AS9100 Certification Readiness: AS9100D Gap Assessment Before Your IAQG-Recognized Audit
AS9100 certification is what most aircraft makers, engine makers, and tier 1 suppliers ask for. Only certification bodies recognized under the IAQG scheme can issue it. Accredify Global runs an independent AS9100D gap assessment, clause by clause and tested on your shop floor. You go into that audit knowing exactly where you stand. You get a tailored proposal after a free scoping review.
What Is AS9100 Certification?
AS9100 certification is independent confirmation that an organization's quality management system meets AS9100D, the quality standard for aviation, space, and defense. It is issued by a certification body recognized under the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) scheme, and listed in the IAQG OASIS database.
AS9100D takes all of ISO 9001:2015 and adds requirements that matter when a defect can affect flight safety. Europe publishes the same content as EN 9100 and Japan as JISQ 9100, so one certificate is recognized worldwide.
Accredify Global is not an IAQG-recognized certification body, and we do not issue AS9100 certificates. We provide an independent AS9100D gap assessment, and we certify the ISO 9001 system many suppliers build first.
AS9100D Today, IA9100 Next: What the Versions Mean
AS9100D is the edition you certify to now. Published in 2016, it aligned AS9100 with the high-level structure of ISO 9001:2015. It added product safety, counterfeit parts prevention, and human factors to the aerospace layer. The earlier AS9100C certificates expired at the end of the transition in 2018.
IA9100 is the planned next revision. The IAQG plans to publish it in late 2026 under the new IA9100 name, aligned with ISO 9001:2026. A transition period of about three years is expected. Signalled topics include quality culture, product safety, cybersecurity, and tighter control of sub-tier suppliers.
If you start now, build to AS9100D and plan for IA9100 in your first surveillance cycles. A gap assessment can flag the areas the next revision is expected to strengthen.
Sources: IAQG · IA9100 transition update (APEX) · IA9100 revision updates (Axeon)
Who Issues AS9100 Certification, and Where Accredify Global Fits
AS9100 runs under an industry-controlled scheme. Knowing the roles avoids buying a certificate your customers won't accept.
| Role | Who | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Scheme owner | International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG) | Publishes the 9100 standards and runs the certification scheme |
| Accreditation | Accreditation bodies approved under the scheme, such as ANAB in the US | Accredit and oversee the certification bodies |
| Certification | IAQG-recognized certification bodies | Audit to AS9101 with qualified Aerospace Auditors and issue the certificate |
| Register | IAQG OASIS database | Lists certified organizations so customers can check them |
| Readiness | Accredify Global | Independent AS9100D gap assessment before your certification audit |
AS9100D Requirements, Clause by Clause
AS9100D follows the ISO 9001:2015 clauses. These are the aerospace additions we test in each one.
| Clause | Aerospace additions in AS9100D | What we look for |
|---|---|---|
| 4. Context | Customer and regulatory requirements in the QMS scope | A scope that matches the products and customers you serve |
| 5. Leadership | Product conformity and on-time delivery as leadership measures; a management representative | Delivery and quality data reviewed and acted on by management |
| 6. Planning | Risks to product and delivery addressed | Risk actions linked to real orders and suppliers |
| 7. Support | Awareness of product safety and ethical behavior; calibration recall; data protection | Training records, calibration status, and controlled drawings |
| 8. Operation | Operational risk, configuration management, product safety, counterfeit parts, first article inspection, special processes, FOD | Recent orders traced from contract review to delivery |
| 9. Performance | On-time delivery and product conformity measured; internal audits and management review | Trends acted on, not only reported |
| 10. Improvement | Root cause analysis including human factors; corrective action flowed to suppliers | Closed corrective actions that stopped recurrence |
For the full side-by-side with ISO 9001, see ISO certification for aerospace.
How to Get AS9100 Certification, Step by Step
Six stages from first look to a certificate in OASIS. We help with the first; your team and your certification body handle the rest.
Have a customer deadline for AS9100? A free scoping review tells you how much there is to do before you book the certification audit.
Book a free scoping reviewCommon AS9100D Gaps, Even in ISO 9001 Certified Companies
An ISO 9001 certificate is a good start. These are the aerospace areas it does not cover.
System gaps
- Product safety covered in a policy, but not in any process
- No defined method for configuration management
- Counterfeit parts risk not assessed for purchased electronics or fasteners
- Operational risk register that never changes
- On-time delivery measured differently from how customers measure it
Shop-floor gaps
- First article inspection skipped after a drawing change
- Key characteristics marked, but not monitored
- Foreign object debris checks not recorded
- Special processes run without validated parameters
- Customer quality clauses not flowed down to sub-tier suppliers
Building your system from scratch? Start with our ISO 9001 certification checklist and the ISO certification process guide. Your team can also take auditor courses through our ISO training services.
What You Receive From an AS9100D Gap Assessment
Every AS9100D requirement rated as met, partly met, or missing.
