Applicable to management-system certification, such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO/IEC 27001. MLA means Multilateral Recognition Arrangement. ISO/IEC 17021-1 is the core competence standard for management-system certification bodies.
Overview of the five levels
The IAF MLA has five levels. Levels 2 and 3 form the Main Scope; Levels 4 and 5 form the Sub-scope.
| Level | Subject or purpose | Management-system certification example |
|---|---|---|
| LEVEL 01 | Competence criteria for accreditation bodies (ABs) | ISO/IEC 17011 |
| LEVEL 02 | Type of accreditation activity | Management-system certification |
| LEVEL 03 | General competence standard used by ABs to assess certification bodies (CBs) | ISO/IEC 17021-1 |
| LEVEL 04 | Supplementary competence requirements for specific fields | For example ISO/IEC 17021-3, ISO/IEC 17021-2 and ISO/IEC 27006-1; confirm the applicable scope |
| LEVEL 05 | Standards or scheme documents used by CBs to conduct conformity assessment | For example ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO/IEC 27001 |
LEVEL 01 | Qualification criteria for accreditation bodies
Corresponding standard: ISO/IEC 17011.
It specifies competence, impartiality and consistent-operation requirements for an accreditation body (AB).
How to read it: An AB joining the MLA must demonstrate that its accreditation activities are trustworthy through applicable peer-evaluation and recognition processes. The IAF also builds confidence by evaluating and recognizing regional accreditation organizations' MLAs; it does not directly assess every AB.
LEVEL 02 | Type of conformity-assessment and accreditation activity
In this example: Management Systems Certification.
This level describes the type of accreditation activity for which the AB has demonstrated competence.
How to read it: Check whether the AB's MLA signatory scope includes management-system certification. Qualification for another activity does not automatically cover this one.
LEVEL 03 | General competence standard for certification bodies
Corresponding standard: ISO/IEC 17021-1.
An AB uses this standard to assess a management-system certification body's (CB's) competence, impartiality and consistent operation.
How to read it: ISO/IEC 17021-1 governs bodies that audit and certify management systems. The requirements against which a company's management system is assessed appear at Level 5.
LEVEL 04 | Supplementary requirements for specific fields
This level consists of IAF-endorsed normative documents for specific fields. An AB uses them with the Level 3 standard to assess a CB's competence in that field.
Common examples: ISO/IEC 17021-3 applies to quality management systems and ISO/IEC 17021-2 to environmental management systems. Information security management systems have applicable requirements in the ISO/IEC 27006 series. Check official current information for editions, transition periods and the MLA scope listing.
How to read it: IAF MD documents may impose mandatory requirements on accreditation or certification activities. Do not classify every IAF MD or industry scheme as Level 4; confirm each item against the official MLA scope.
LEVEL 05 | Management-system standards and scheme requirements
This level includes IAF-endorsed normative documents used by accredited CBs when performing conformity assessment.
Common examples: ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management) and ISO/IEC 27001 (information security management).
How to read it: This is the standard or scheme against which an organization's management system is certified. A certification body's internal processes or procedures cannot replace it.
How to check an accreditation scope using the five levels
- Identify the AB and check its MLA signatory scope.
- Confirm the Main Scope for management-system certification (Levels 2 and 3).
- Confirm the applicable field-specific requirements and management-system standard (Levels 4 and 5).
- Check the CB's valid accreditation certificate and scope, including relevant editions and transition arrangements.
Sources
- IAF | MLA scopes and the five-level structure
- IAF | About the IAF MLA
- IAF | MLA scope overview at the end of 2024
This article is based on the official references above. Confirm individual standard editions and accreditation status against current official notices and the valid accreditation scope.