Selecting a ISO 9001 Registrar
When you choose a ISO 9001 Registrar you are starting a relationship that will last at least 3 years, most likely longer. You will want to make a careful decision to lay the groundwork for a smooth and lasting relationship.
The following is a list of qualified ISO 9001 Registrars that will help you obtain your ISO 9001 Registration:
| ISO 9001 Registrar | Phone | Website | Country |
| CA | |||
| ABS Quality Evaluations Inc. | 281-877-6800 | http://www.abs-qe.com | United States |
| AIB Registration Services | 800-633-5137 | http://www.aibonline.org | United States |
| AQA International | 803-779-8150 | http://www.aqausa.com | United States |
| BSI Management Systems | 1 800 862 4977 | www.bsiamericas.com | United States |
| BVQI | 716 484 9002 | http://www.bvqina.com | US |
| Canadian General Standards Board | 1-800-665-2472 | www.ongc-cgsb.gc.ca | CA |
| EAGLE | |||
| EAGLE Registrations, Inc. | 800-795-3641 | www.eagleregistrations.com | US |
| European Quality Assurance L.L.C. | 973-208-8410 | www.eqausa.com | US |
| Global ISO 9001 Registrars, Inc | 540-548-1910 | www.globalISO 9001 Registrars.com | US |
| Global ISO 9001 Registrars, Inc. | |||
| Intertek Systems Certification | 1-800-561-5051 | http://www.intertek-sc.com/ | Canada |
| Intertek Systems Certification | 852-21738888 | http://www.intertek-sc.com/ | HK |
| Intertek Systems Certification | (44) 1277 358231 | (44) 1277 358231 | United Kingdom |
| Intertek Systems Certification | 1-800-810-1195 | http://www.intertek-sc.com/ | United States |
| shelly spurlin | 828-241-3254 | US |
ISO 9001 Registrar Basics
Generally, when you sign a contract with a ISO 9001 Registrar, it will include the ISO 9001 Registration Audit, and Surveillance Audits. The ISO 9001 Registration Audit is the initial audit that will be done to see if you will achieve ISO 9001 Registration. After you have your ISO 9001 Registration, the ISO 9001 Registrar will come back every 6 months or year to see if you are maintaining your system and continuing to meet the requirements of ISO 9001. ISO 9001 Registrars vary in their approach, so you will want to find out details from each ISO 9001 Registrar you are interested in.
Your certificate will be valid for 3 years. After that period your ISO 9001 Registrar will be required to do another ISO 9001 Registration Audit to renew your certification. The contract you set up with your ISO 9001 Registrar will be for the three year period. You would renew your contract after three years to start the cycle again.
ISO 9001 Registration Audit: An audit of your QMS system to see if you meet the requirements of ISO 9001 and will achieve ISO 9001 Registration.
Surveillance Audit: A follow up audit of a portion of your QMS to see if the QMS is being followed and maintained. These are done every 6 months or year.
Costs
The costs for the audits and ISO 9001 Registration will be dependant on the size of your company, the number of locations, the accreditations that you need, and the distance between you and your ISO 9001 Registrar.
The costs are typically dependant on the number of audit days required for the ISO 9001 Registration audit and the surveillance audits, the travel costs for the auditors, and the administration fees and accreditation fees for the ISO 9001 Registration.
Choosing a ISO 9001 Registrar
The most important factor in choosing a ISO 9001 Registrar is how well they can work with you. This includes how well they know your industry, how much experience they have with similar companies, and how well they communicate with you and your employees.
Interview 3 or more ISO 9001 Registrars to get a good idea of the options available and differences between ISO 9001 Registrars. Look locally if you have good choices, it will save on costs, but if you do not find a good fit look farther. The benefits of your relationship with your ISO 9001 Registrar will pay off. Remember that these are experienced professionals that spend day after day evaluating how companies do business. The feedback you get from them is one of the best benchmarking tools available.