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What ISO 42001 Certification Means

ISO 42001 Certification: Process, Timeline & Costs Explained

ISO 42001 is the world’s first AI management system standard. It gives your organization a clear way to govern AI, manage risk, and show responsible practice as AI use grows.

ISO 42001 certification turns that intent into an auditable system. It helps you prove you have consistent processes, clear ownership, and evidence that holds up in an audit.

With key EU AI Act obligations rolling out through 2025 and 2026, more organizations are under pressure to show how they manage AI risk, oversight, and documentation. For many teams, ISO/IEC 42001 certification is a practical path to stronger EU AI Act alignment, clearer AI compliance standards, and better AI trust assurance.

What this guide covers:

What ISO 42001 certification means and what “ISO 42001 certified” signals
The ISO 42001 certification process, step-by-step
A realistic ISO 42001 certification timeline for 2025 to 2026
Key ISO 42001 certification cost drivers and hidden effort
What auditors expect and where technology support helps

What ISO 42001 Certification Means

ISO 42001 certification is a management system certification, not product approval. It does not certify a specific AI model, vendor, or tool. It certifies the management system your organization uses to govern AI across its lifecycle.

That includes how you define accountability, identify risk, implement controls, monitor performance, and improve over time. In practice, it is an AI governance certification focused on repeatability and evidence.

What “ISO 42001 certified” Actually Signals

Being ISO 42001 certified typically signals that your organization can:

Define the scope of AI use and oversight
Operate a consistent AI governance framework across teams
Identify and manage AI risk in a structured way
Maintain evidence that controls are designed, implemented, and reviewed
Demonstrate continuous improvement, not one-time compliance

Who Can Certify You?

ISO does not issue certificates. Certification is issued by independent certification bodies, using accredited auditors, to assess your management system against ISO/IEC 42001 requirements.

“In SureCloud, we’re delighted to have a partner that shares in our values and vision.”

Read more on how Mollie achieved a data-driven approach to risk and compliance with SureCloud.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a DORA audit?

A DORA audit is a regulatory examination led by your National Competent Authority to verify that your organization meets DORA’s operational resilience obligations, with ESA-level guidance and standards coordinating approaches.

Who conducts DORA supervisory reviews?

National supervisors conduct the review locally, with coordination and common standards provided by the ESAs. For CTPPs, examinations are coordinated at EU level through a Lead Overseer and Joint Examination Teams, supported by the Oversight Forum.

How do I prepare for a DORA audit?

DORA audit preparation includes: Running a self-assessment, building an evidence library, setting ownership and a request-handling process, rehearsing with a mock review, and fixing gaps with dated retests so you can show progress at the next checkpoint.

What belongs in a DORA audit checklist?

Policies and standards, registers and logs, reports and analyses, records and proof, each tagged to a control and RTS/ITS field so it is traceable to an obligation.

See How SureCloud Can Help

Explore our DORA Resources

DORA

DORA Compliance Roadmap 2025-2026

DORA

The 5 Pillars of DORA Explained

DORA

DORA Readiness Assessment

DORA

Complete Guide to DORA Compliance

DORA

What DORA Means for Fintech, Banks and Insurers

Make Readiness the Operating Standard

Treat the DORA audit as an operating rhythm. Keep one evidence library, align incident forms to RTS/ITS, run testing and retesting on a cadence, and bring suppliers into scope with clear flow-down obligations and artifact schedules. That’s how you walk into a DORA supervisory review with confidence and leave with fewer findings and faster closure.

See how SureCloud helps you stay audit-ready for DORA supervision.