a partner service contract is not an ICEQC receipt.
Prepare the application → mandate an effective partner → confirm the complete package → partner transmits → ICEQC acknowledges receipt and reviews.
Reserved ICEQC authority
ICEQC retains evidence verification, technical review, certification decisions and certificate issuance. Regional partners assist with application coordination and material preparation and transmission within their published authorization. They cannot determine conformity, close a finding, guarantee certification or issue an ICEQC certificate. Personnel involved in applicant consulting shall not assess, technically review or decide that case.
Direct complaint, appeal and reporting channels
Applicants and other affected persons may contact ICEQC directly to complain, appeal, report misconduct or disclose an incident. Those channels may include supporting evidence and do not require partner approval or transmission. ICEQC may verify original sources directly. A formal scope amendment or certification material package remains subject to the partner transmission rule.
Application timeframes
The standard overall planning target is 120 working days, or 180 working days where one corrective-action round is included. The target begins on the next working day after ICEQC confirms application completeness, a valid applicant agreement and the authorized formal transmission. No payment condition applies. Only overdue days after a stated applicant response deadline are excluded under the controlled clock rule. Further corrective work, scope changes or verification constraints may require a recorded revised target.
The standard certificate cycle remains 36 months, with surveillance at months 12 and 24. A planning target does not guarantee a completion date or a positive decision. Every applicable requirement must conform; an open nonconformity prevents certification.