ISO 30301 Certification for Records Management Systems
ISO 30301 is the international standard for managing records as evidence of what an organization did and decided. Certification shows regulators, courts, and citizens that records are created, kept, and disposed of in a controlled, trustworthy way. Audits cover paper and digital records programs, with senior-led audits and a fixed fee. Most organizations certify in 6–12 weeks.
What Is ISO 30301 Certification?
ISO 30301 certification is independent confirmation that an organization runs a management system for records that meets the standard. The auditor checks how you decide which records to create and how they are captured with the right metadata. They also check who can access them and how long they are kept. A successful audit leads to a certificate valid for three years.
A record is evidence of a business activity: a contract, a decision, a case file, a payment. Unlike general information, it must stay authentic, reliable, and usable for as long as the law or the business needs it.
The audit looks at records where they live. We sample real records in your systems and check that what your policies say is what actually happens, from capture to final disposal.
The 2019 Edition and the Third Edition on Its Way
The 2019 edition is current. ISO published the second edition in February 2019, aligning it with the common management system structure and with ISO 15489-1:2016. A 2024 amendment added climate change to the context clauses.
A third edition is about to be published. The draft went to ballot from December 2025 to March 2026, and the final draft was approved on 16 June 2026. In September 2026 it entered the publication stage. It will replace the 2019 edition and its amendment.
Existing certificates stay valid during the move. A transition period will be set after publication. Organizations certifying now can certify to 2019 and transition at a later surveillance audit.
Sources: ISO 30301:2019 (ISO) · Third edition status (ISO) · 2019 edition explained (ISO/TC 46/SC 11)
Who Needs ISO 30301 Certification?
Organizations whose records must stand up in court, in an audit, or in history.
Case files, decisions, and public records. See ISO for the public sector.
Long-term and legal records.
Customer, transaction, and claims records. See ISO for banking.
Patient and clinical records. See ISO for healthcare.
Asset, safety, and inspection records. See ISO for energy.
Storage, scanning, and digital archive services.
The Records Processes Auditors Test
The operational requirements follow the life of a record, as described in ISO 15489-1.
| Process | What it means | Evidence the auditor reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Creation | Deciding which records each activity must produce | Records requirements for key processes |
| Capture | Bringing records into a controlled system | Records saved with the right metadata |
| Classification | Organizing records by business function | A business classification scheme in use |
| Access | Controlling who can see and change records | Access rules and permission reviews |
| Storage & migration | Keeping records usable as systems change | Migration records and integrity checks |
| Disposition | Destroying or transferring records on schedule | Approved retention schedule and disposal logs |
ISO 30301 Certification Requirements, Clause by Clause
The common management system structure, with records operations in clause 8 and a normative annex.
| Clause | What it requires | What the auditor checks |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Context | Business, legal, and regulatory needs for records, and scope | A register of records-related obligations |
| 5. Leadership | Records policy, roles, and commitment | Leaders who own records responsibilities |
| 6. Planning | Risks, opportunities, and records objectives | Objectives tied to records risks |
| 7. Support | Resources, competence, awareness, and communication | Trained staff and records systems |
| 8. Operation | Records processes, controls, and systems | Records sampled from capture to disposal |
| 9. Performance | Monitoring, internal audit, and management review | Compliance checks and review results |
| 10. Improvement | Nonconformity, corrective action, and improvement | Lost or late records investigated |
How It Compares: ISO 15489, ISO 30300, ISO 27001, and ISO 9001
The records family, and its closest neighbors.
| Standard | Role | How it relates |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 15489-1 | Records management concepts and principles | The basis for the operational annex; not certifiable |
| ISO 30300 | Fundamentals and vocabulary | Defines the terms; not certifiable |
| ISO 30302 | Implementation guidance | Helps build the system; not certifiable |
| ISO 27001 | Information security | Protects records; can be audited together |
| ISO 9001 | Quality management | Controls quality documents, not all business records |
| GDPR | EU data protection law | Retention and disposal support data minimization |
How Records Management Certification Works
From scoping to certificate. The ISO certification process guide explains each step.
Wondering whether to wait for the third edition? Ask us in the scoping review; we will explain both routes.
Book a free scoping reviewCommon Records Management Audit Findings
The gaps that most often delay a certificate.
