ISO/IEC 17024:2026 Revision: Key Changes for Personnel Certification Bodies
ISO/IEC 17024:2026 is now the current edition of the international standard for bodies that certify people, replacing the 2012 version that personnel certification bodies have relied on for well over a decade. Released in March 2026, the new edition is the largest update the standard has received since 2012.
For accredited personnel certification bodies (PCBs), the real question is no longer whether to transition, but how fast. This guide explains what is new in the ISO 17024 2026 revision, where assessors will focus, and how to plan a controlled move to the new edition.
What ISO/IEC 17024 covers and why the 2026 edition matters
ISO/IEC 17024 sets the principles and requirements for any organization that certifies individuals against defined competence criteria. It also governs how that body builds and maintains the certification scheme behind each credential, from welder and NDT technician programs to auditor and inspector certifications.
The 2026 text is the third edition of the standard. It formally cancels the 2012 edition, which has been technically revised, and was developed by ISO’s Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO) together with CEN/CLC/JTC 1. NAC notes that more than 40 accreditation agencies worldwide use this standard to accredit personnel certification bodies, so the revision reaches a large share of professional credentials around the world.
ISO/IEC 17024:2026 key changes at a glance
The foreword of the new edition names three main changes, and most of the revision follows from them.
| Change | Where it appears | What it means for a PCB |
| New and revised terms and definitions | Clause 3 | Manuals, scheme documents and candidate handbooks should use the updated vocabulary. |
| Dedicated requirements for artificial intelligence | New subclause 6.5 | AI used anywhere in the certification process, from exam development to proctoring, now falls under explicit requirements. |
| Alignment with the CASCO common elements (PROC/33) | Most visible in clause 10 | The management system section now follows the same pattern as other recent ISO/IEC 17000-series standards. |
NAC also points to tighter impartiality expectations, a stronger risk-management focus and better-defined protocols for remote examination.
AI in personnel certification: the new subclause 6.5
The headline addition is subclause 6.5, which governs the use of artificial intelligence in the certification process. NAC describes the 2026 edition as the first standard in the ISO/IEC 17000 family to tackle AI directly.
NAC’s transition training groups the new AI provisions under four themes: transparency, human oversight, validation of AI outputs, and disclosure. The precise obligations sit in the text of 6.5, so each PCB should read that subclause against its own workflows.
NAC also flags the points where AI typically enters a certification program:
- developing and maintaining the certification scheme
- the assessment itself, including exam content
- remote proctoring
- handling complaints and appeals
Before the transition assessment, it helps to answer a few practical questions internally:
- Which tools in exam development, delivery and proctoring rely on AI, including features built into vendor platforms?
- How will we record evidence that a competent person reviewed AI-supported outputs?
- How specific should our disclosure to candidates be?
- Do we need a documented AI policy even if we do not use AI today?
Impartiality, risk and the CASCO common elements
The third main change is alignment with PROC/33, the CASCO document that sets shared text for conformity assessment standards. As a result, ISO/IEC 17024 now reads much like other recently revised standards in the 17000 family.
NACnotes that this alignment reinforces impartiality and risk management. Management of impartiality stays in subclause 4.3, so the shift lies in the expectations rather than the clause number.
The management system clause shows the clearest structural change. The 2012 edition grouped its system requirements under one subclause, 10.2. The 2026 edition splits them into dedicated subclauses:
- 10.2 Policies and responsibilities
- 10.3 Management review, with defined inputs and outputs
- 10.4 Internal audits
- 10.5 Corrective actions
- 10.6 Actions to address risks and opportunities
- 10.7 Documented information
PCBs that also operate under other 17000-series standards will recognise this layout, which makes cross-referencing between systems simpler.
Clause-by-clause comparison: ISO/IEC 17024:2012 vs 2026
Placing the contents pages of the two editions side by side shows exactly where the structure moved. The table lists every heading that is new, renamed or reorganised.
| 2012 edition | 2026 edition | Type of change |
| 3 Terms and definitions | 3 Terms and definitions | Terms added or revised |
| 5.1 Management and organization structure | 5.1 Management and organizational structure | Wording updated |
| 5.2 Structure of the certification body in relation to training | 5.2 Structure of the certification body in relation to education or training | Now covers education as well as training |
| 6.1 General personnel requirements | 6.1 General requirements for personnel | Retitled |
| 6.2 Personnel involved in the certification activities | 6.2 Personnel involved in assessment activities (6.2.1 General, 6.2.2 Examiners, 6.2.3 Other personnel involved in the assessment) | Refocused on assessment roles |
| No equivalent | 6.5 Use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the certification process | New subclause |
| 9.1 Application process, 9.2 Assessment process | 9.1 Assessment process, 9.2 Application process | Order of the two subclauses reversed |
| 9.7 Use of certificates, logos and marks | 9.7 Use of certificates and marks | “Logos” removed from the title |
| 10.2 General management system requirements | 10.2 to 10.7, one subclause per system element | Restructured in line with PROC/33 |
| Annex A Principles for certification bodies for persons and their certification activities | Annex A Principles for certification of persons | Retitled |
| No equivalent | Annex B Relationship between certification activities | New informative annex |
Headings that keep their wording include 4.1 to 4.4, 6.3, 6.4, 7.1 to 7.4, clause 8, 9.3 to 9.6, 9.8 and 9.9. An unchanged heading does not mean unchanged content: the whole text was technically revised, so every clause deserves a fresh read during the gap analysis.
ISO/IEC 17024:2026 transition timeline
Each accreditation body sets its own transition plan, so confirm the dates that apply to your PCB. NAC’s published plan for currently accredited bodies allows 36 months from publication and makes a useful reference point.
[embed: node/4845319d-187d]By 1 October 2027, NAC expects each CB to self-attest full conformity with the 2026 edition and show evidence that the changes are in place. Assessments then run from October 2027 to September 2028, and accreditation to the 2012 edition expires on 31 March 2029.
How to prepare: an ISO/IEC 17024:2026 transition checklist
An early, structured start is the safest route, and NAC advises PCBs to begin immediately. The steps below combine NAC’s recommended actions with the practical tasks a transition usually involves.
- Obtain the 2026 edition and run a clause-by-clause gap analysis against your current 2012-based system.
- Rank AI, personnel competence and vendor oversight as top priorities, the high-impact areas NAC singles out.
- List every AI-enabled tool and supplier used in scheme development, exam delivery, proctoring, complaints and appeals.
- Name a transition lead or small team with clear ownership.
- Build a dated roadmap, working backwards from your accreditation body’s deadline.
- Revise policies, procedures, scheme documents and candidate materials to the new structure and terms.
- Put the changes into practice and keep evidence of implementation, not only revised documents.
- Train staff, examiners and committee members on what has changed.
- Complete an internal audit and a management review against the 2026 edition before your transition assessment.
Frequently asked questions about ISO/IEC 17024:2026
When was ISO/IEC 17024:2026 published?
The third edition was published in March 2026. It cancels and replaces ISO/IEC 17024:2012.
What are the main changes in the ISO 17024 2026 revision?
The foreword lists three: new or revised terms and definitions, a new subclause 6.5 on artificial intelligence, and alignment with the CASCO common elements in PROC/33.
Does ISO/IEC 17024:2026 prohibit the use of AI?
No. It sets requirements for how AI is used and overseen in certification activities rather than banning it.
Is ISO/IEC 17024:2012 accreditation still valid?
Yes, during the transition window. Once your accreditation body’s deadline passes, accreditation based on the 2012 edition lapses.