ISO published ISO 9001:2026 on September 16, 2026, and the 2015 edition is now formally withdrawn. If you hold a certificate, the good news is that the structure and the process approach are the same, and the list of new requirements is short. Top management now has to promote a quality culture and ethical behavior. Risks and opportunities get handled separately, change management carries more weight, and the 2024 climate change amendment sits inside the core text. That’s most of it. Below, we go through each change clause by clause, cover what stayed where it was, set out the transition timeline, and list the work a certified company has to do before the deadline. Key Takeaways ISO 9001:2026 is the sixth edition of the standard and replaces ISO 9001:2015. Most of the new text is guidance, and only a small part of it adds requirements. The changes that carry audit weight are in Clause 5.1 (quality culture and ethical behavior), Clause 6.1 (risks and opportunities addressed separately), and Clause 6.3 (planning of changes). ISO 9001:2015 certificates stay valid during the transition period, which is expected to run for three years, until around September 2029. Your certification body confirms the exact
A new version of the world’s most widely adopted quality management standard is on the way. The Draft International Standard (ISO/DIS 9001) was released on 27 August 2025, and ISO member bodies voted to approve it in December 2025. Final publication is targeted for September 2026, with a three-year transition window expected to follow. Over 1.3 million organizations worldwide currently hold ISO 9001 certification. For every one of them, understanding what is changing, and what is not, matters. This guide covers the confirmed changes in the DIS, the full revision timeline, what the update means for currently certified organizations, and how to plan your transition. Whether you are managing an existing Quality Management System (QMS) or considering certification for the first time, this is what you need to know. What Is ISO 9001:2026? ISO 9001 is the international standard that defines requirements for a Quality Management System. Published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), it provides a framework organizations can use to consistently deliver products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements, and to drive continual improvement. Certification to ISO 9001 is recognized in virtually every industry and country worldwide. ISO 9001:2026 is the sixth edition of the
