Last Updated on November 3, 2025 by Melissa Lazaro

Accreditation Isn’t the Finish Line

Earning your ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation is a huge milestone — but it’s not the end of the story. In fact, it’s just the start of your ongoing responsibility to maintain that recognition year after year.

Here’s what many certification bodies don’t realize at first: surveillance visits aren’t just routine checks. They’re proof that your system continues to perform exactly as promised — consistent, impartial, and technically sound.

In my experience helping certification bodies under SANAS, ANAB, UKAS, and IAS, the organizations that treat surveillance as a natural part of their operations rarely struggle. The ones that treat it as an annual “fire drill”? They end up stressed, unprepared, and sometimes facing suspension.

This guide breaks down exactly how surveillance visits work, what assessors focus on, and how to prepare so each visit runs smoothly — no surprises, no panic.

What Surveillance Visits Are and Why They Matter

Surveillance visits are periodic follow-up assessments conducted by your accreditation body to confirm you’re still meeting ISO/IEC 17024 requirements.

Unlike the initial accreditation audit, which covers your full system, surveillance focuses on consistency and control — are you still impartial, competent, and effectively managing your certification schemes?

Think of it like a health check. You don’t wait until you’re sick to see a doctor; you go for check-ups to stay healthy. Surveillance visits serve the same purpose — they keep your accreditation in shape.

Pro Tip: Treat your surveillance like part of your management system, not an interruption. A clean, consistent routine keeps findings low.

Common Pitfall: Downplaying surveillance. Missing deadlines or showing weak internal monitoring can put your accreditation status at risk.

Typical Frequency and Scope of Surveillance Audits

Most accreditation bodies conduct annual or 18-month surveillance visits depending on your risk profile and performance history.

The scope isn’t random — it’s based on:

• The number and complexity of your certification schemes.
• The volume of candidates certified since your last visit.
• Any major changes in structure, personnel, or processes.
• Previous findings or risk areas identified during your last audit.

If you’ve consistently demonstrated strong performance, future surveillance visits may be shorter or even partially remote.

Pro Tip: Ask your accreditation body whether you qualify for hybrid or reduced-scope surveillance — it can save time and cost.
Experience Insight: Bodies with solid, traceable records and quick responses tend to earn that flexibility over time.

Key Areas Reviewed During Surveillance Visits

Every surveillance visit has a rhythm. Assessors focus on areas that show how well your system is being maintained between audits:

• Impartiality Committee meetings — minutes, decisions, and follow-ups.
• Certification decisions — records of how candidate competence is confirmed.
• Internal audit and management review reports.
• Corrective actions — evidence that past issues were resolved.
• Complaints and appeals — how you handle feedback and disputes.
• Assessor competence and training records.

Pro Tip: Keep your documentation organized in folders or digital dashboards that follow the standard’s structure. Assessors love clarity.

Pitfall: Neglecting small details like missing signatures or outdated competence records — they seem minor but often trigger nonconformities.

Preparing for a Surveillance Visit

The best preparation starts long before the visit notice arrives.
Here’s what to focus on:

1. Close all previous findings. Make sure corrective actions are verified and documented.
2. Update impartiality and risk assessments. These should reflect current operations.
3. Confirm certification records are complete. Every file should show clear traceability from exam to decision.
4. Schedule witness activities if required.
5. Brief your team. Everyone should understand their role and know where to find evidence.

Pro Tip: Conduct a quick internal “mock audit.” Walk through your system as if you were the assessor. It reveals small inconsistencies before they become findings.
Common Mistake: Waiting for the official notice before preparing — readiness should be continuous.

Common Nonconformities Found During Surveillance

Even well-run organizations stumble on recurring issues. The most frequent ones I see include:

• Missing or outdated management-review minutes.
• Gaps in impartiality-risk monitoring.
• Missing evidence of result verification or certification decisions.
• Expired assessor competence evaluations.
• Incomplete records of complaints or appeals.

These aren’t hard to fix — but they signal weak routine control.
Experience Insight: Certification bodies that maintain monthly internal compliance reviews rarely face repeat findings.
Pro Tip: Keep a living “compliance tracker” — a simple sheet mapping each ISO/IEC 17024 clause to current evidence and review status.

What Happens After the Surveillance Visit

After the assessment, you’ll receive a report listing any nonconformities, observations, or improvement notes.

From there:

1. You submit corrective actions, ideally within 30 days.
2. The accreditation body reviews your responses.
3. Once everything’s accepted, your accreditation remains valid.

Pro Tip: Respond to findings with clear root-cause analysis, not excuses. Show you understand why the issue happened and what prevents it in the future. Assessors appreciate concise, factual responses.

Pitfall: Sending quick, surface-level corrections just to “close” the issue — they often come back during the next visit.

Using Surveillance Feedback to Strengthen Your System

A good surveillance visit doesn’t just maintain your accreditation — it helps improve your system.

Treat findings as a learning opportunity:

• Use them to update training materials.
• Review internal audits more effectively.
• Revise unclear procedures.
• Recognize and reward staff who consistently maintain compliance.

Experience Insight: The best certification bodies I’ve worked with view assessor feedback as free consulting. They use it to make their operations tighter every year.
Pro Tip: Keep an improvement log linking every assessor comment to an internal enhancement action. It shows maturity and builds assessor confidence over time.

FAQs – ISO/IEC 17024 Surveillance Visits

Q1: How often do surveillance audits happen?
Typically once every 12 to 18 months, depending on your accreditation body’s schedule and how well you performed during previous assessments.

Q2: Can a poor surveillance visit lead to losing accreditation?
Yes — repeated major findings or non-responsiveness can result in suspension or withdrawal. But with proactive preparation, this is entirely avoidable.

Q3: Are surveillance audits always onsite?
Not necessarily. Many accreditation bodies now conduct hybrid or remote visits for low-risk certification bodies with strong records.

Maintain Readiness, Not Panic

Maintaining ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation doesn’t have to feel like a yearly scramble. When you treat compliance as an everyday process, surveillance visits become straightforward — even routine.

The goal isn’t to “get through” the audit; it’s to prove that your system works consistently, day in and day out.

From what I’ve seen, certification bodies that stay organized, responsive, and transparent don’t just keep their accreditation — they gain respect from assessors and clients alike.

If you’d like a practical ISO/IEC 17024 Surveillance Visit Checklist or a compliance tracker template tailored for your system, QSE Academy can set it up for you — making your next visit faster, easier, and stress-free.