What Happens If You Fail a Certification Audit? Your Options Explained

Failing a certification audit can feel like a setback, but it is rarely the end of the road. Understanding what actually happens after a failed audit—and the options available to you—turns a stressful moment into a manageable process. This article walks you through the typical consequences, your immediate next steps, and how to position your organization for a successful re-audit.

What "Failing" an Audit Actually Means

First, it helps to clarify the terminology. Certification bodies rarely use the word "fail." Instead, audit findings are classified by severity, and the outcome depends on what was found:

• Major nonconformities – A breakdown of a system requirement, such as a missing mandatory process or a systemic failure affecting your ability to meet the standard. These typically block certification until they are corrected and verified.
• Minor nonconformities – Isolated lapses or documentation gaps. These usually allow certification to proceed, provided you commit to corrective action within an agreed timeframe.
• Observations or opportunities for improvement – Notes from the auditor that do not block certification but are worth addressing.

So a "failed" audit usually means one or more major nonconformities, or a pattern of issues serious enough to delay a decision.

Immediate Consequences of a Failed Audit

The practical impact depends on where you are in the certification cycle. If this was an initial certification audit, your certificate is simply not issued yet—you remain uncertified until the issues are resolved. If it was a surveillance or recertification audit for an existing certificate, the consequences can be more time-sensitive:

1. Your certification body may suspend your certificate, which can affect contracts that require you to hold valid certification.
2. You will be given a defined window—often 90 days or less—to submit evidence of corrective action.
3. A follow-up visit, whether on-site or remote, may be scheduled to verify that corrections are effective.
4. If corrective action is not completed in time, certification may be withdrawn, and you would need to start the process again from an early stage.

Customers and regulators are not automatically notified of findings, but a suspension or withdrawal typically does become visible in certification body registers.

Your Options After a Failed Audit

Option 1: Corrective Action and Re-Audit

This is the most common route. You prepare a corrective action plan addressed to each finding, implement the fixes, gather objective evidence, and submit everything to your certification body. Once accepted, a follow-up audit confirms closure of the major nonconformities and certification proceeds. Be careful to address root causes, not just symptoms—an auditor will check that your fix is durable, not cosmetic.

Option 2: Appeal or Complaint

If you believe a finding was factually incorrect or that the auditor misapplied the standard, most certification bodies have a formal appeals process. You will need solid evidence, such as records or documented procedures that demonstrate compliance. Appeals are worth pursuing when you have a genuine case, but approach them with realistic expectations; they work best for clear factual disputes rather than disagreements of judgment.

Option 3: Change Certification Body

In some cases, organizations choose to transfer to a different certification body. This is legitimate, but be aware that transfer rules generally require disclosure of outstanding nonconformities, and a new body will not simply ignore an unresolved failure. Switching bodies to escape findings rarely works and can damage credibility.

Option 4: Voluntary Withdrawal and Restart

If your management system is fundamentally immature—for example, after a major restructuring—you may decide to withdraw from the current cycle and prepare properly before reapplying. This costs time but can be more efficient than repeatedly failing partial audits.

How to Bounce Back Stronger

A failed audit is also a source of free expert insight. Auditors see many organizations and their findings often point to real risks. Use the report as a prioritized improvement roadmap: assign an owner to each finding, set deadlines, verify effectiveness with internal audits, and brief your team so the same issues do not resurface. Involve leadership early—certification decisions and resource allocation sit with them, and their visible commitment makes corrective action stick.

Handled well, a failed audit becomes a temporary delay rather than a lasting problem. Respond quickly, fix causes rather than symptoms, and your next audit is likely to go very differently.

Related reading

• Your Step-by-Step Checklist for Preparing Your Documentation Before an Audit
• ISO 9001 vs ISO 14001: Which Standard Should Your Business Implement First?
• Avoiding the Pitfalls: Common Mistakes Businesses Make When Seeking First-Time Certification
• Getting ISO 9001 Ready: A Practical Guide to Preparing Your Company for the Certification Audit
• A Beginner's Guide to Understanding Management System Certifications