Certification Process

Included in Initial Certification Audit
  • Review of the documentation/manual and procedures, including the issue of the document review report;
  • Performance of the Initial Certification Audit including off-site audit time, including the presentation of the audit results;
  • Issue of the Audit Report;
  • Issue of two all-inclusive Master Certificates. Site specific certificates will incur additional fees.
  Certificate issued by DNV GL is valid for 3 years from completion of Initial Certification Audit.  During this period 2 periodic audits will be performed, at approximately 12 monthly intervals, prior to the Re-Certification audit, which takes place upon certificate expiry.


Periodic Audit: 
  • Performance of the Periodic Audit, including the presentation of the audit results;
  • Issue of the Audit Report

  Annual Management Fee includes: 
  • Access to Online Support Tools and Information
  • Investment in our core operations and infrastructure
  • Accreditation Fees 


Fee is charged annually and invoiced typically in conjunction with the first audit of each calendar year. 

Re-Certification Audit: 
  • ½  day offsite planning and preparation;
  • review of the documentation/manual and procedures;
  • performance of the Re-Certification audit, including the presentation of the audit results;
  • issue of the standard Audit Report;
  • issue of two all-inclusive Master Certificates. Site specific certificates will incur additional fees.
  Recertification takes place up to 3 months prior to the expiry of the certificate. 

Maintaining the Certificate of Conformity
Customer must at all times ensure that the requirements of Management System Certification Scheme(s) are complied with, hereunder take necessary action in accordance with reported non-conformities, observations, improvement opportunities and noteworthy efforts. Customer must undergo all scheduled audits and visits. Customer must report all changes in its operations and management systems (hereunder changes in organisation, ownership, new products and services, location, number of employees, major incidents breach or potential breach of legislative requirements related to the certification scope or stakeholder disputes etc.), which may reasonably affect the Certificate of Conformity, to DNV GL within a reasonable time and preferably before execution of such change.  Based on this, and provided that the Customer wants to maintain the Certificate of Conformity, DNV GL may request to carry out unscheduled audits.

Suspension or withdrawal of the Certificate of Conformity Failure by Customer to meet the requirements for maintaining the Certificate of Conformity in clause 1 above or the Agreement may result in suspension or withdrawal of the Certificate of Conformity by DNV GL. The Certificate of Conformity may be suspended if;
  1. Customer fails to comply with the agreed time schedule and assessment plan or; 
  2. Corrective actions to identified non-conformities are not implemented within the set time limit or;
  3. Customer fails to pay the fees due, upon written notice from DNV GL.
The Certificate of Conformity may be withdrawn with immediate effect if;
  • Inadequate measures are taken by Customer after suspension and subsequent notice of withdrawal by DNV GL;
  • Material breach of the Agreement or;
  • Infringement of DNV GL’s property rights in any way or; 
  • Customer does not to pay due fees after prior suspension.

Using the Certification Mark
Customer may only use the Certification Mark (where the DNV GL logo is embedded) corresponding to the Management System Certification Scheme the Services are based on. Customer may only use a Certification Mark, provided he holds a valid Certificate of Conformity. Equally the Certification Mark must only be used by the unit or part of Customer, which has undergone the Services. The Certification Mark may be shown on Customer’s letters and other public relations material.  The Certification Mark must not be used in any way to create an assumption that it is a product Certification Mark or that a product has been certified. Accordingly the Certification Mark must not be shown on or in connection with products, samples of products or test certificates for products.  The Certification Mark must only be shown in standard size and design. Standard size and design may be obtained from DNV GL on request. The Certification Mark must never be shown as larger than Customer’s own logo, but the Certification Mark must always be shown in its entirety. Customer can consult DNV GL in respect of use of the Certification Mark. Together with the certificate, Client receives additional information about the use of the certification marks and the DNV GL logo.