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Suspension & Withdrawal

This policy describes the circumstances under which QA Assessor may suspend or withdraw a personnel certification or reduce its scope, the procedures followed, the rights of certified persons, and the obligations of all parties. Reference: QA-CB-POL-005 | ISO/IEC 17024:2026 clause 9.5 | Version: 3.0 | Last reviewed: September 2026

Status words used on the register

Certified and listed (current), Lapsed (the paid-until date passed without renewal, or recertification was not completed by its due date), Suspended and Withdrawn. Lapse is not a sanction: it is the automatic consequence of a registration not being renewed, and it is reversed by renewing (see the Renewal page). Suspension and withdrawal are decisions taken under this policy.

1. Suspension

Suspension is a temporary measure. The certified person is given written notice of the grounds and 14 days to respond before a decision is taken by a decision maker not involved in the matter. The notice of suspension states the grounds, the effective date, the duration or the conditions for reinstatement, and the right to appeal.

Grounds for suspension

  • Failure to complete the required CPD records (at least three in each calendar year) after a written reminder
  • Failure to respond to a request for information about a verified record, an audit or a complaint within the specified deadline
  • A pending investigation of a complaint or an allegation of misconduct where the seriousness justifies it
  • Voluntary request by the certified person (for example, extended leave or a career break)
  • Temporary inability to meet the ongoing requirements of the certification scheme
  • Misuse of the certificate, digital card or mark that is corrected on request

Non-payment of the annual fee is not a ground for suspension: an unpaid registration lapses on its paid-until date, as described in the Applicant Handbook, and is relisted when it is renewed.

During suspension

The certified person must not claim to be certified or use the QA Assessor certification mark, certificate or digital card. The public Auditor Register and the verification pages show “Suspended” within 2 business days. The suspension period does not normally exceed 6 months.

Reinstatement after suspension

To be reinstated, the certified person must resolve the grounds for suspension, apply in writing to the Certification Manager, and pay any annual fee that fell due during the suspension. The original registration and recertification dates are not extended by the period of suspension. A suspension that is not resolved within 6 months becomes a withdrawal.

2. Withdrawal

Withdrawal is the permanent removal of a certification.

Grounds for withdrawal

  • Proven fraud, misrepresentation or deliberate provision of false records or evidence
  • Sustained non-compliance after the suspension period has expired
  • Serious or repeated breach of the QA Assessor Code of Conduct, including an upheld complaint about the person’s auditing
  • Voluntary withdrawal requested by the certified person in writing
  • Failure to complete recertification within 6 months of the certification lapsing for that reason
  • Criminal conviction for an offence directly relevant to the scope of certification

After withdrawal

The Auditor Register and verification pages show “Withdrawn” within 2 business days. The certified person must not claim to be certified, use the QA Assessor certification mark, certificate or digital card, or represent themselves as holding a QA Assessor certification in any context. Fees already paid are not refunded.

3. Reduction of scope

Where the grounds affect only part of what the person holds (for example one scheme among several, or the grade held), the decision maker may reduce the scope instead of suspending or withdrawing: the affected scheme is suspended or withdrawn, or the grade is moved to the highest grade the person’s verified records still meet. The register shows the new position within 2 business days.

4. Re-application after withdrawal

A person whose certification has been withdrawn may re-apply, subject to: for voluntary withdrawal, at any time, meeting the current requirements; for non-compliance withdrawal, after a minimum 12-month period; and for fraud or misrepresentation, a minimum exclusion period of at least 24 months as determined by the Certification Committee. Re-application does not guarantee certification.

5. Right to appeal

Any certified person subject to suspension, withdrawal or reduction of scope has the right to appeal under the Complaints and Appeals Policy. Appeals must be submitted within 30 calendar days. The appeal does not automatically stay the decision pending the outcome.

6. Record keeping

All suspension, withdrawal and reduction actions are documented on the person’s certification record and in the suspension and withdrawal log, and are retained in accordance with the Confidentiality and Data Protection Policy and the Privacy Policy.

7. Policy review

This policy is reviewed annually by the Certification Committee and the Impartiality Committee. The current approved version is published on the QA Assessor website.