ISO certification costs vary widely depending on the standard you pursue, the size and complexity of your organisation, whether you use a consultant, and how mature your existing systems are. Below are practical indicative price ranges in three major currencies (UK pounds, US dollars and euros) to help you plan your budget.
What influences the cost?
The main factors that affect how much ISO certification costs include:
- Which ISO standard you are targeting
- Number of employees and operational locations
- Industry risk and regulatory needs
- Whether you use external consultants
- Audit duration required by the certification body
- Ongoing maintenance and surveillance audits
Certification is more than a one-off fee: costs continue throughout the certification cycle.
ISO certification cost tables
Indicative ISO certification costs by standard (initial certification)
These ranges assume a single-site organisation with typical complexity and include certification body audits plus basic preparation.
| ISO standard | Small organisation | Medium organisation | Large / complex organisation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | £2,000–£6,000 $2,500–$8,000 €2,300–€7,000 | £6,000–£15,000 $8,000–$20,000 €7,000–€18,000 | £15,000–£30,000+ $20,000–$40,000+ €18,000–€35,000+ |
| ISO 14001 | £2,500–£7,000 $3,000–$9,000 €2,800–€8,000 | £7,000–£18,000 $9,000–$24,000 €8,000–€20,000 | £18,000–£35,000 +$24,000–$45,000+ €20,000–€40,000+ |
| ISO 45001 | £3,000–£8,000 $3,500–$10,000 €3,200–€9,000 | £8,000–£20,000 $10,000–$26,000 €9,000–€22,000 | £20,000–£40,000+ $26,000–$50,000+ €22,000–€45,000+ |
| ISO 27001 | £5,000–£12,000 $6,500–$15,000 €6,000–€14,000 | £12,000–£30,000 $15,000–$40,000 €14,000–€35,000 | £30,000–£60,000+ $40,000–$80,000+ €35,000–€70,000+ |
Notes
- “Small” typically means a low headcount and limited process scope
- “Large / complex” usually includes multiple sites, high-risk activities, or regulated environments
- ISO 27001 is usually the most expensive due to risk assessment depth and control requirements
Certification body audit fees (typical ranges)
Audit fees are driven mainly by audit days required.
| Organisation size | Typical annual audit fees |
|---|---|
| Small | £1,200–£3,000 $1,500–$4,000 €1,400–€3,500 |
| Medium | £3,000–£7,000 $4,000–$9,000 €3,500–€8,000 |
| Large / multi-site | £7,000–£15,000+ $9,000–$20,000+ €8,000–€18,000+ |
These fees usually cover:
- Stage 1 audit
- Stage 2 audit
- Annual surveillance audits
Consultant vs internal preparation costs
| Preparation route | Typical cost range |
|---|---|
| Internal / DIY | £0–£3,000 $0–$4,000 €0–€3,500 |
| Partial consultant support | £2,000–£8,000 $2,500–$10,000 €2,300–€9,000 |
| Full consultant-led implementation | £8,000–£25,000+ $10,000–$35,000+ €9,000–€30,000+ |
Consultants reduce time and risk, but increase upfront spend.
Ongoing ISO certification costs (after year one)
ISO certification is normally valid for three years, with ongoing costs throughout.
| Ongoing cost | Typical annual range |
|---|---|
| Surveillance audits | £750–£3,000 $1,000–$4,000 €900–€3,500 |
| Internal audits & reviews | £500–£2,000 $700–$2,500 €600–€2,200 |
| Training & updates | £300–£1,500 $400–$2,000 €350–€1,700 |
Recertification (every cycle) usually costs similar to a full audit, but slightly reduced.
ISO certification budgeting templates
Template 1: Simple ISO certification budget (single standard)
Example: ISO 9001 – medium organisation
| Cost item | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Gap analysis | £1,500 |
| Documentation & preparation | £3,000 |
| Stage 1 audit | £1,500 |
| Stage 2 audit | £3,000 |
| Total initial cost | £9,000 |
Annual ongoing budget:
- Surveillance audits: £1,500–£2,500
- Internal maintenance: £1,000
Template 2: Integrated ISO certification budget (multiple standards)
Example: ISO 9001 + ISO 14001
| Cost item | Separate audits | Integrated audit |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | £6,000 | £4,500 |
| Audit fees | £7,000 | £5,500 |
| Total | £13,000 | £10,000 |
Integrated systems commonly reduce costs by 20–30%.