Program findings
- Retention schedule out of date with current law
- No owner for records in shared drives
- Records obligations not listed for each country
- Climate change not considered in context
- Staff unsure what counts as a record
System findings
- Key decisions kept only in personal email
- Records past retention never disposed of
- Disposal done without approval or a log
- Metadata missing after a system migration
- Access rights not reviewed after role changes
Before Stage 2, choose one business process, such as procurement or case handling. Find a record from five years ago and one from last month. Check that each can be found, has the right metadata, has had only authorized access, and has a clear retention date. If both pass, your system is working.
ISO 30301 Certification Cost and Timeline
There is no price list. The audit man-days your scope needs set one fixed fee.
What sets the audit man-days
- People: staff who create and manage records
- Sites: offices, records centers, and archives
- Systems: records, email, and line-of-business systems
- Functions: business areas in scope
- Integration: combined with ISO 27001 or 9001
How long it takes
| Proposal | Days after scoping |
|---|---|
| To certificate | Usually 6–12 weeks |
| Surveillance | Every year |
| Recertification | Before the end of year three |
How to Choose an ISO 30301 Certification Body
What records managers usually ask us before signing.
| Question to ask | Accredify Global's answer |
|---|---|
| Who issues our certificate? | Your proposal names the certification body, before you commit. |
| How will you handle the third edition? | We plan your transition once the dates are set. |
| Will you test real records? | Yes. We sample records in your systems. |
| Can regulators check the certificate? | Yes. Certificates appear on our verification page. |
| Will you write our retention schedule? | No. We do not consult, so every audit stays impartial. |
| How is it priced? | A fixed fee, set by audit man-days, in a tailored proposal. |
Frequently Asked Questions About ISO 30301 Certification
Straight answers on the new edition, ISO 15489, GDPR, cost, and timeline.
What is ISO 30301 certification?
ISO 30301 certification is independent confirmation that an organization runs a management system for records that meets the standard. It shows regulators, courts and citizens that records are created, kept and disposed of in a controlled, trustworthy way.
What is the current version of ISO 30301?
ISO 30301:2019, published in February 2019, is the current edition, with a 2024 amendment on climate action. A third edition passed its final ballot in June 2026 and was at the publication stage in September 2026.
What happens to our certificate when the new edition is published?
Your 2019 certificate stays valid during a transition period set after publication. We will confirm the dates and the audit approach as soon as they are announced.
Who needs ISO 30301 certification?
Organizations whose records carry legal, financial or historical weight. Typical users are government agencies, archives, courts, utilities, banks, insurers, healthcare providers and records service providers.
What is the difference between ISO 30301 and ISO 15489?
ISO 15489-1 sets out the concepts and principles of records management and cannot be certified. ISO 30301 sets the management system requirements you are certified against, and its operational annex links to ISO 15489.
What are ISO 30300 and ISO 30302?
ISO 30300 gives the fundamentals and vocabulary for management systems for records. ISO 30302 gives guidance on implementing one. Neither is certified on its own.
Does the standard cover digital records and email?
Yes. It applies to records in any format, including email, databases, cloud services and scanned paper. The same controls on capture, metadata, access and disposal apply.
How does records management certification support GDPR?
It helps you know what personal data you hold, keep it only as long as needed, and dispose of it securely. It supports GDPR compliance but does not certify it.
Can ISO 30301 be combined with ISO 27001?
Yes. Records management and information security overlap on access, storage and disposal. Both use the same structure and can be audited together.
Is ISO 30301 the same as ISO 9001 document control?
No. ISO 9001 controls the documents a quality system needs. Records management covers all business records, their legal retention and their final disposal or transfer to an archive.
Do auditors look inside our records systems?
Yes. Auditors sample records in your systems to check metadata, access rights, retention and disposal. They do not need to read confidential content to do this.
How long does ISO 30301 certification take?
Most organizations with a working records program certify in 6 to 12 weeks from Stage 1 to the certificate. Many systems, several sites or a new program take longer.
How much does ISO 30301 certification cost?
The cost follows the audit man-days your scope needs. Headcount, sites, the number of records systems and the records functions in scope set the man-days. A free scoping review gives you a tailored, fixed-fee proposal.
Is accredited ISO 30301 certification available?
Yes, from certification bodies accredited for the standard. Your proposal names the certification body that will issue your certificate. If a buyer requires accredited certification, tell us at scoping.
Does Accredify Global write our retention schedule?
No. Certification must stay impartial, so neither we nor the certification body can write your policies, schedules or procedures.
Show Your Records Can Be Trusted
Tell us about your records, systems, and deadlines. We'll confirm your certification scope and send a fixed-fee proposal.
Book your free scoping review →Last reviewed by the Accredify Global certification team.