Knowledge
ISO 9001:2026 — what's coming
ISO 9001 is being revised. No reason to rush — but a good reason to start now. Here's an honest account of what's known so far, what is likely to change, and how you as an SME can prepare without waiting for the final standard text.
The timeline
The revision is at draft stage (FDIS — Final Draft International Standard). Publication is expected in September 2026, followed by ISO's usual three-year transition period — likely running to about September 2029. Until then, ISO 9001:2015 remains in force unchanged, and your existing certification stays valid across the whole window.
What is likely to change
By today's draft, the direction is taking shape — only the published text is binding:
- Climate change (4.1/4.2): climate-related aspects are explicitly considered as part of the context and the expectations of interested parties.
- Quality culture & ethics (5.1): a stronger emphasis on leadership, a lived quality culture and ethical conduct.
- Risks and opportunities (6.1): a clearer separation and sharpening of how risks are handled versus opportunities.
This is draft stage, not final wording. We'll update this page on publication — and until then we claim no details that aren't yet settled.
What stays the same
First things first: the core of the standard stays. Document control, management review, internal audit, corrective action and the Plan-Do-Check-Act spirit carry on. A well-run 2015 QMS is already most of a 2026 QMS — the revision builds on it, it doesn't overturn it. You can read exactly that in our ISO 9001 clause library today.
How to prepare now
The best preparation for any standard revision is a QMS that's lived and complete — not a binder fetched from the basement for the audit. If you know an honest readiness score today, see your gaps, and keep your documents in your own Git, then a fresh assessment becomes cheap rather than a project.
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Complete, not cluttered
An honest readiness score and a gap list show where you stand — the basis to reconcile quickly against a new edition.
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Lived, not filed
A QMS used in daily work can be carried forward. A dead handbook has to be re-done at revision time.
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Your data, your pace
Your documents live in your own Git. A re-assessment costs you no migration and no vendor's permission.
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Starting early pays off
The transition is a three-year window, not a single deadline — starting early spreads the work and avoids the last-minute jam.
Honestly framed
We give no "transition guarantee" — the final standard text isn't published yet, and no one can audit against an unpublished edition today. A targeted comparison of your coverage under 2015 versus 2026 in easo is planned, not already available; once the text exists, we'll add it. And as always: auditors assess actual implementation, not filled-in templates. What we promise, we can prove.
Common questions about ISO 9001:2026
When is the new ISO 9001 coming?
The revision is at draft stage (FDIS). Publication is expected in September 2026. An exact date is only fixed at publication — until then, ISO 9001:2015 remains in force unchanged.
By when do I have to switch to the new edition?
By ISO's usual practice a three-year transition period applies from publication — likely to about September 2029. Your existing ISO 9001:2015 certification stays valid until the end of that period.
Do I have to do anything now?
No, nothing is overdue. But starting early pays off: if you keep your QMS maintained and complete anyway, the revision becomes an update rather than a project. The final standard text isn't published yet — binding changes are best made after that.
What is likely to change?
By today's draft, the direction includes climate-change aspects in 4.1/4.2, a stronger emphasis on quality culture and ethics in 5.1, and a sharper separation of risks and opportunities in 6.1. That's draft stage, not final text — we'll update this page on publication.
Does my ISO 9001:2015 certification lose its validity?
Not immediately. It stays valid across the whole transition period; the switch usually happens at one of your regular surveillance or recertification audits within that window.
Does easo help with the transition?
Indirectly, already today: easo keeps your QMS lived, complete and with an honest readiness score — the best starting position for any standard revision. A targeted comparison of your coverage under 2015 versus 2026 is planned; once the standard text is published, we'll add it.
Stay in the loop
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