Template 3: 3-year ISO certification cost forecast
| Year | Typical costs |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Initial certification + preparation |
| Year 2 | Surveillance audit + maintenance |
| Year 3 | Surveillance audit |
| Recertification | Reduced full audit |
Rule of thumb:
Total 3-year cost ≈ 1.5–2× the initial certification cost
Key budgeting tips
- Audit time is the biggest cost driver
- Clear scope definition reduces fees
- Integrated systems lower long-term spend
- Poor preparation increases corrective action costs
- Cheapest certification is not always recognised
ISO certificates are issued by independent certification bodies, not by the International Organization for Standardization itself.
Typical certification cost ranges (initial fees)
ISO 9001 (quality management)
This is one of the most commonly pursued standards. Actual pricing differs, but typical total costs (initial certification only) are:
- UK pounds (£): £2 000 – £15 000+
- US dollars ($): $3 000 – $20 000+
- Euros (€): €2 500 – €18 000+
Lower prices are possible for very small organisations with simple operations. Higher costs reflect larger organisations, multi-site scopes or external consultancy support.
ISO 27001 (information security)
Information security standards tend to be more expensive because of risk assessments and detailed controls:
- £: £6 000 – £30 000+
- $: $8 000 – $40 000+
- €: €7 000 – €35 000+
Smaller organisations might see costs at the lower end if they require minimal audit days; larger or more complex ones often pay significantly more.
Other standards (ISO 14001, ISO 45001)
For environmental (ISO 14001) and health and safety (ISO 45001) certifications, indicative costs often fall in similar ranges to ISO 9001 or slightly higher, depending on the number of controls and audit days required.
- £: £2 500 – £20 000+
- $: $3 500 – $25 000+
- €: €3 000 – €22 000+
These costs include standard audit fees, but not consultancy or internal preparation.
Breakdown of costs you’ll typically see
1. Certification body fees
Certification bodies charge for audit time. For a small to mid-sized organisation, annual fees from certification bodies alone might be roughly:
- £: £1 500 – £6 000 per year
- $: $2 000 – $8 000
- €: €1 800 – €7 000
These fees usually include the initial audit (Stage 1 and Stage 2) and annual surveillance audits.
2. Consultancy or implementation support
Many organisations choose a consultant to help with documentation and preparation. Indicative ranges are:
- £: £2 000 – £15 000+
- $: $3 000 – $20 000+
- €: €2 500 – €18 000+
The exact cost depends on how much support you need — from gap analysis to full system design and audit readiness.
3. Internal costs
Even if you prepare internally, there are internal costs to consider:
- Staff time for writing procedures and training
- Internal audit time and management review preparation
- Process changes and system alignment
These don’t show up on an invoice but contribute significantly to total cost.
Ongoing and hidden costs
ISO certification is not a one-off purchase. You also need to budget for:
- Annual surveillance audits – recurring audit fees to maintain certification
- Recertification audits – typically every three years
- Training and awareness – staff training to maintain competence
- Process updates – updates when operations change
Surveillance and maintenance costs alone can be £750 – £3 000 (€900 – €3 500 / $1 000 – $4 000) per year for typical small or mid-sized organisations.
How to reduce your ISO certification cost
To manage your budget without compromising outcome:
- Prepare documentation that reflects how your organisation actually works
- Limit scope to relevant processes only
- Combine multiple ISO standards into an integrated audit
- Train internal staff to perform internal audits
- Seek multiple quotes from accredited certification bodies
Good preparation often reduces audit time — and audit time is a major cost driver.
Summary
Indicative initial ISO certification cost (total)
- Small organisations: £2 000 – £8 000 / $3 000 – $10 000 / €2 500 – €9 000
- Medium organisations: £8 000 – £20 000 / $10 000 – $28 000 / €9 000 – €25 000
- Large or complex organisations: £20 000+ / $28 000+ / €25 000+
These ranges include audit fees and typical preparation costs, assuming some level of external support. Your actual investment will vary based on scope, internal readiness, and audit days required.