Orders, first articles, and supplier records we sampled, with what we found.
Gaps in order of audit and customer risk, so you fix the right things first.
Areas the next revision is expected to strengthen.
Our view of whether you are ready to book the certification audit.
A short report for management, with the decisions they need to make.
AS9100 Certification Cost and Timeline
There is no list price for either part. A free scoping review gives you a tailored proposal for the gap assessment.
What drives the total cost
- Certification audit: set by your certification body, using headcount, sites, and scope under AS9101
- Gaps to close: the internal time and tools your fixes need
- Starting point: an ISO 9001 system already in place reduces both
- Standard: AS9100, AS9110, or AS9120
- Gap assessment: quoted by us in a tailored proposal
What sets the timeline
| Gap assessment | Planned around your sites and shifts |
|---|---|
| Closing gaps | Depends on the gap list and your team's capacity |
| Running the system | Long enough to show internal audit and review records |
| Certification audit | Booked with your IAQG-recognized certification body |
How to Choose an AS9100 Certification Body
Five checks before you sign with a certification body.
| Check | How to verify it |
|---|---|
| Recognized under the IAQG scheme | The body appears in OASIS as a certification body for the standard you need. |
| Accredited for aerospace | Ask for its accreditation certificate from an approved accreditation body, such as ANAB. |
| Qualified Aerospace Auditors | Ask who will audit you and confirm their Aerospace Auditor status. |
| Accepted by your customers | Check your customers' supplier terms for any certification body rules. |
| Clear audit days | Ask for the audit duration in writing, based on AS9101. |
Frequently Asked Questions About AS9100 Certification
Straight answers on AS9100D, IA9100, who certifies, cost, and timeline.
What does the D in AS9100D mean?
It is the revision letter. AS9100D, published in 2016, is the fourth revision of the AS9100 standard and the version organizations are certified to today. It is aligned with ISO 9001:2015.
How do I get AS9100 certification?
Build a quality management system that meets AS9100D, run internal audits and a management review, then choose an IAQG-recognized certification body. That body runs a Stage 1 and Stage 2 audit and, if you pass, lists your certificate in the OASIS database.
Can Accredify Global issue AS9100 certification?
No. AS9100 certificates can only be issued by certification bodies recognized under the IAQG scheme. Accredify Global provides an independent AS9100D gap assessment so you know what to fix before that audit.
How long does AS9100 certification take?
It depends on how mature your quality system is. A company already certified to ISO 9001 usually needs less time, because AS9100D builds on it. Your certification body sets the audit dates once your system has run long enough to produce records.
How much does AS9100 certification cost?
There are two parts. The certification body's audit fee depends on headcount, sites and scope, using the audit duration rules in AS9101. Your internal cost depends on the gaps you need to close. Our gap assessment is quoted in a tailored proposal.
What are the AS9100 certification requirements?
AS9100D contains every ISO 9001:2015 requirement plus aerospace requirements. These include operational risk management, configuration management, product safety, counterfeit parts prevention, first article inspection, and on-time delivery performance.
Is AS9100 certification mandatory?
It is not a legal requirement. It is a commercial one. Most aircraft makers, engine makers and tier 1 suppliers require it in their supplier terms. It is often needed to win or keep aerospace work.
Can an individual get AS9100 certified?
No. AS9100 certifies an organization's quality management system. Individuals can take AS9100 training, and auditors qualify as Aerospace Auditors under the IAQG scheme, but that is a personal qualification, not AS9100 certification.
How do I check if a company is AS9100 certified?
Search the IAQG OASIS database. It lists organizations certified to AS9100, AS9110 and AS9120, the certification body, and the certificate status.
What is AS9101?
AS9101 sets the audit requirements that certification bodies follow when auditing to AS9100, AS9110 and AS9120. It covers audit planning, duration, the process-based audit approach, and how results are reported.
Will AS9100D certificates still be valid when IA9100 is published?
Yes. When the next revision is published, a transition period is expected, so AS9100D certificates stay valid until the transition deadline. The IAQG plans to publish IA9100 in late 2026.
Does an AS9100 certificate replace an ISO 9001 certificate?
AS9100 includes all of ISO 9001, so many customers accept it in place of ISO 9001. Some companies keep a separate ISO 9001 certificate for non-aerospace customers or sites outside the AS9100 scope.
Can Accredify Global certify our ISO 9001 system as well?
Yes. We are an accredited certification body for ISO 9001. To stay impartial we assess and certify, but we do not design or write your quality system.
Does a gap assessment guarantee AS9100 certification?
No. It shows where your system falls short of AS9100D before the real audit, so you can fix the gaps. The certification decision is made only by your IAQG-recognized certification body.
Know Your AS9100D Gaps Before the Certification Audit
Tell us about your products, customers, and deadline. We'll scope an AS9100D gap assessment and send a tailored proposal.
Book your free scoping review →Last reviewed by the Accredify Global certification team.